A neon sign bright with the words, "Buttery Toffee Popcorn" was all I saw that wet, dark Friday evening at the end of January.
I was in the West End that particular evening, a pit-stop of sorts, in an evening that could only be described as "Mom's Taxi Service".
Half an hour to wait after dropping one child off at the Aquatic Centre for swim practice, the other at Granville Island for dance class and then to pick everyone up along with a friend for a sleepover!
I headed straight for London Drugs thinking this is my 30 minutes to write. My objective was to buy the large coiled notebook that I had failed to purchase the day before in part due to "Mom's Taxi Service" and "Mom's Dinner Service" which tend to take up quite a bit of time daily. As I drove through the rain, I planned my 30 minutes. 5 minutes to London Drugs, 5 minutes in London Drugs, 5 minutes to get out and settled in the car, 10 minutes to write, 5 minutes to get back to the pool. I added the timing in my head, perfect, 30 minutes.
As the wipers quickly cleared the rain from the windshield, I looked up the street, London Drugs was on the right, oh good parking right at the front door. I rolled into the space, hopped out of the car pulling my hood up over my head, the rain was still falling. Quickly glanced at the parking meter, parking karma, 7 minutes left in the meter, I dashed through the entrance and made a sharp turn to the left towards the stationery isle. I looked up, objective in mind, large coiled notebook. And there it was, "Buttery Toffee Popcorn". Neon and bright, as if a spotlight was shining directly on the box from the director's podium.
"Keep walking," I told myself, "you are here for the large coiled notebook" I continued aloud, firm to myself and startled a few people in the aisle around me. A tall, plump, 20 something looking guy with a Vancouver 2010 toque on turned to me and said nervously, "I'm here for cat food." "Oh, of course," I replied, "I was talking to myself...have you seen the large coiled notebooks?" "Yeah, actually I have," he smiled and pointed down the aisle a few feet. "Thanks so much," I called back. There they were, the big ones, the one I wanted, red, green, blue, black. My first choice was black, I picked out a black, not black enough, it had little white dots that made me think the book had been splattered with paint, I didn't like that. So, red it was, a red notebook always looks good and inspires.
I turned to head to the checkout, glanced at my watch, I was happy, still making good time. Down the aisle I walked with my new red notebook under my arm, eager to write, excited about all the ideas that had been flowing through my mind that day. Looking forward to my ten minutes of writing. Music piped into the store, John Denver sang, "West Virginia, mountain momma, take me home, country roads..."
I hummed along and turned the corner of the aisle to get into line at the checkout. Boom, there it was again, that bright neon that I had said goodbye to on my way in, "Buttery Toffee Popcorn".
I love toffee, I love buttery toffee popcorn, oooo delicious, I could taste it melting in my mouth, a little crunchy popcorn along with that sweet and soft buttery toffee. It seemed like an eternity waiting in line, was I still on time, a few minutes off, oh shoot. And there was the Buttery Toffee Popcorn staring at me, calling me, the neon was flashing bright pinks, orange, yellows, the spotlight, brighter and brighter. In that moment I hated the Buttery Toffee Popcorn. Focus on the new red large coiled notebook, think about Ruth, the ten minutes writing, the blog, Eduardo and the group. Prompt the muse, come on! Finally it was my turn, the cashier rang up my new red notebook, looked at me and said, with a hint of suggestion in her voice, "anything else?" I was now arm's length from the Buttery Toffee Popcorn, the box smiled at me, I smiled back, it was like a lover that I could never say no to, no matter what he did. I reached for the box...
I was in the West End that particular evening, a pit-stop of sorts, in an evening that could only be described as "Mom's Taxi Service".
Half an hour to wait after dropping one child off at the Aquatic Centre for swim practice, the other at Granville Island for dance class and then to pick everyone up along with a friend for a sleepover!
I headed straight for London Drugs thinking this is my 30 minutes to write. My objective was to buy the large coiled notebook that I had failed to purchase the day before in part due to "Mom's Taxi Service" and "Mom's Dinner Service" which tend to take up quite a bit of time daily. As I drove through the rain, I planned my 30 minutes. 5 minutes to London Drugs, 5 minutes in London Drugs, 5 minutes to get out and settled in the car, 10 minutes to write, 5 minutes to get back to the pool. I added the timing in my head, perfect, 30 minutes.
As the wipers quickly cleared the rain from the windshield, I looked up the street, London Drugs was on the right, oh good parking right at the front door. I rolled into the space, hopped out of the car pulling my hood up over my head, the rain was still falling. Quickly glanced at the parking meter, parking karma, 7 minutes left in the meter, I dashed through the entrance and made a sharp turn to the left towards the stationery isle. I looked up, objective in mind, large coiled notebook. And there it was, "Buttery Toffee Popcorn". Neon and bright, as if a spotlight was shining directly on the box from the director's podium.
"Keep walking," I told myself, "you are here for the large coiled notebook" I continued aloud, firm to myself and startled a few people in the aisle around me. A tall, plump, 20 something looking guy with a Vancouver 2010 toque on turned to me and said nervously, "I'm here for cat food." "Oh, of course," I replied, "I was talking to myself...have you seen the large coiled notebooks?" "Yeah, actually I have," he smiled and pointed down the aisle a few feet. "Thanks so much," I called back. There they were, the big ones, the one I wanted, red, green, blue, black. My first choice was black, I picked out a black, not black enough, it had little white dots that made me think the book had been splattered with paint, I didn't like that. So, red it was, a red notebook always looks good and inspires.
I hummed along and turned the corner of the aisle to get into line at the checkout. Boom, there it was again, that bright neon that I had said goodbye to on my way in, "Buttery Toffee Popcorn".
I love toffee, I love buttery toffee popcorn, oooo delicious, I could taste it melting in my mouth, a little crunchy popcorn along with that sweet and soft buttery toffee. It seemed like an eternity waiting in line, was I still on time, a few minutes off, oh shoot. And there was the Buttery Toffee Popcorn staring at me, calling me, the neon was flashing bright pinks, orange, yellows, the spotlight, brighter and brighter. In that moment I hated the Buttery Toffee Popcorn. Focus on the new red large coiled notebook, think about Ruth, the ten minutes writing, the blog, Eduardo and the group. Prompt the muse, come on! Finally it was my turn, the cashier rang up my new red notebook, looked at me and said, with a hint of suggestion in her voice, "anything else?" I was now arm's length from the Buttery Toffee Popcorn, the box smiled at me, I smiled back, it was like a lover that I could never say no to, no matter what he did. I reached for the box...
Very good story, I place myself there and the anxiety of getting the sweets! Very well written, great flow to the story.
ReplyDeleteErnesto Salvador Dominguez