Long week

I had the stomach flu all week.

Today I felt much better.

Thursday I took the kids to meet Oliver, because they had no school on Friday.  Jillian and I stayed in a hotel on the road because I just couldn't push on through to make it back home that night.  I pulled into the parking lot and backed into a spot, planning to check on Jillian before I decided whether we'd stay or not.  A truck pulled up and stopped awkwardly in front of me as I finished backing in and the driver came toward my window.  He was pretty frantic.  He said they were from out of state, were out of gas and had no money.  He said his wife had left the ATM card in the machine like an idiot.  I said all I had was a dollar, but I'd give it to him.  He said maybe they could at least get a gallon of gas and something about the interstate.  I said maybe he could get a third of a gallon.

I thought it strange that the woman with him kind of had her back to me, instead of watching to see if I'd give him any money.  And when he drove off - quickly, and I didn't think to look at his license plate - he went across the street to another hotel parking lot.  He was probably trolling there for more people to ask.  There was a gas station just up the street.  I'd think if you had no money and no gas, a gas station would be the place to park and ask for help.  Someone might buy you a whole tank.

So I kind of think I got taken for my dollar.  But on the other hand... maybe he'd beaten his wife and she didn't want me to see her face.  Maybe he was driving around frantic because he was out of his mind and didn't know what to do.

I got that dollar a week ago from a little old lady at the grocery store.  She wanted to give me a quarter for Jillian's piggy bank as we walked to our cars.  And then she saw the other 3 children with me and when she couldn't find more quarters, she gave me a dollar so I could just get my own.

I don't guess she'd mind that I gave away that dollar.