Good Sunday Morning, all bodies.
Yesterday, after feeding the birds, the dog and my baby ( she had a two egg ham and cheese omelet with avocado slices! ) I took off for parts unknown.
If you are wondrin' why I decided to sketch a gas cap, let me explain...
"There's fumes coming from your engine," my wife said. And, she was right. Somehow, someway, I had lost one of the gas caps to the two 5 gallon tanks on my lawn tractor. I, therefore, thought the most prudent thing to do was to shut the whole lawn thing down.
No honor in going down in flames, especially, cutting the grass.
My ExMark service center was thirty miles away, but even further if I have to drive all the way into Hammond to arrive there from the backside.
"Hey Zel, I need to replace a gas cap... Are you guys open? And, Is the bridge finally fixed?"
"Ben, how did you lose the cap?
"I don't know, man. I have a habit of filling the gas tanks and then, put away the gas can before returning the last cap back on the tank. I've done it before and usually find the missing cap ensconced neatly between the tank and the engine. But this time, I've walked the property twice and can't seem to find it!"
Zel replied,"You'll find it soon enough when you run over it and wreck your blades, ha!
"Ha, ha, very funny, Zel. Is the bridge finally fixed?"
"No, it is not, but you can drive around the barricades that are placed on both sides of the bridge... I've been doing it for the past year or so!"
To me, it seems awfully strange for it to take over one year to repair or even replace a bridge. Of course, Louisiana is a third world country!
Having never seen the bridge in question all the years I've traveled to Tickfaw, the thought of getting caught by the police moving the barricades or attempting to drive the edge on the brink of disaster was not what I needed in my life... right now!
But, I threw caution to the wind to save a few precious minutes and miles and drove passed the intersection where large yellow detour signs abound. Traveling a few more hundred yards, I arrived at a even larger sign that warned...
BRIDGE OUT... except for local traffic.
"Local traffic? Bingo!"Ha
I arrived at the shop where, though Zel was nowhere to be found, a gas cap rested on the counter for me to pick up.
Having succeeded in bagging my prey, I figured since I hadn't had any breakfast that I would treat myself to a visit at the Hammond Cracker Barrel. The food was great! The place brought back memories of the times my son and I would stop for a bite before dropping him off at school.
I decided that since I didn't have my iPad with me, I'd have a few more cups and sketch. It's been a while and...
It just seemed fitting to sketch a gas cap!
Third cup, today!
