You Have Chosen...

G-Cat (as opposed to G-Dawg) and I had just enjoyed a pleasant evening of shopping and eating. Before returning to our car in the garage at Pacific Place, we had to pay for parking. There were so many lines to choose from. The line behind the one functional automated machine only had three people. Two other lines with a live cashier had a good five plus people in them but there was this one line with only one guy and his gal pal. I thought, "Hmmm... why isn't anyone behind that guy? Ummm... EASY decision."

PAUSE STORY - INTO THE MIND OF RODNEY

Whenever I have an immediate decision to make, I think of one of the final scenes from Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade. Indy's danger filled journey ends in a room where an old knight is protecting the Holy Grail. The final test is choosing the correct cup to drink from out of a vast display of options. This bad guy and his female companion make it into the room as well. They decide to choose a cup first - a very shiny gold one. After the villain drinks from it, he suddenly ages quickly and shatters into flames and ashes. The knight says, "He chose... poorly."

Indy knows the cup would be one belonging to a carpenter so he picks a "simple earthware jug." Ah, yes. That's the right one. The knight responds, "You have chosen... wisely."

RESUME STORY

So I go into the line with only the guy and his gal pal. It looks like he's filling out some form but I'm thinking that shouldn't take long. The automated line to my right clears in no time but other people have lined up in the spot I would have been in. The live lines are moving slowly but, still, I think, "Man, I should have went to the other line. I have cho___ ..."

G-Cat must have noticed me surveying the lines 'cause she looks at me and says (with a mild British accent), "You have chosen... [wait for it-pause for dramatic effect] ...poorly." I LOVE SAYING/HEARING THAT LINE! Even better? Love it that she was thinking the same thing I was.

I decide to switch back to the automated line which, initally, appears to be another bad decision. The guy was out of my original line a few seconds before I got to the automated matchine. Turns out that switching lines was the best decision 'cause I was quick with the self-paying machine. I wonder if there any competitions for checking-out speed. I'd totally win a contest for inputting my phone # and paying by debit card at Safeway. But, yes, in the end, paying at the machine was the best option. The ol' knight from The Last Crusade would have said to me:

You have chosen...

[wait for it]

...wisely!