On my trip back to Savannah, I was stopping every hour.
I just felt tired, though I think I was just not ready to go home and be faced with any more "Ronnie drama".
So, I had stopped at the rest area north of Daytona, but still in Florida.
Then, only an hour or so later, I had stopped at the Georgia Welcome Center.
While there, I had a nice conversation with a couple from New Jersey. About what? Gardening, of all things.
At the very next exit, Exit 3, I was off again.
Just back on the road and already stopping again.
Time to put some gas in the car, I told myself.
And so I did.
Then, as I was about to leave for the highway, I saw it.
It was right beside the gas station.
I immediately swerved in and parked.
With my $5, 4-year-old, gift card in hand,
I strode in.
This was the day!
I took my tuna salad croissant
and iced coffee with almond milk
out to the patio and enjoyed the sun,
watching the clouds.
All done, and feeling refreshed,
back on the road I went.
No sooner did I merge onto I-95 N than a brown pick-up truck lurched across two lanes of traffic, right in front of me, to catch Exit 6.
On its tailgate, it bore only two letters, in the classic outlined style.
"Very funny! I get it!" I said aloud to the sky.
And justthatfast, in my head rang a chorus of voices.
"You are still loved."
That's all they said.
And I was in tears for the next forty-five miles.
You see, the gift card was an inside joke, of sorts.
The woman in charge of the Science Bowl at Armstrong is, quite proudly, from West Virginia, mentioned in John Denver's song.
She had given me (and others) the gift card in thanks for helping with the Science Bowl back in... 2011? 2012?
Dunkin Donuts was not a place I frequented, so I put the card away. Every so often, I'd pull it out and look up the site on the internet. Only one store was still open around here, but not on my paths of travel.
One time, I even headed out there, but it was closed.
I had placed the card in my car, to have it handy on the road.
I had even almost used it down in Florida, but I had zoomed on past the exit, on my way to the Science Cafe and Daytona.
Then, just yesterday, I had caught my eye in the mirror. "Once upon a time," I thought to myself, "I knew I was loved. I knew Mama always loved me, no matter what. Now, I don't have that anymore."
It wasn't a pity party thought. No, just a matter-of-fact assessment.
Then a series of fortunate coincidences combined to tell me I was mistaken.
It was incredible good fortune that a Dunkin Donuts had been right beside the Shell gas station.
It was incredible good fortune that I had been delayed at the Welcome Center by the gardeners.
It was incredible good fortune that I had left at just the right time to be in just the right place to see the message-bearing truck as it took Exit 6.
Incredible good fortune.
i thank You, God!
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