I won the Scroll sudoku contest from last week, this week; the prize was a $5 coupon to Big Jud's, a hamburger place I am informed was featured on an episode of Man vs Food. It's, nearish, but far enough away that walking there is out of the question. Ryan was in Provo again for the weekend, though, so I asked if I could borrow his bike and he said yes. It was a cloudy, slightly chilly day, though it never rained; the chill at least kept me awake and not even drowsy, running on no sleep and fewer calories as I made the trip.
On the map it looked about an hour away by foot, so, by bicycle, that should be maybe 20 minutes. It took me about 3 or 4 hours. Not counting the hour twenty minutes on foot where I walked up a hill (not wanting to bike that, and getting permission from a local to chain my bike up on his property temporarily,) kept walking for miles, and discovered that I'd gotten north and south mixed so I'd overshot the location way much, no wonder why it kept looking like I was getting further and further away from my destination it wasn't just a scaling error, whereupon turning back and going down the actual road where I'd thought it was located it turned out that I was still about 9 miles away according to the dogwalking-man-coming-the-other-way's quite helpful and knowledgeable directions, and that the building that I'd thought might have been Big Jud's and certainly was around what I'd thought the address was was just another stinking potato depository; seriously potatoes are just lying around on the ground by the side of the road out here and there was a truck absolutely full of them that I saw pulling up to get unloaded, a few miles down the road to the middle of nowhere. So.
Already so far into it, and ravenously hungry, I decided to continue, since I had my camera on me and everything, and payment and the coupon- there was a new-looking place that I'd passed (and stopped into and picked up a menu for) not far away, called Fresco's, but 8 or 9 miles away, that's not so far by bike, right?
My legs were already screamingly fatigued, I'd forgotten, so it actually was pretty far, but wahtevah. The story of the man kept passing through my head; it's currently slipping my mind what story, but I'm sure I'll remember it. It's relevant, I know that much.
I'd left around noon, figuring I'd be in time for lunch; I finally arrived around 5:45, or 4:45, beating the dinner rush at least and getting in in time for the end part of an episode of Castle on TNT on the TV in the corner, after which followed another episode. At first I was the only one in, but eventually the dinner rush did arrive, a trickle to a flush.
I ordered a burger thing, and a fish and chips thing, and I got water in me finally. Didn't attempt the Big Jud challenge, though having gone a full day without eating maybe I could or should have. International Cinema night at 7:00- I'd planned it out during the trip up, that I'd make it even taking two hours to eat with time to spare, so I thought, but now it looked like I'd just have to miss it, and have some biking in the dark to do. (There was also another thing at 4:30 that I'd have to miss, which would take too long to explain.) I got a dessert as well, ordered as my server arrived with my bill he had to tear up; sugar day once a week now and I had a few chocolates Sunday but Sunday can count as last week, so. (Also apparently I missed Easter entirely, so double so!) I get a new bill.
Shushana Rucker (!) comes in the door with her husband, as I'm finishing up. I recognize them, but say nothing as they are led into the adjoining room where additional tables are. Shushana Rucker is a monoprint/monotype artist, teaching my monoprint/monotype class this semester. She had an exhibit here last October/November; I've mentioned her before. I go over to say hi after I finish calculating the tip. They brought a car, I rode my bike. We both came all the way down here. It's their first time here as well, and they came to check it out. I realize that I forgot to use my coupon.
I am also interested in getting a ride back home.Their car is small, and I have a bike which might not fit, though it's pretty small; either way I do not want to have to bike back again. But I was just leaving, as they were arriving, and I wouldn't want to be a jerk waiting around for them and impose by making them feel the need to hurry up.
I grab the bike, unchain it from the benchy part in front where I'd locked it up to prevent it from escaping, and demonstrate through the window that I do have it and wasn't making it up (you couldn't see it from the window, though it was just right there.) And then... and then man, how am I going to take this clamshell and the dessert cup home, and meanwhile, heck, better see about using that coupon retroactively. Also I hecka need time to recuperate anyway. So I go back in.
The place is pretty packed by now. I need to pay again, because they delete my information and we have a fresh go about it- the cost is less now, but I leave the tip the same (I'd been thinking about that only earlier; why do we tip calculated from a percentage of what the bill is, how expensive our items were instead of how much we were actually served, that doesn't make sense.) I still need to add that to the bill total though, so that'd be... I pull out my cell phone (whose map had been so useful, even if it had oriented exclusively to north as the top even when I was facing south,) fail at the lockscreen 6 times and get locked out. I calculate the total in my head instead, and rest my aching rump a bit. The Ruckers are still here. Should I go back in there and tell them I'm still here and explain the story? I'd been planning on a ride anyway, and now had way more than an excuse (seriously, I had, like, a styrofoam thing full of burger and fry, and just a cup, with now-melty ice cream cone in it; you can't bike with those!)
I think it's just Sister Rucker in there as I go back and say I'm still here and explain the story. Maybe her husband is hitting the restroom, or invisible temporarily, meaning maybe he was there but I forgot or didn't notice somehow. Anyway it turns out that my timing is good, and I don't have to wait long after I go back in there to them, as they were finishing anyway looks like. I go back to the waiting area, attempt my cell phones PIN once more, but they're right out and ready for me before I even finish.
Squeezing the bike into the car, whew...
I documented our success, and now have it collaged for you. It really was, quite the, challenge.
Got back to the apartment at 7:00, where I could lock the bike up, fridge and freeze the food, set down the camera, and jog across the street in time for Theeb. That's that story.
No comments:
Post a Comment