I’m Pretty Sure

{Wait, don’t leave, this is a new post!}

The free summer meal program is for moms.

With six kids.

Traveling across the great state of Oregon to Idaho.

{Seriously, it’s like the entire state.}

To visit family.

All by herself.

I was about to say ‘lonesome’ but there was no part of the trip that was alone.

Anyway….

And who pull in to get gas, at a charming little Sinclair station.

{The kind of place where they wash your windshield.}

And when the gas attendant starts pumping the gas and cleaning the windshield,

the mom starts looking for her wallet.

You know, wallets?

The things that hold cash, and credit cards and licenses?

Pretty much everything vital and necessary?

And couldn’t find it.

Anywhere.

{Transition}

Well, I flagged/hollered at the gas attendant to stop pumping because I could not find my wallet.

And then because I’m awesome at dealing with spontaneous emergencies, I burst into incoherent tears.

Because the full magnitude of my situation had hit me.

I had no way to pay for gas, no way to purchase lunch, and no driver’s license to present to an officer who would inevitably pull me over for driving well above the speed limit.

Guys, it was a pathetic sight.

The gas attendant calmed me down, once I was able to clearly explain the problem.

The owner came out and told her to fill up the tank and take my name and number so I could pay once I had found my wallet.

Oh, and the wallet?

It was in Medford.

Where I had pulled it out to buy some audiobooks to listen to while driving across the barren desert that is Eastern Oregon.

After my tank was filled and the kids realized there would be no French fries and play area, they begged to go to the park across the street.

It’s one of those ‘vintage’ parks with a double metal slide two stories high and a merry go round.

Which I did, illegally because I didn’t have my driver’s license.

After we pull in and I’m talking crying at Bryce over the phone {which I managed to not forget}, Adeline runs over and says,

“Mom, it’s the free lunch program, they’re handing out free sack lunches!”

And sure enough, there’s a little bus with a lunch lady handing out bagged lunches.

Guys, you don’t even know.

Free lunches all around for the sad little family passing through without any money.

So, anyway, the free lunch program is awesome.

As is the Sinclair station.

{Bryce paid them over the phone with his credit card because he’s a capable adult and had it with him.}

I had enough gas to make it to my parents house and Bryce over-nighted my wallet.

I’m back now and drowning in squash.

But there’s worse things, like forgetting your wallet….

Happy August,

Katie

For my other pathetic driving-through-Oregon post.