Torn Between Work and Fun

"Do you want to go out riding on Thursday?" he asks. "I can get a bike and we could go on a road trip." I am SO TEMPTED! What fun that would be. But an annual Years of Service Ceremony at work prevents me from taking a mental health day. This annual event is my funnest day at work. We hand out awards to people who have worked for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years. Gifts are selected ahead of time. I am the emcee. I read a short paragraph about each person after they get their gift. Everybody claps. Then we have cake and punch and coffee. We usually have a few things that don't go as planned. One new thing happened this year. I am busy reading when out of the corner of my eye I spy a ladybug on the microphone. How close to that do I want to put my mouth? Not very close. That bug might fly into my mouth. But unless the microphone is close, no one can hear me. I could blow it off but people will hear me blowing. I could pop it off with my finger but the sound of the tap on the microphone will resonate throughout the room. It's really hard to think all these things through when you are reading aloud in front of a group. I trust the ladybug won't make any sudden moves in the next minute or so. After the next paragraph I decide to swing that microphone. That should silently fling that bug out of my way. It works! The Years of Service ceremony is really a lot of fun. But Thursday is supposed to be such nice weather! All week I've been hearing about the weather will be so great on Thursday. The open road and the end of nice weather tempts me. And it is nice out today. So, after completing my emcee duties, I leave work early. I don't have much time but I want to fill up the tank on the motorcycle and go to an auto parts dealer to buy some "Sta-Bil" to keep the gas from getting old in the tank. I could buy the gas additive on my way home and take my motorcycle to the nearest gas station. But that would be no fun! I head west to Elk River figuring I'll find an auto parts dealer there. But instead of going right to the many stores that surround the highway, I head into the neighborhoods. I follow a school bus for a while. I take a right because that way looks tempting. I take a tour of the town looking at all the yards and trying to see past the many political lawn signs. Seems like the most affluent houses have McCain signs. I take a road up a ridge. As I top the hill and look down the other side I think I have ventured into another world. This must be the gravel mine on the north side of town because it looks like the surface of the moon. I think it would be fun to climb those huge hills of gravel on foot but I see "No Trespassing" signs all over the place. I turn around and head back to town. Sometimes I think I know where I am and sometimes I don't have a clue. Eventually I find an auto parts dealer and a gas station. I fill up the tank and treat the gas. I want to be home by six so I won't have to ride in the dark. I put the motorcycle away. Is it away for the season? Yes, unless it isn't. Nice weather might bring it out again.