CLOSE TO HOME

Wouldn't you know it. More than anyone I know... I stay close to home. I like being home. And, I've got plenty to do while I'm home. And more importantly... I love my home. But now... I'm actually FORCED to stay home! And... I'm plenty nervous about it, too.

Get this... THERE IS NO GAS IN MY CITY!! I swear it. Every gas station within 50 miles of me is out of gas at the pumps!! I could travel further than 50 miles, if I wanted, but guess what? They TOO are out of gas. EEEEEEEEEEEEKS. My stomach is turning. More importantly, we aren't going to GET gas for what some people are telling me, another week, yet.

I KNEW I should have filled up way earlier this morning, when I woke up to go to the bathroom. I had gotten back into bed, thinking to myself... okay. I get 15 minutes. If I don't fall back to sleep, BOOM. I'm going out to fill up. Damnit. I fell back to sleep. Thus, when I drove by all the stations from here to downtown, not a one of them had any supply. Naturally... just my luck... unlike before, when I probably would have CHOSEN to stay home, I now want to go ALL OVER THE PLACE, but uh... I can't. Like, all of a sudden, I'm dying to run here. Run there. Run everywhere! Talk about the grass always being greener on the other side.

Okay... so maybe I shouldn't panic. I have 3/4 of a tank as we speak. But... if it's going to be a week yet, before I can fill up... trust me, that tank has got to last me a LONG time. Oh yeah... by the way.... when I DID top off last, they only allowed like a $50 maximum. Which as you know, is like nothing anymore. In fact, this afternoon, I was supposed to run over to my financial broker to sign some papers... yes, he's still solvent, thank God... but you know what? I called them and said... NO CAN DO. I DON'T WANT TO WASTE MY GASOLINE. Bingo. They are mailing and/or faxing the papers to me. Who the hell ever thought that I'd have to rethink a short little trip to Lee's??? This is nuts!!

I even have a friend who is supposed to drive to Florida this weekend. He MIGHT be able to go! Apparently... NC, SC and GA are all in same boat. All states through which he has to drive to reach South Florida! Can you imagine? Talk about having to spend some extra sight seeing time in towns you never wanted to visit. Let alone, ever wanted to be in, while awaiting tanker truck deliveries.

Supposedly, this crisis is all because of the damaged refineries caused by Hurricane Ike. And believe me... it's a crisis. Schools closed down for a couple of days. People couldn't get to work for days. The list goes on and on. Which reminds me... one of our city officials called this an INCONVENIENCE... not a crisis. Yet to me... when I drive down the street and for two weeks NOT A SINGLE GAS STATION in site has any gas to pump, has no clue when any will arrive, nor has any idea how much will even be delivered... hmmm... I like to call it critical. Hurricanes have SO got to stop going into the Gulf... I WANT TO DRIVE! Apparently, even if I want to stay close to home.