But these stories don't mean anything, When you've got no one to tell them to

Wednesday I could not get out of the parking lot. We have one of those key cards that lets the car in and out of the lot. I managed to get in Wednesday morning, but when Wednesday afternoon rolled around the card was not in its usual spot. I had to back out of the exit lane (thank goodness no one was behind me) and search for it.

My first thought was that I took it into the office for some reason...I had cleaned out my purse at the office that afternoon so there was the possibility it ended up on my desk. Trecked back in tohe office and looked there with no luck. Got to the car and decided that maybe I had it in my lap when I got out of the car and it feel out onto the pavement. I drove back up to the roof and looked around, and nothing. Stopped up there and did another search of the car and found nothing!

So, I realized that I needed to get going and coughed up the $5 if costs to get out of the lot without a card.

Didn't think about it again until yesterday morning. Before I left the house I did another check of the car. Way under my seat was the box of peanut butter crackers I am supposed to be handing out. Not handing them out is partially my fault for not carrying them with me as diligently as I once planned and also a reduction in the number of people approaching me.

Low and behold there in the peanut butter cracker box was my card...this got me thinking. There is no logical way for it to have ended up there...even if the card fell under the seat I don't see how it would have cleared the lip of the box. So, on my walk with Koz I stuffed my pockets with crackers thinking that this must have been a sign that I would meet someone who needed the crackers today. Our walk was nice and we did not come across anyone asking for help.

At this point I thought how silly I was. I am sure there was some reason that the card could bounce into the box...stranger things have happened. Peanut butter crackers did not enter my mind for the rest of the day.

On the way home I got off at my regular exit and there they were. A young couple with a dog. The girl had black hair in dreads, the real kind (not the kind that people who want to have the real kind have). She had on a white T Shirt and cut off pants and a very old pair of canvas sneakers. She was sitting on the side of the road with the black and white dog, one sleeping bag and a messenger type bag. The guy had on an old hat, with oily hair sticking out from under it, a faded concert T-shit of some description, jeans and no shoes. He was standing by the side of the road with a sign that said:

TRAVELING
BROKE
HUNGRY

in a girly print with embellishments, obviously the work of his lady friend. I turned around and instead of being crammed under my seat the peanut butter crackers were easily within reach. I rolled the window down and motioned him over and handed him too packs. He said, "thank you so much" and as he reached for the crackers I noticed a tattoo on his hand...it said TRUST. He handed her the crackers and she enthusiastically thanked me and I drove on.

He really does work in mysterious ways!

Tomorrow morning at 6:15 I am getting on a plane to Chicago...probably will be out of touch until next Tuesday...there is a gym at the hotel...that should truly test my dedication.


All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am (Brandi Carlile)