My Day Today

It started out quite nice.  The sun was shining and it was lovely and warm as it should be in Florida.  I had my morning coffee and then decided to go to Publix for some bananas.  Of course I never got there because I change my mind all the time.

I decided to go to Walmart instead and, as I was driving there, the warning sign in my car showed that my key battery was low.  No problem...I can get one at Walmart.  Oh, no I can't.  Every single clerk I spoke to was a Latina who did speak English but with a strong accent that made it difficult for me to understand.  They also all directed me to the wrong department.  Finally, in jewelry, they might have had the battery but they're not allowed to put it in for me.  I'm afraid to wreck my key so I opted to go to a Nissan dealer because I don't know where else to go.  At home I got my key battery at a computer store for $1.25 and the nice young man put it in for me.

So, off I go in bad traffic to where one of the Walmart clerks told me I'd find a Nissan dealer.  It was far away and in horrendous traffic but I thought, what the heck, I've got the time.  I finally found it and went inside to buy the battery.  Below is a picture of the bill...

 In case the amount isn't clear, they charged me $15.02 plus .98 cents tax for a total of $16.00 U.S.  I choked as I paid this monstrosity of a bill!

Back in my car and heading home, I decided to stop in a Wendy's for lunch.  Greeting me outside the entrance door were 2 homeless men, one wandering around aimlessly and one texting on his cell phone.  Hmmm!  I went inside to a very busy Wendy's and was greeted by Spanish music and Spanish language everywhere.  Now, I'm not complaining about that.  I know there are a couple of hundred thousand Puerto Ricans who have moved to central Florida because the hurricane 2 months ago just about destroyed their island.  Also, Spanish people seem to be kinder and more polite to old gals like me than some caucasian people.  It all sort of felt like being in Miami.

Anyway, I ate my lunch and, as I was leaving, noticed a large contraption kind of wagon in the courtyard.  It was so full of grocery bags and tote bags that I first thought it was a vender out there but, no, it was another homeless person.  Now I've seen homeless people carting their possessions before, usually on bikes or grocery carts but this was very different.  First, the vast amount of possessions and, second, the vast amount of very nice and expensive looking totes.  All were crammed full of something and their owner truly needed a bath and clean clothes.

As I walked to my car, my progress was blocked by the other 2 homeless men who were sitting sprawled out on the sidewalk so I walked on the road.  As I passed them, they wished me a Merry Christmas.