Seriously? Again?...

Sometimes I get so hacked off at the idiocy that goes on in this country that I can hardly stand it.  Idiocy.  Pure, unadulterated idiocy.

Today started like many others.  The power went off a few minutes after 8 this morning.  We didn't know about it in advance, but you deal.  Thankfully, I had just finished printing something that I needed for church.  With the power off, that meant I didn't have to set up sound equipment for church.  No computer and overhead projector to get ready, either.  That made things easy!

After church, I heated up some leftover arroz con pollo, chicken and rice.  Even with the power off, I can still cook because I have a gas stove.  I just need to light it with a match.  I couldn't wash the dishes, though, because our well has a pump which needs electricity.  That wasn't a big deal, either.  I just put the dirty dishes in the fridge to keep the ants away.

Then it was hammock time!! I grabbed my freshly charged Kindle and iPod and climbed into the hammock.  I read for a while until my eyes just couldn't stay open any more. So I put the Kindle into screensaver mode and took a nap.  I mean, what could be better than a Sunday afternoon nap, in a hammock, with a gentle breeze blowing?  That's right, it doesn't get much better!

Around 2:30 I went back into the house because it was getting pretty warm in the hammock.  I found that the power had come back on.  At least I could get the dishes done.

So what about the idiocy?  I'm getting to it.

I needed to pick up a few groceries and wanted to get out on my motorcycle for a while to enjoy the sunshine.  I grabbed my keys and my helmet and set out.

No real destination in mind, just a little cruisin'.  On a Sunday afternoon.  (Yes, I know the song is really Groovin'.)   I stopped by the movie theater to see what's playing tomorrow night:  Alvin and the Chipmunks 3.  Hmmm, I think I'll pass.  Then past the park and cathedral.  The park was pretty empty.   I finally wound my way back around to Maxi Dispensa.  Time to get my Diet Coke fix!!  Oh, and a few other groceries.

My visit to Maxi Dispensa was short-lived.  They didn't have any Coca Light.  In fact, they didn't have ANY Coca Cola products.  The 3 Coca Cola-branded display cases they have were all facing each other, unplugged.  Strange.  I asked about it and they told me that they would receive their Coca Cola shipment mañana.  Tomorrow.  I've heard that before.  No big deal, I thought.   I'll head over to Del Corral.

I drove to the Mall, thinking that I shouldn't have any problem parking since it's Sunday afternoon and most people are at home.  I mean, the streets were fairly empty.  The park was fairly empty.  Maxi Dispensa was very empty.

Wrong!  I get to the Mall and reach out my hand to take the parking pass.  The security guard said, "Excuse me while I call to make sure there are moto spaces."  There weren't.  Again.  I asked the guy to let me in anyway because the parking lot was less than half full.  "But the motorcycle area is full" I was told.  "¡Pero, mira!  El parqueo está muy vacío."  But, look!  The parking lot is very empty.  It didn't matter.

No amount of my trying to reason with him was going to get him to give in.  Absolutely ridiculous!!  Empty parking lot, but because the motorcycle spots were full (filled by employees, I might add) I can't park.  I was not a happy camper.  See what happens when I'm on my 3rd day of Coca Light deficiency?

I left so angry I couldn't see straight.  "Calm down, Susan.  It's not the end of the world."  That's not until December 21st anyway, right?    I took a few deep breaths and decided to go over to Jumbo.  Now, I HAD to have Coca Light, just on general principle.

I pulled into the Jumbo parking lot, which had about 3 cars in it, and parked next to a car near the entrance.  As I was getting off my motorcycle, I noticed that Jumbo did have a motorcycle area, but I wasn't in it.  In fact, there was a guard who appeared to be walking toward me from the motorcycle parking.  I acted as if I hadn't seen him and just continued into the store.  Actually, the guard and I got to the entrance of the store at the same time and all he said to me was, "Hello.  How are you this afternoon?"  Whew!  No need for an ugly confrontation.

I don't shop at Jumbo much, but managed to find a few things I needed.  I was having trouble finding the pop, though, so I asked where it was.  All their pop was in one of the refrigerated cases and they didn't really have much of a selection.  In fact, they didn't have ANY Coca Cola products.  I asked them about that and was told that the Coca Cola products should be arriving mañana.  Of course, tomorrow.  I settled for a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi Light.  Yes, it's a diet product, but it's not Coca Light.

This evening I was relaying all of this to Sandi and Currie.  We laughed and shook our heads about the sheer idiocy of not allowing someone into the parking lot when there are more than enough spots.  Idiocy.  Lunacy.

Sandi also told me that Charly has called Coca Cola every day this past week, since we have no Coca Cola at the Center, and no one is answering the phone.

Maybe it's time to give up my Coca Light habit?