Well, this is it! My first real free day of my new life. Of the life I have been waiting for, in some way or another for 40 years, when I took my first job at Dairy Queen. I am hoping if I do everything right, according to some kind of plan, I may never have to work again. That's the dream.
The reality is, oh, so different.
My first day living my new free life. My first day of my 40 year old dream. I am sitting in the not very level parking lot of the Chumash Casino about 30 miles from Santa Barbara, which is where I plan to be on Thursday. Tonight at midnight, thank god, my pay check from my last days worked will miraculously appear in my checking account. Again, thank god!
When I left Monterey yesterday for the start of my new and improved life I had exactly $35.46 in my checking account, $18.00 in my pocket and a half a tank of gas. No problem. I am nothing if not flexible. I will just drive until my 1/2 tank of gas is near gone, add either the $18.00 or the $35 and then drive a little further.
At about the airport and highway 68, a friend and I, craving a burger, decided to have a last lunch together at Tarpy's. What was I thinking? 2 hours later I say goodbye with $35.46 in my checking account, a half a tank of gas and $2.00 in my pocket.
On my way through Salinas I stopped to pick up the windshield wipers that weren't available last week when I spent the last of my money making sure the house van was travel worthy. $65.00. (For windshield wipers?) No problem. The owner will hold the check until Thursday.
I made it to Paso Roblos and added my $30.00 diesel at $3.49 a gallon. Don't the oil companies know I am really broke?!!
Back to living my dream. That gas is long gone as I sit here in this not so level parking lot with my out of gas light mocking me. Yesterdays $30.00 has not been deducted from my account yet so todays plan is to find another $30.00 of diesel and drive highway 154 towards Santa Barbara past Lake Cachuma and the Los Padres National Forest.
That will be free.
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