Sooo ... the day went along rather well -- it wasn't agonizingly long nor amazingly fast to come to a close. However, it was the after-work that made this day special.
Instead of going straight home, I felt like grabbing a beer somewhere prior to going back to Hell ..... ummm, I mean the house.
So I stopped at a no-fee ATM, withdrew some cash and headed out to find a bar with a somewhat decent selection of beer. Not an easy task here in NASCAR country! ; )
Oddly my choice of route took me southward, as I could not think of any bars on the way home with any decent selection. Knoxville has some (which was the direction I headed), but outside of that, I was drawing a blank.
I was just poking along, in no hurry, along US 11-E southbound when I saw the sign for TN-139. Wait! there is now an Applebee's or Ruby Tuesday's .... or one of those that offer a bar with *some* beer selection over in Dandridge (which was only about 8 miles from where I left the ATM). My ride was closer to 30 miles. Ah well! I had "extra" gas in the tank and the skies were blue. Any saddle time is good, so no loss!
Anyhow, I finally arrive at the restaurant and belly up to the bar. I check their taps and only one is a light beer. YAY! The other four were Yuengling (that's okay), two Samuel Adams offerings (again drinkable), and a local Knoxville-based hoppy brew that I have had before. SCORE!
I order that and check the phone to make sure nothing has happened at home. I see a missed call from .... my sister. UH OH! She NEVER calls me! EVER!! .... even when I try calling her. SHE ... CALLED ... ME!!
UH OH! something must have gone wrong. I no sooner get my beer than I return her call. No worries, she just wanted to chat ... to ... ME!! I was glad I was sitting down!! I was tickled for the opportunity, though.
We spoke for a very enjoyable 40 minutes or so getting caught up some. I tell you it made my whole day!
It has been waaayy too long and I had given up on ever talking to her again unless it was in person (which is hard to do considering the distance between us). I have tried calling and texting, but never get much of a reply, and NEVER a phone call!
I felt like a bit of a hypocrite as I sat there in the bar like one of those ignorant a$$hole$ that sit there on their phone ignoring the world. However, I wasn't going to pass up the chance to talk with her and I smugly smiled from joy that I was talking to my sister, in spite of myself. Special thing indeed!
On my way home, I needed to stop at the grocery store to grab some beer for the next few days Megan works right next to the Food City and I circled the parking lot and noticed her car. I circled again looking for a parking spot.
No sooner than putting my kickstand down, Megan comes rolling out (doing carhop duty on roller skates tonight) and says "I thought that was my Daddy" and lays a big ol' hug on me. Can you say "heart melt"?
Yeah! it did! I asked when she was due for her break. She went back inside and her gracious boss allowed her to take one .... NOW.
I was already late getting home and knew it, but fuggit! time with my daughter is rare and more than precious! We spent 30 minutes enjoying each others' company.
First, a rare phone chat with my sister, to be followed up with nearly as long a face-to-face visit with my daughter. It ... doesn't .... get ... ANY .... better!
I got to spend time with two of my favorite ladies in the whole world tonight. Well, three of them, once I got home. I'll take it! (color me happy) I should've called Mom to make it all four!
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