$5.37! That's what the kid behind the counter at Taco Bell said to me. I dug into my pocket and pulled out some lint and two dimes and something that used to be a Jolly Rancher. Having already handed the kid a five-spot, I started to head back out to the truck to grab some change when the kid with the Elmo hairdo said the hardest thing anyone has ever said to me. He said, "It's OK. I'll just give you the senior citizen discount."

I turned to see who he was talking to and then heard the sound of change hitting the counter in front of me. "Only $4.68" he said cheerfully.

I stood there stupefied. I am 56, not even 60 yet? A mere child! Senior citizen?

I took my burrito and walked out to the truck
wondering what was wrong with Elmo.
Was he blind? As I sat in the truck, my blood began to boil. Old? Me?

I'll show him, I thought. I opened the door and
headed back inside. I strode to the counter, and there he was waiting with a smile.

Before I could say a word, he held up something
and jingled it in front of me, like I could be that easily distracted! What am I now? A toddler?

"Dude! Can't get too far without your car keys, eh?"
I stared with utter disdain at the keys. I began to rationalize in my mind.

"Leaving keys behind hardly makes a man elderly!
It could happen to anyone!"

I turned and headed back to the truck.
I slipped the key into the ignition, but it wouldn't turn.
What now? I checked my keys and tried another. Still nothing.

That's when I noticed the purple beads hanging
from my rear view mirror.
I had no purple beads hanging from my rear view mirror.

Then, a few other objects came into focus.
The car seat in the back seat.
Happy Meal toys spread all over the floorboard.
A partially eaten doughnut on the dashboard.

Faster than you can say ginkgo biloba,
I flew out of the alien vehicle.

Moments later I was speeding out of the
parking lot, relieved to finally be leaving this
nightmarish stop in my life. That is when I felt it, deep in the bowels of my stomach: hunger! My stomach growled and churned, and I reached to grab my burrito, only it was nowhere to be found.

I swung the truck around, gathered my courage,
and strode back into the restaurant one final time. There Elmo stood, draped in youth and black nail polish. All I could think was,
"What is the world coming to?"

All I could say was, "Did I leave my food and drink in here"? At this point I was ready to ask a Boy Scout to help me back to my vehicle, and then go straight home and apply for Social Security benefits.

Elmo had no clue. I walked back out to the truck, and suddenly a young lad came up and tugged on my jeans to get my attention. He was holding up a drink and a bag.
His mother explained, "I think you left this in my truck by mistake."

I took the food and drink from the little boy and
sheepishly apologized.

She offered these kind words: "It's OK.
My grandfather does stuff like this all the time."

All of this is to explain how I got a ticket doing 85 in a 40. Yes, I was racing some punk kid in a Toyota Prius.
And no, I told the officer, I'm not too old to be driving this fast.

As I walked in the front door, my wife met me halfway down the hall. I handed her a bag of cold food and a $300 speeding ticket. I promptly sat in my rocking chair and covered up my legs with a blankey.

The good news was I had successfully found my way home.

Pass this on to the other old fogies on your list.

Notice the larger type? That's for those of us who have trouble reading.

P.S. Save the earth...... It's the only planet with chocolate!!!!!

Views: 97

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

Comment by Sweettina2 on August 22, 2011 at 6:35pm
LOL!  Right on Timothy!
Comment by Timothy Leon Jackson on August 20, 2011 at 8:14am

"P.S. Save the earth...... It's the only planet with chocolate!!!!!"

Plus we have cookies.....and not the crunchy kind!!!

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

tjdavis favorited Parrhesia's video
yesterday
tjdavis favorited UnitedWeStand's video
yesterday
tjdavis favorited Sandy's video
yesterday
tjdavis posted a photo
yesterday
Doc Vega commented on rlionhearted_3's photo
Thumbnail

2DF36465-A826-443C-A3A8-6638BC1D4FFA

"You can't subvert a nation that has already been subverted by Marxists and drug cartles who…"
Wednesday
Doc Vega commented on rlionhearted_3's photo
Thumbnail

2DF36465-A826-443C-A3A8-6638BC1D4FFA

"Venezuela was once a thriving nation until the left and Communism infiltrated the government, and…"
Wednesday
tjdavis posted a photo
Wednesday
tjdavis posted a video

Jacob Collier Improvises With Orchestra (Live in San Francisco)

A few months ago, I had the joy of performing with the world's first Audience Symphony Orchestra in San Francisco, a gathering of fans from all over North Am...
Wednesday
Doc Vega posted blog posts
Tuesday
Роман posted a blog post

Архітектура для мегаполісів: виклики та рішення урбаністики

Сучасні мегаполіси — це складні живі організми, де переплітаються економіка, культура, технології…See More
Monday
Tori Kovach posted a discussion

Pumpkin Face

Is he dead yet?See More
Sunday
cheeki kea posted a blog post
Sunday
cheeki kea commented on Sandy's photo
Thumbnail

FB_IMG_1770501160448

"Thumbs up find. So what ever do we have here then? Revolving doors of corruption and deceit that…"
Sunday
cheeki kea left a comment for Роман
"Greetings and well wishes to you POMaH, great that you've joined us all here at the site. May…"
Sunday
Sandy posted photos
Sunday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

Something is Making Fishermen Disappear It’s not Alligators or Sharks

 The setting is a section of the Ohio River where many locals enjoy fishing, swimming, and boating.…See More
Saturday
Роман is now a member of 12160 Social Network
Saturday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

Always Wondering

The face of reality pressed against your window paneIs it engineered or is it real rain?So, you…See More
Feb 6
tjdavis favorited Burbia's video
Feb 5
tjdavis posted a photo
Feb 5

© 2026   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted