Road Trip

The Freak Magnet Hits the Road ….

Recently, a local media outlet was discussing peaceful Southern Minnesota towns. They described the state as “wholesome” and “peaceful” and the phrase “Minnesota Nice” entered the conversation several times.

In listening to this titillating conversation I was reminded of an experience that I had at a rest stop in Sothern Minnesota not that long ago. I used travel frequently for my job and learned, by trial and error, that Minnesota, usually has fairly decent rest areas. This state's rest stops are usually clean, fully stocked with toilet paper and well lit. (The top three elements I consider crucial in making my personal hygiene experience a positive one.)

Well it was the middle of a beautiful spring day, when I stopped in the rest area just north of the Iowa border. After completing my “business” I was standing by the vending machines. Having purchased my sixth diet Coke of the day, I was debating between selecting peanut M&M’s or plain M&M’s to complete my lunch. I had decided to go with the peanut M&M’s (for the protein) and was about to put my $1.50 in the machine when a well-dressed middle-aged man approached me.

“Excuse me,” he said. “May I ask you a question?”

Being a seasoned “road warrior” and veteran of at least three business trips, I knew exactly how to handle being approached by a stranger. I eyeballed him carefully before I responded. Yeah, no one was gonna pull a fast one on this woman.

He was a white guy, probably in his fifties, wearing a gray suit, probably from JC Penney’s, with a standard issues executive-wanna-be- red-power-tie. He stood about six feet tall and was balding. He had on black polished wingtips and was carrying a faux leather briefcase. All things considered he looked fairly safe. He looked like someone’s father who was traveling for business.