bad shrimp

So, I was on my way to synagogue this morning and was suffering from a bout of agita (bastardized Sicilian/American for upset stomach). So, I stopped at a gas station for the nector of the gods, Vernors.

Just as an aside, I've never known anyone outside the Mitten who liked Vernors. And, really, I've never known anyone who was from the Mitten but not from the Detroit area to even like Vernors.

So, I grabbed the Vernors from the case, took it up to the counter and handed the guy behind the counter a 20 dollar bill. It was early and he couldn't change it. He said the computer was down and he couldn't open the register. He told me he needed exact change. Well, all I had was my 20. So, I told him that I lived a mile away and I promised I'd come back later on if he let me take the pop. I was desperate and I wasn't even thinking that of course I could stop at another gas station for pop. So, he said yes.

Later on, I came back with my one dollar and 35 cents that I owed him. I was expecting some sort of fanfare and was disappointed at the lack of joy on his part that I came back. I had thought that they never expected to see their buck 35 and I was doing a great thing by returning. Of course, I didn't get the fanfare and I didn't deserve it anyway. I was just doing what I said I was going to do. Nothing more. I didn't deserve any praise. I was just being egotistical about the whole thing.

The moral of the story. When your friend gives you reasons not to eat shrimp at 9:30 at night, heed their advice.