Unexpected ...............

We just got through the "Great" Blizzard of 2015.

In my area the prediction was for 18 to 24 inches. We got about 6. The low amount was unexpected but I was happy that it was because I could deal with that. I went out around 11 in the morning and spent about 1/2 an hour digging out and cleaning off my car. I didn't go anywhere, just cleaned it off. No one else had done their cars yet and I didn't want to lose the spot.

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This morning was cold but sunny and I left my house about 8:30. The car started right up but I sat for a while warming her up. I noticed that almost every other car in the area had been cleaned off and dug out. Since most folks would be going to work today, I was hopeful that I'd get a decent parking spot when I got back. At least that was what I was expecting.

I took Rahway to Freeman and headed towards Shoprite. There were a few things I wanted to get and I usually start there. Near the High School, I came across this woman.

It dawned on me that this may be the same woman I saw at the beginning of the month. At that time, I thought she might have made a resolution to walk each day as exercise. It must be below 20 degrees out there and the wind was pretty harsh.

Good for her.

I drove on.

I picked up shampoo, shaving cream, garlic powder, and the paper. I was still looking for a microwaveable bowl with a vented lid, so I drove down St. George's to the KMart/Pathmark strip mall. Just as I got there, I came up behind this guy walking in the street.

I could see that the nearby sidewalk had been shoveled so his walking in the street annoyed me. He was too far out for me to pass him without cutting into the left lane and there was too much traffic for that. I was forced to creep along behind him until we both turned into the parking lot. He never turned around to look behind him.  I passed him on my right.

Point, press, Flash.

Neither store had the bowl I was looking for. I drove back up St. George's and stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast.

When I came out, Doyle was leaning on a Black Ford Explorer parked next to my car. This was totally unexpected.

"Hey, Denny! How'ya doin'?" He grinned.

I hadn't seen him in months - in fact I think the last time I'd heard from him was a text message back in October. But I couldn't help grinning back.

"Doyle! It's good to see you. I'm good. How're you?"
"Great, Denny. Just great. Sorry I haven't been around much." He seemed suddenly embarrassed. "There's all this stuff goin' on which I can't talk about, of course, but Mr. Jones still wants a detail on Gordon, so I'm up on what's happening with you."

I flashed on Gordon popping up at the Menlo Park Mall a couple of weeks ago.

"What do you mean by that? Keeping up on me, I mean."
"C'mon, Denny. Besides the medical stuff you've been through, I hear that there's a grandchild on the way. Congratulations, Grandpa!"

That was a relief. I smiled. "Thanks, Doyle. I'm really looking forward to it. Since the kids live near me I'm expecting to do a lot of babysitting."
"Good for you. I'm happy for you. You know, if you want to stop doing these Events, you can. You don't owe us anything. It's just...." He trailed off.
"What? ... C'mon... Don't leave me hanging... What?"
"We still kinda need you to be out there every once in a while. The shrinks still think Gordon has an obsession with you and if you stop, he might also, or he might do something totally out of character."
"I .. uh... I don't quite understand that. Since I hadn't heard from you in a while, I kinda assumed Gordon had   .. I don't know .. gone to ground, or something."
Doyle shook his head, slowly. "No. He's still out there, though he seems to be pacing himself."
"What does that mean?"
"Over the last 4 months or so, he's struck in 6 different places, stretching from southern Delaware to Northern New Jersey. As usual, there's no rhyme or reason to where or when he strikes." He stopped, and slouched against the Explorer for a few seconds before straightening up again. "But, like I said, Mr. Jones insists on pursuing him so I have to keep a team on it and the shrinks feel that you're an integral part of things. So .... do what you can, Denny. I'll cover for the rest."
I had to smile. "Let's be honest here, Doyle. I like what I'm doing. When the grandchild comes along, sure, I'll have other obligations, but I'll still have my alone time. Don't worry about it."
He grinned. "I knew that. It's just that we're kinda stretched thin right now so I'm glad to know I can count on you."
His phone went off and he checked it.
"I gotta go, Denny. Congrats again."

We shook hands and he got into the car and drove off.

I realized that we'd been standing in the cold all that time and got into my car to warm up. I decided to check out the Thrift Shop in South Plainfield for the microwaveable bowl. I took Route 1 to Gill Lane and turned right. I saw this woman outside of a QuikChek.

She was trucking along, wearing some kind of modified kind of snow shoes. Something I never expected to see. I made the left and then then next right on Wood.

I took this up to Inman and made the left. I saw this woman walking in the street, heading towards me.

I could see that the sidewalks had been dug out but the corners weren't. I didn't blame her.

I drove on.

When I got to the Thrift Store parking lot, I saw this guy.

All I could think was ... "That sucks." Your car starts, you drive somewhere, then your car dies. Definitely not something you expect.

I didn't find a bowl there and was on my way out when my phone rang. It was my landlord. He said that he couldn't find an entry for my rent this month. I knew that I'd paid it - in fact I'd recently balanced my checkbook and saw the entry. He asked, if I could get a copy for him and I said I would.

This was really unexpected and I was going to go back to my bank when I remembered that they had a branch office nearby. I stopped in and got 2 copies of the cancelled check.

I called my landlord back and made sure he was in his office. It's on Main Street in Metuchen. I drove down there. I gave him the copy and he apologized. I told him not to worry about it. Stuff happens. But we both understood that now he owes me one. An unexpected bonus when you're a renter.

I headed back down Main towards Amboy. I saw this guy up ahead.

He was on the sidewalk not in the street. Still, there was no one around.

Point, press, Flash.

I headed down Amboy to Woodbridge Avenue, then Main Street to Rahway. I turned into my street and found a spot on the next block.

Sometimes things happen the way you want them too and sometimes things are .........

Unexpected.