Did Ya Ever Have "One of those Days?"

Yesterday was mentally exhausting. It all began with the cat waking me up at 6 a.m. I woke up feeling a mild sore throat and exhaustion. I took a shower and got dressed thinking it would be a good day to go and get my license renewed. Got all my documents together and got there. They had moved. Okay...back in the car and about five minutes later we arrived at the right place where they rushed me through. I had anticipated getting my picture taken so had done my hair and put on makeup but they decided to use the old one since I hadn't changed in 4 years. Not going to argue with that, even if my hair is about six inches longer in that picture. I was wearing a green turtleneck sweater in the old picture and one that day and I could tell the woman noticed that and was no doubt thinking "Could that be the same turtleneck?" For the record it was not. We then headed to the grocery store and picked up a few things we were out of and came home. About that time my birthday girl friend Laura called. I had told her to call me if she was available for lunch. She told me her son had given her money to go to Atlantic City and given her money for me to go with her. Folks, I have to tell you I am not a big fan of "AC". I never truly feel I have enough money to gamble and I would rather give it to charity if I did have it. She knows this but it was her birthday and she wanted to go. 'We live about forty miles apart and she is near the Parkway which is the way you go. She suggested I drive and meet her by the service station near the Driscoll Bridge. While I know this is me going North and then having to go south to get there, I agree wanting things to be easier for her. I through myself in the car and stuff a credit card (to buy her dinner) in my jeans pocket and off I go. I stop at the bank to make a deposit on the way. I go to where I think she means but there is NO service area. I am stuck going over the bridge and now have to go miles to find a place I can turn around. I try to call her cell but it goes right into voicemail. I call home and find she has called Rob and told him she got a new cell and hadn't put my number into it. I get off when I can and head south on the parkway. Now she calls me and I am talking to her when I suddenly realize I was in the far right lane and am stuck on the ramp to the Turnpike. Oh no. Once on the turnpike you go forever before you can turn around. I am talking to Rob who has Laura on the other line. I keep explaining there was no rest area and then she decides that where I entered the parkway was above the rest area. By now I am so far away I tell Rob I will just head home and if she wants to come to the house she can. She begins to come here but then she gets lost. Now I am in tears feeling I have ruined her birthday. The fact that I have a GPS should mean I don't get lost but let me tell you, when you are driving on the parkway people in NJ tailgate. They are driving 65 or faster and it's four lanes like that. Finally when Laura calls again I know just where she is and tell her to stay put. Rob drives me there and I jump in her car and now we are on our way to AC. She is laughing, grateful I am going with her and tells me not to worry about the delay. We stop at a rest area and decide to grab a burger and drink. The rest area is close to AC and has the audacity to charge nearly ten dollars for a whopper junior meal. Can they be serious? Yes and it was the worst service ever with us waiting ten minutes for them to make them. About that time I notice my AMEX is no longer in my pocket. I rush back into the bathroom and it's not there OR in Laura's car. I call Rob and tell him to report it lost after he checks our car to make sure it wasn't lost there. Poor Rob even when I am out of the house he is having to assist me. We arrive in AC and we find a good parking spot. We went to Bally's and parking which was free is now $5. We go upstairs and Laura doesn't have her card so she gets another one and I decide I will get one. This is to build up points and get comps. We head down to the floor and she hands me 5 twenties. I have never had that much money in a casino. I spot a machine that says Dublin Diamond and I think oh yes luck of the Irish. More like the potato famine. It took awhile but I lost that twenty. My friend wanders over to the $1 game machines and wins a few hundred dollars. I am happy and so is she. She takes her winnings and plays the same machine again and wins another couple hundred. YES! I am having vicarious pleasure cause my twenties are being sucked in with nothing coming back. She suggests we go check out the nickel machines. The money goes much faster there because you play x lines and so many per line. This is how it has always been for me. No winnings and no luck. She wins yet again. We have now been there three hours and it's after eleven. She asks me if I want to eat. I am not hungry but I am thirsty so we find a place selling sodas. Nearly three dollars for a diet Pepsi. She decides to call it a night and cashes out. I was so happy for her. She left with several hundred and got her parking comped. I left with what I came with MY $20.
For the life of me, I will never understand the thrill of gambling. Perhaps if my luck were to change and I won, I would feel differently.
So while I ran up lots of tolls yesterday, used a lot of gas (and discovered my engine light was now on) lost my AM EX and had rotten luck on the slots, my luck was good in that I was able to spend a birthday evening with a friend. She smiled and laughed and seemed to have a good time. That was my prize. We made memories and those are priceless and last forever.