Ok God, you can stop laughing now

Ever have one of those days (or hours in my case) when you’re sure that God is laughing at you?

Chris’ birthday is Saturday and since I have no clue how to not make a big deal of birthdays – I’m a little swamped with last minute things to do today. So I opted-out of going to the gym and opted-in to going to Walmart. On my lunch break. In downtown White Plains. yea. What was I thinking?? I have no patience for Walmart at 2am on a Wednesday, why would I go during lunch time in a city??

So I drive downtown and find the “Walmart parking garage.” I drive up what seems like a perfect chase scene no way out ramp and come to a faded sign that reads “up to 15 minutes – $3, up to 2 hours – $4…”. “At Walmart?!?!” I think to myself. “People shop at Walmart to SAVE money! I think it’s crazy that Whole Foods charges $3 to park but that’s more justified than this! I hate cities! This is so dumb! etc. etc.” in my head. But there is no where to turn around. So I park and get in the elevator. I look at all of the buttons and realize that I have no idea what level I just parked on. There is also no sign telling me which level Walmart is on. So I pick Level 4 (??) Yea, God is definitely laughing at me.

Finally I hit the “P” and get out to the main street. I’m now flustered and about to enter Walmart. Bad sign.

Within 10 minutes of wandering around the bustling store and getting stepped on by 4 different ladies, I gave up. I put my basket down in an aisle and walked out. (YUP! I DIDN’T EVEN PUT IT AWAY. TAKE THAT WALMART!)
**sorry God..**

I then remembered that there is a CVS about a block and a half away. So I jaywalked across the road and wandered around CVS for a while. I found a few things I needed so it wasn’t a total loss. I get to the register and pull out my $3 extra bucks and realize that I have NO cash to pay for the parking garage where my car is, at the store that I didn’t shop at. Please note that it would have cost me 10 cents to pay for a meter in front of CVS.

And then God gave me a break. Or opened my eyes. Or stopped laughing and started helping. I don’t know what you want to call it but the heavens opened up and I found my answers.

MY DEBIT CARD CAN DO CASH BACK! GLORY!! haha.

So I get my cash back at the register and head back to the parking garage. Along the way I hear music. Turns out, there is a spanish band playing right near the water fountain and people are dancing everywhere! Old and young. Business workers and shopping moms. It’s a FIIIIEESSSTA! So that cheered me up. I love seeing people having fun.

I find my way to the elevator and realize that my parking receipt probably says what level I parked on. Sure enough it reads “Level 5, right side.” What detail! So I get to my car, get on line to exit, and read the very clear sign this meter has. “Up to 15 minutes…FREE. Up to 2 hours…$3….Walmart parking free with receipt. Up to 3 hours.” Oh my. I felt like a prize idiot. I’m convinced God was laughing. Hard. I was even laughing at myself at this point.

So I pull out to the road and soon realized I actually chose the perfect exit as it brought me out to the exact place I needed to be…and drove back to work.

Moral of the story? Don’t go to Walmart on lunch break. Just kidding. Although true, I’m pretty convinced God is trying to teach me to take a breath and take my time. Read signs. Smile at people. Don’t rush through life and sweat the small stuff.