CAUTION: Complaining Ahead

 

Yesterday I set aside for errands and grocery shopping across the Colorado River border into Blythe, CA., just an eight mile drive.  We left at 8:30 a.m.

The two main grocery stores in town are across from one another.  I had to go to both just to get what I wanted, and still did not check off each item on my list.  Some items I had to settle for lesser known brands because what I normally get was not available.  Bagels and beef hot dogs for example.  I hit up two dollar stores afterwards in my failed attempt to get the flavor of Gatorade I like.  I did finally find kitty litter at the fourth stop.  I never found Jimmy Dean pork sausage.  There must be a pig shortage I am unaware of.  I wound up going all the way to the outskirts of the west side of town back to the vet hospital to get some hairball treatment for Beans.  There are no pet stores anywhere within the radius of a nuclear bomb blast shockwave.  I thought I would have to order online but the vet had one tube.  Whew!

I needed to eat.  I went to Burger King again.  No vanilla shake, again!  “Just cancel the order” and I walked out.  I’ll go to Carl’s (Hardees to you folks east of the Rockies) a couple blocks down.  “Sorry, we don’t have any product for shakes.  It didn’t come in on the truck.”  This is unbelievable!!  I went ahead with the burger alone for I was getting the shakes-the body jitters.  I needed to eat.  The girl suggested I go next door to Jack in the Box and get a shake.  Yeah, I might just do that.  It won’t be the first time I had to go elsewhere to get a shake.  For as long as I had to wait for my burger order I could have gone next door and got my vanilla shake (on the premise they had product to make a shake) and still be back in time for order number 42 to be called instead of standing there listening to that gawdawful racket coming from the speakers at ear deafening volume.  Add the mind numbing ‘music’ at both grocery stores to that.  I feel bad for the employees who have to listen to that all day long.  By now after watching the long lines at the Jack in the Box drive-up window I resigned myself to it’s not worth it.  I did without.

I ate my burger (Carls is better than Burger King; I think I’ll quit with the King) and would fill the propane tank, the main reason for the whole day.  Gee, I should have got the propane at ACE Hardware while I was there looking for hairball stuff on the recommendation of a store clerk.  I drove back.  “Oh we can’t fill RV’s.  Go to the Shell station or the Flying J Truck stop.  Back to the Shell station a couple blocks down from the no milk shakes fast food places, I pull up.  $3.89 a gallon!  Usually it is $2.30 in this area.  I sit and think about it.  Hell, I’ll go to the Flying J.  It was my main plan anyway the last stop before getting onto the dirt road into the desert.  I’m done over here in California anyway.  Back over the river into Arizona and immediately turn off into the truck stop.  I pull up to the tank and see this.

I cannot believe my eyes.  Seriously?  What to do?  The propane is a must have.  It’s not like doing without or buying some unknown brand of bagels or hot dogs because the good stuff is unavailable.  It is either I come back in a day or two or go all the way back to that Shell station.  I go inside to ask when they will have some propane, that is if they even know.  The place is a madhouse inside.  I have to get in a long line just to ask.  I’m standing there thinking.  I didn’t lock up.  There’s questionable people everywhere.  Beans...Shit!  I go back out and lock up.  Back inside the line is just as long but with different people in line.  They are not sure when the truck will come.  I ask their price.  $3.69.  Damn!  I should have got it back there in Blythe!  Back into California we go but by now I have achieved some level of peace in resignation.  The Shell station is tranquil, only one customer out by the pumps.  The attendant comes right out and is pleasant.  To Hell with the insanity of Flying J.  I’ll gladly pay 20 cents more per gallon for this pleasant experience.  

I topped off my water tank at the faucet I found at the Union station across the interstate from the truck stop before returning to California and going through the inspection station which it seems they couldn’t care any less.  They always just wave me on through.  That went well with the water and helped with my having to drive the six miles back to the Shell station.

We returned back to our homesite at two p.m.  Five and one half hours!  Thirty-five miles.

The reality of my complaining is a result of my lifestyle.  I am so used to be isolated, alone, in peace and quiet that when I immerse myself into the normal everyday life that people live it is very stressful to me. 

And, with the little bit of unavoidable news that slips through to me I know there are a lot of empty store shelves everywhere.  No doubt you folks deal with worse than what I did yesterday.

I sure could have used a vanilla shake that day to help me get through it all.