Adventure, Finale

As I raced to meet the perfect stranger, I begged for more mercy.

Two words, people: Gas.Light.

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.  

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.  

Lamentations 3:22-23

I flew past a gas station and decided that while begging for mercy was a time-honored ritual for me, passing a perfectly good gas station was just plain stupid.  I stopped.  I remembered back in high school when we would pool the change dug from three or four pockets and cruise all night.  I put in $20 and ended up with less than five gallons.  I rolled my eyes.

I raced down (up?) King Street-- face sweating, heart pounding--and cruised right by her.  I was more than 30 minutes late, and yet there sat the perfect stranger-- legs crossed and book open-- on a shady bench in front of Alexandria Cupcake.  Exactly where I had asked her to meet me.

I drove to my Never Fails, Always Find A Parking Spot parking lot, where there were no parking spots.  I turned around and headed back towards her.  When I got stopped at a light just two store down from her bench, I opened the window and (like a total dummy) hollered at a perfect stranger.

Sharon!  I'll be right there!

I'm such a dork.  After fumbling with coins for the meter and wondering if perhaps I should have glanced at my face, I made my way to her.

We hugged.  It was not the hug of strangers.  It was the hug of women who hold a piece of one another's hearts, even though they have never before laid eyes on each other's faces.

We crossed the street and entered my favorite Thai restaurant.  (Someone is going to comment and say, "Hey! You just took ME to that restaurant!")  News flash: I only take people I love to this restaurant.

We sat downstairs and talked for something like 2.5 hours without pausing, without breathing, without coming anywhere near saying everything we wanted to say.  Realizing our time was drawing short, we headed back across the street to Alexandria Cupcake.  (Someone is going to comment and say, "Hey! You just took ME to Alexandria Cupcake!")  News Flash: If I take you to Alexandria Cupcake, eat a darn cupcake!

We both had the coconut cupcake.  I always have the coconut cupcake.  The coconut cupcake completes me.  It is the only coconut cupcake I have found in which both the cake and the frosting are actually coconut.  Glorious.  I forced myself to slow down and while Sharon nibbled I managed to stretch the experience to four whole bites.

Our time was up.  It was more than up.  I was late.  If I couldn't get back in the HOV lanes (which close to single-passenger cars at 3pm), I would never, ever get home.  I would likely die of old age on the interstate, sandwiched between four hundred million other southbound single-passenger cars.

We asked the girl behind the cupcake counter to take our picture and immediately three customers walked in.  While we waited, we started one last topic of conversation, for which I have the greatest regret at not being able to finish.

We had photos taken.  Sharon looked like the incredibly sweet human being that she is.  I looked like a dork with a red face.

The End.




Just kidding.

Tomorrow I'll tell you all about why this meeting of perfect strangers was the coolest thing since coconut cupcakes.