Popeye, Long Lines and a PreASS

If you have ever wondered what beervirus, Popeye and breakfast burrito have in common; I’m about to tell you. (I know, you think Monner is about to start rambling, again. Just hear me out, things happen to me.)

Can we agree this beervirus thing is making people crazy? Some businesses are closed, some are open. Some people wear masks, some wear bandannas and some don’t wear any face covering at all. Some people believe everything their government and health departments tell them, which I personally don’t understand. There is plenty of conflicting information out there. (Of course, if you are all in, believing one side, you aren't going to read everything available. Yes. I mean you.)

I have to move on. Elaine has told me I cannot put politics in these stories. She means it! As a matter of fact, she is staring at me right now.

I have noticed people doing crazy stuff. People will sit in long car lines waiting for fast food. I was one of those people.

Now for the backstory. A few years back I was building houses in one single development. A couple miles from that development was a restaurant. Five days a week and sometimes six, I ordered a #3 with coffee at the drive-up window of this restaurant. The staff called me by my first name, not Monner; they called me by my other name. PS I tipped heavily, just sayin'.

I frequented this restaurant so much Elaine will no longer go with me. The staff calls Elaine by her name, ________’s wife! Should I ever want to change from a #3 with coffee, which was seldom, it couldn't happen. My order was already prepared when they saw me coming.

Now that I am building a taco restaurant in another city, I can not stop by for my #3 and coffee. One day this past week, I was back in the old neighborhood. I thought it would be great to get a #3 and coffee.

The restaurant has two entrances to the parking lot. Cars from the two entrances patiently bottle neck into the one and only drive-up lane. It is quite orderly.

This morning both entrances were backed up with cars out of the parking lot and down the street. That’s what beervirus will do. I debated with myself if I actually wanted a #3 with coffee. I decided to get in line.

I loved watching Popeye as a child. Not the Popeye that Mork turned into a movie. I tried to watch that movie, but I couldn’t get comfortable with why the movie was so dark. Didn’t they have any lights when they were filming?

Canned spinach turned Popeye into the savior of his woman and all things good and righteous. That’s what a #3 with coffee does to me. I’m serious! My forearms get huge, my attitude changes and I start looking for ways to save the world.

After forty minutes of sitting in line, it was finally my turn to bottle neck into the drive-up lane. A bearded man in a very unmanly Toyota PreASS darted in front of me. (Brutus?) He was staring at me in his rear view mirror. What could I do? I hadn’t had my super power #3 with coffee, yet. I decided to show him my finger, not the finger with my wedding ring. He just sat and stared at me, so I showed him my finger again.

I’m sure he was a beervirused, crazed non-native; driving an unmanly Toyota PreASS who thought his #whatever was more important than my #3 breakfast burrito with coffee, or, he thought this old guy’s crazy. I have found you need to make allowances for people like Brutus, at least until you have had your #3.

This beervirus thing is cutting into the finances of more than a few people. Ivy is not as fortunate as I am. The Governor has decreed yarn is non-essential. She doesn't have the opportunity to build taco restaurants for the governor. With car payments due, Ivy decided to deliver food with one of those internet delivery companies. I went along for the ride.

I had no idea people would have ice cream delivered to their homes. I find it amusing that people will have dinner delivered from restaurants three blocks from their homes. I think I had more fun than Ivy did.

Your Daily Fiber is open. Ivy has hand sanitizer strategically placed around the store. She has read all the rules to keep everyone safe and healthy. Her classes are pending. Elaine and I will stay out of the store for awhile longer. Well, Elaine will stay home for a while. You see, Elaine has this new loom and she is not done playing. I’m beginning to wonder if she will ever stop.

Stay healthy, stay safe, read everything. God Bless you guys.

Elaine says my story is disjointed. I told her, So am I!"

Our crazy lives!

Monner