It’s a beautiful day in the beginning of March- the month that is supposed to “come in like a lion and out like a lamb”. My windows are open, I’m wearing a skirt without any stockings and I drove with the sunroof open today. It’s just absolutely beautiful, and all I want to do is walk around on the grass barefoot. To celebrate what a lovely day it is, before I locked myself in my room after my Globalization Seminar to do the last 50 pages of work before my Spring Break can begin, I cleaned my car.
It costs $2 to vacuum at the place on the corner, and I dug out the quarters I needed and vacuumed away. I found another 4 quarters and kept them in my cup holder, so I could buy an Armorall wipe to further clean my interior. When I pulled up in front of the machine that dispenses it, I saw that it actually cost $1.50, so I started digging everywhere for a quarter. Of course, I could only find nickels and dimes.
I started tearing my car apart, my pocketbook apart, and pouring the contents of my wallet onto my lap. I had to get this Armorall wipe, even if it killed me, or made me look like a complete psycho to the patrons trying to clean their cars in peace. I had about 10 dimes, and 8 nickels in my hand and began to look around. Should I ask for someone for a trade?
But then I realized that they too, had to use their quarters wisely. What right do I have to go out and ask a stranger for a trade? We don’t live in some bartering society. So I sat in my car, and put my head in my hands and took a deep breath. As usual, I was overreacting. As usual, I was giving myself a panic attack.
“What am I going to do if I can’t find this quarter?” I screamed in my head, “My car is going to be filthy, my dad’s going to kill me, and what the heck am I going to do?”
In that moment I took a deep breath, rolled my windows down and threw my car in reverse- probably freaked out the guy parked next to me. I drove away in a rush, but kept breathing.By the time I parked, I was calm- and laughing at what a ridiculous human I am.
Just because I can’t find a freaking quarter doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. The Armorall machine will be there tomorrow, and I’ll figure out a way to work it into my schedule. It’s just a quarter, for Gods-sake.
When I got back to my room, I sat down at my laptop and turned some music on. I looked to my left, and there sitting, mocking me- was that elusive quarter I just couldn’t lay my hands on.