Bargain Mocking

WooHoo! Gas for $2.26 per gallon! What a bargain! IF you buy
it. The line was too long. We continued on our way, and got it for
$2.31 per gallon. I know. For that 15 gallons I bought to top off
the tank of the large SUV, I gave up 75 cents by refusing to wait
in line. I'm a math teacher now, y'know.

While I was pumping the gas, a gang of young ruffians hiked past
on the busy road. I don't know what they were up to. I had just
passed them about a half mile back, and they were holding hands
and acting goofy. Cars honked at them, and people hooted out
car windows. I'm sure they were doing something inappropriate.
Then one shouted, "Mrs. Hillbilly Mom!!!" and started running
at me with arms outstretched. No wonder celebrities loathe their
fans. I was a bit concerned. I didn't want to hug this young ruffian,
but he seemed to have that objective.

He was a former student who didn't come to school much. I last
saw him in 6th grade, when he was talking about quitting. Yeah.
Then he supposedly moved. He said he was walking to McDonald's
to get an application. Some people choose their futures early in
life, I suppose. I wished him well. Too bad he didn't stick in school
a little longer, to hear that you shouldn't take a gang of young
ruffians with you to apply for a job.

There were no signs of the puppies we wanted this morning, or this
afternoon. I guess now I'll have to haunt the Wal*Marts, looking
for people with cardboard boxes. The pet carrier was still in the
car today, just in case. Every time we spoke of the puppies, its
door clanged shut. I told the boys, "It MOCKS us!" Either that,
or my driving was a bit erratic.

We found another dead mouse on the porch when we got home.
Perhaps this is a sign. A sign that we don't need a living, breathing,
chew-toy for Doggie Ann.