Road Trip

Parlez vous Francais? Nope, they don't speak much French in Paris, TN, but there are a few pictures of famous Parisian landmarks here and there. So what the hell was I doing over a hundred miles from home? Trying to find the quarterly personnel meeting. And you know me, nothing but drama.

A little background--there are 11 stores in our particular market with the market office located in Jackson (which has TWO stores, by the way). I'm repeating myself but TN is BIG, so to make the travel somewhat equitable, we hold the meetings in different areas. Paris, known for its annual fish fry, had the luck of the draw.

Maps were sent (I didn't get mine), along with written directions. Since I'd made plans to hook up with other folks in Milan (My-lan), an hour away, I didn't need them. The HR manager was providing the meat, we were asked to bring a dish. Great! I'd just found a recipe for coconut pie, one of my favorites.

Leaving work on Wednesday, my little voice said, "Pick up something else, just in case." Did I listen? N-O-T! Needless to say, the recipe was not for coconut CREAM pie but, just as it said--coconut pie. TOOOOO sweet and more like a coconut candy bar. NOT taking that. So Thursday morning, instead of clocking in and getting back in my car for the drive to Milan, I'm roaming the aisles picking up fixings for a salad. An expensive salad, to boot. Piled in the car and on my way, watching the gas tank. It says I can go 120 miles; Milan is about 50 miles away. I'm good.

Got to Milan at 7:45 a.m. Whoopee! We're to meet between 7:50 and 8:00 a.m. I'm EARLY! Whip into the store, use the potty, run into the personnel coordinator for that store. All smiles, I say, "Oh, we're supposed to meet here at 7:50." She says, "I don't know anything about that. No one told me they were meeting here. And...I'm on my way to my car." All while she's walking away. "Oh, so you're saying that you're leaving now?" "That's right." Did anyone hear "follow me" or "you can ride with me"? I sure didn't. So now what do I do? Run behind her and follow? Stay and wait?

Gassed up and stayed and waited until 8:01. I don't see TJ's truck anywhere. Lawd, have mercy. Where is TJ's phone number? In the desk, at home. Same with CT's number. STOOPID, Stupid, stupid. Pulled out Maggie, hoping that she was charged enough to get me where I needed to be.