"Trick or Treat" Part I

Halloween was…interesting. First of all, we had the “Trunk or Treat” at the church. The activity was a real treat (we walked away with a trunk load of candy); getting there was the real trick. It was a Friday night in Boston. Jim came home just in time for us to treat the kids to Chili’s (their favorite restaurant) on our way to the "Trunk or Treat". First question I asked as he came in the door was, “Did you get the kid's asthma medicine?” His response, “Oh, I was supposed to do that?” Nice. Conveniently, the only pharmacy our plan covers is next to Jim’s office. Unfortunately, it’s a 40 minute commute from our home. Scratch the Chili’s. Ugggh. We all pile into the van to go back down to MIT to get the meds. Long drive. Forty minute wait at the pharmacy. On our way back to Watertown, we stopped by some lame Pizza place in a rush to make it to the church on time. As we charted our course to the church (there are ten different, yet equally lengthy ways to get from Watertown to our church in Weston), Jim and I couldn’t agree. He veered left, I scowled. Lucky for him the traffic jam on the freeway was somewhat insignificant. Another fork in the road, which way to go? Another disagreement. Jim veers left, I scowl. On this one Jim doesn't get so lucky. He took the wrong freeway and we were now packed in like sardines, bumper to bumper. Very unfortunately for the sardines in the lane next to us, one wasn’t paying attention and slammed into the car ahead of himself. He hit that car so hard that it then smashed into the car ahead of it. Ouch! Not a good place to be and here we were trying to get to the "Trunk or Treat". When was the next exit, dare I ask? Eight miles! Scowling just wasn’t going to cut it now and I reverted to the infamous nag. “Okay kids, it looks like we missed the ‘Trunk or Treat’, thanks to Dad”. Just as I was getting going, Jim notices an off ramp to the State Patrol Headquarters. He questions, “Should I take it?” I’m thinking, “Why does he ask me?” “No, don’t take it. It’s not an exit”. He takes it…and, sure enough, it’s not an exit. But, uncanny as this may seem, the patrol building is surrounded by a gate and not only is the gate open, but it is directly connected to the parking lot of the church! We drove right onto the church parking lot and the “Trunk or Treat” activity. Who knew? We were practically the first ones there. I have always said Jim was charmed. Just when he seemed to be absolutely down on his luck, wa la, a road appears out of no where and he's a hero.