We Should Do This More Often

Last Thursday evening Boss Lady came home from work and announced that she needed to remember to go out and gas up the car before morning. Boss Lady and Boss Lady’s Mother planned to go to Burlington Friday and they would need a full tank of gas in the morning. So, after she relaxed and had supper, Boss Lady decided to go fill up the gas tank. She thoughtfully invited me along.

I hopped in the car and enjoyed the ride to the gas station. I sat in the car looking out into the dark around me while she pumped the gas. There is always the possibility that a ride in the car will end with a fun adventure, but I was pretty sure there would be no adventure that evening. I was fully prepared for Boss Lady to turn around and go back home. Instead, she announced we were going to Ben&Jerry’s for ice cream. Or, rather, we would both be going, but only she would be getting the ice cream. I considered it somewhat rude of her to make such an announcement, but there wasn’t much I could do.

When we arrived at Ben&Jerry’s, she told me to wait in the car and she would be “right back.” I should really know better than the believe her when she says that. She went inside. I waited in the cold, dark car. And waited. And waited. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she exited Ben&Jerry’s with a half eaten ice cream cone. When I inquired as to the length of my wait, she informed me that she could hardly go into Ben&Jerry’s without visiting Annie’s Book Stop, which happens to share the building. As happens whenever she walks into a book store, she completely lost track of time and nearly forgot I was even waiting in the car. She apologized, but I just gave her a blank stare. Then I asked for some ice cream, but she told me no.

I anticipated she might have some trouble driving and eating ice cream, so I decided to enjoy the ride home with my head strategically placed on her left shoulder, my nose just inches from that ice cream cone. She didn’t seem to appreciate my closeness, but I didn’t care. She left me sitting all by myself in a cold, dark car while she enjoyed ice cream and books. I deserved a little ice cream.

During the ride home, she made quick work of the rest of the ice cream cone. And she didn’t let me help her. But, just before we pulled into the driveway, she reached over the back seat with the last little bit of the cone and offered it to me. Mmmmm. There were the last drips and dregs of double fudge chocolate ice cream. Yummy sugar cone goodness. MmmMmmm. It was good.

Last night when they returned from Burlington, I sidled up to Boss Lady and inquired as to whether she maybe needed to go gas up the car again. Wouldn’t want to run out of gas on the way to work Saturday, eh? And maybe a little side trip to Ben&Jerry’s was in order. Sadly, she replied that a quarter of a tank of gas would be plenty for her to get to work for several days. Besides, her new diet does not allow for too many Ben&Jerry’s ice cream cones.