Adventures in rootbeer.

The other day I was looking for a recipe online. I found one that sounded promising and still had a couple of hours before I needed to start dinner (I cook dinner on Thursdays). As I was perusing some of the other recipes, I came across a blog about cupcakes. There was a root beer cupcake on there that sounded cool, so I wanted to make it- We had gotten pocky sticks earlier to go with the theme of my Chinese food dinner, so I thought they would be perfect for straws to stick in the cupcakes. With this knowledge, I decided I had to make the cupcakes that night. I set out to Kroger's to buy a single bottle of root beer. This is where the fun begins. I drove toward Kroger's, a direction I'm not that used to driving. I drove... and drove... and drove, and realized I was probably way too far away, and probably already passed it. So, after turning around in a dirt driveway, and waiting an extra long time for traffic to pass because I didn't want to start skidding on the gravel and dirt, I began driving back toward home. I drove and drove, and deciding that I must have forgotten about a turn to Kroger's from our house, instead stopped at Walgreens. I knew where that was, and wouldn't have to take any risky turns, since I didn't have a cell phone. I turned into Walgreens, and was lucky enough to have a front row parking spot. I walked inside, and quickly found the soda section. I chose the root beer and fortunately found A&W which is what the recipe suggested. I went to the check out counter, and it took me a minute to realize the lady in front of me had a giant stack of notebooks. The cashier took his sweet time too. In the background there was music playing, that I know was exactly the same music in the R.M. -when his mom has to drive him and his date because he doesn't have insurance with the car- when it was completely silent otherwise. A minute went buy and the cashier mumbled "there's three of these right?", even though he wasn't really expecting an answer. I was about to laugh because it was such a cinematical moment, but I thought that would be rude. Finally the cashier was done, but as I was preparing to place my single bottle of root beer on the counter, I see it. A pile of coupons the size of an island... a very small island, but r on the counter, I see it. A pile of coupons the size of an island... a very small island, but still. So I waited, again thinking how hilarious this would be in a movie. Then, "These were three for a dollar". The cashier then told her that's what he charged her and that the coupon wouldn't run through twice. "It says limit six." "It won't run through again. Watch." "LOOK, it says limit six, that's why I picked up six." "I don't know what to do, the only thing I can do is call the manager." "Then call the manager." "MANAGER TO REGISTER TWO." The manager walked over, and had a look and explanation from the cashier. He explained that it only said it on the register, but it really did discount all six. In my head I was thinking "They're only like 35 cents a piece anyway." Then as the cashier was finally really finishing up with the million notebook lady he said, "She can take you over there.", and pointed across the store to a cashier that was just standing there at the register. YOU TELL ME THIS NOW? So, I walked over, was checked out, and still got out at the same time as the coupon lady. I started to laugh to myself as I got into the car. I drove to the parking lot exit, and waited some more. The cars were taking an unusually long time to pass, as if they were trying to make me wait to see what I then saw. "KROGER". A huge sign, directly across the street. And the cupcakes weren't even that good.