Val: Always the Scapegoat, Never the G.O.A.T.

We were supposed to embark on our semi-monthly casino trip Wednesday morning at 9:30. Hick was meeting a couple guys up at his Storage Unit Store for a transaction at 9:00, and then swinging by to pick us up.

 

Tuesday night I had checked the weather forecast.

 

"Do you think we should go? There's supposed to be snow tonight, a wintery mix tomorrow, and there's a winter weather advisory until Thursday at 6:00 a.m. My trip to town today was a little slippery, and I doubt anything melted this afternoon."

 

"The roads are fine, Val. It's just our gravel road that's covered. There's tracks on the blacktop roads. I know how to drive in this weather."

 

"The predictor shows Casino Town getting freezing rain and snow at 4:00 Wednesday. I don't want to be caught in the middle of it. That's the most dangerous time."

 

"We'll be fine."

 

"You'll have to go slower. And stay on the road! Remember last time, when we saw two cars off the road on the way back? And that was just an inch of snow."

 

"We made it, didn't we? We'll be fine. The Acadia has four-wheel drive."

 

"It has ALL-WHEEL drive. Not the same!"

 

"Yes it is. We can go. We'll start home at 3:00. We'll be ahead of it."

 

So... I went to bed earlier Tuesday night. Gotta get my beauty rest to go gambling! I had all the money sorted, and my ID and medicine and food coupon. Hick was supposed to give me a wakeup call at 8:00. The Pony had scheduled his shower early enough to allow me hot water for my turn.

 

RING RING!

 

"Hello..."

 

"We're not going gambling today!"

 

"What?"

 

"The front of the car is covered with ice, just from the few minutes I've been sitting here. We won't be going anywhere today. It just started."

 

"Okay. Be careful on your way home."

 

"I'm leaving as soon as this guy shows up."

 

"Bring me some scratchers. I'll make my own soda. I'll pay you back."

 

I got up to break the news to The Pony. He was fine with canceling our trip, even though he was up and showered and dressed. I went back to bed. Hick came home and camped out in his recliner. At 10:00, I arose for the day. Took my medicine. Opened up HIPPIE my laptop at the front living room window. I could already feel the beginning of a headache from Hick's TV volume. Didn't help that HIPPIE is two feet away from the screen. Or that I was inhaling the charred remains of the bucket of popcorn Hick had gotten several of at the auction, and burned in the microwave.

"Gosh. I was all ready to go to the casino. We've had no winter all winter, and NOW that we have plans, we get snow."

"It's stopped now. We could go."

"Um. I don't think so. By the time I have a shower it will be 11:00. Which would put us down there at 1:00 if you drive carefully. Then we have to eat lunch, and leave by 3:00. It's not worth it. BESIDES, you said it was too slick to go when you called me!"

"I only said that because I knew you'd be nervous."

"Oh, really? Since when have you ever cared if I'm afraid while you're driving? Since NEVER!"

"We could have made it. But you wouldn't have been happy."

"Yeah, Mom. You know you'd be nervous. That's why Dad didn't take us."

"There you go, blaming it all on ME! DAD is the one who was out in it, and made the decision not to go. So don't go putting the whole thing on ME now! You two never agree on anything unless it's against me!"

"We could probably make it."

"NO. The main part of this storm is coming up from the south, starting at Casino Town between 3:00 and 4:00. Don't pretend it makes sense to be right in the middle of it trying to drive home."

"Okay. My pawn shop gal is closed anyway."

"THAT'S why you changed your mind! Because you can't buy any merchandise while we're down there."

"She'll have something for me next week."

The current forecast doesn't look much better for next week. I'm sure that whatever is decided, it will be MY fault if we don't go, and Hick's genius idea if we do. He considers himself the greatest of all time, you know. A G.O.A.T. of all trades.