Last Week's Errand

Hubby is planning a business trip and has discovered that both of his razors have been left at the new house. So, just before ten on a Saturday night we make a trip to the nearby drugstore to pick up another razor before his flight tomorrow. I caution him that this may be a more expensive errand than he anticipated as I have run out of a number of age-stalling tools.

While looking for that great expensive face cream, I hear hubby swearing under his breath in the shaving aisle. "They don't even have my razor here. They have three--four--five razor gizmos that cost a fortune. What happened to the good old fashioned shave?" My husband hates planned obsolescence---especially that which relates to unnecessarily looking good.

I hand him my expensive cream and a jar of clear nail polish and smile sympathetically and tell him I will meet in front at checkout. I then walk to the front of the store hoping he won't take too long to pick something...anything. While standing near the front door a very thin elegant looking black woman walks in mumbling under her breath. She is dressed in black slacks, a gray sweater top with a white lace collar, pearls, silver hoop earrings and some new stylish gray baseball cap. I don't scrutinize her except to notice that she is carefully put together and about 55 in age.

She glances up at me and smiles. "Did you hear me? I am sorry. I didn't mean to be so loud."

I indicate with a nod that this not a problem and proceed to look at the newspaper headlines near the exit door.

She turns again to me and says, "It is just that I put something in the trunk of my car and slammed the lid shut with my keys and purse inside. AND my cell phone."

I suggest she may use to store to call her car club for help.

She sighs. "It is a BMW and can only be opened by a laser key and my BMW service says that they are backed up for three hours. I have an extra set of keys at Silver Oaks where I live. I just need to figure out how to get there."

I suggest she contact a police officer. I am beginning to get more uncomfortable with this whole conversation.

She grasps my hand with her thin bony one which is so very cold and smiles and introduces herself. She is a lawyer downtown and she rattles off some firm's name. "You can call this number and see that I am not lying." She hands me a card. Then she goes on to explain the laws of liability which police officers are under that precludes their helping her.

OK , now I have caught on and am really uncomfortable. I study her thin face and realize she was probably quite beautiful in her day.

"If you could just loan me cab fare, about $30.00 I will pay you double that when I come back to open the car outside."

My husband (who is incredibly naive) shows up and I cut the conversation off before he gets me in deeper than I want.

"All I have is $5.00 but maybe you can get more from someone else." I cram the money into her hand and grab hubby's elbow as I direct him out the door.

Outside I say aloud. "God, I hope I didn't contribute to her cocaine habit."

Hubby pats me on the shoulder and answers matter-of-factly..."You probably did."