Double Free!

Gretchen and I walked down to Border's this morning to use our Christmas gift cards. She thinks I live in a bad neighborhood. I'd be a little offended, but during the walk I noticed all sorts of things that I never had before - the homeless camp built on a small stream next to the sidewalk (why ON the stream? there's got to be dryer ground around here), the lone car parked behind the abandoned building (most likely up to no good), the creepy old men staring. Usually I only notice the birds - the giant seagulls patrolling the sea of an abandoned parking lot, hunting for small children; the ducks drifting down the dirty canal (right next to the newly-discovered bum city!); the towhees and jays that squawk at me. Maybe I do live in a bad neighborhood. It could explain the police cars outside all the time.

Anyway, free things! I picked up a couple of books and handed the guy at the counter my gift card and a credit card for the excess. "You still have $5 left on here, no need for that," pointing at my credit card. It sounded fishy. Turns out he didn't charge me for the Kurt Vonnegut book! Yay!!! And he gave me a coupon. As my sister said, "Screw 'em. They're a huge corporation, they deserve it."

Then we walked to Starbucks and got free coffee with our other gift cards. Our extended family knows us well. Either that or they're great gift guessers.