I Missed Potentially The Last Day Of The Store Because I Wanted To Watch Tennis, Look Up Directions And Take A Shit

This figured to be the real last days of The Store. If the business license ends at the end of the month, like My Fucking Father says, then then Saturday would be the last day.

I had conflicted feelings on whether or not I should go to work. There was absolutely no reason to go. Then again, I wanted to make sure I was there on its last day. It was my way of paying respect to the institution that turned us into middle-class American citizens. But then again, just sauntering in with a bunch of papers and my day planner and doing nothing but catching up on my reading and possibly my taxes would create a very awkward situation with my parents, who would probably wonder what the hell I was doing there when I could, say, look for a job.

It's the last sentiment that decided it for me. These people don't understand I want to be at The Store as it goes. They think that's stupid; I know they think that's stupid. So on Saturday, I decided to push down my trip to The Store just in case. In fact, I have to admit I had mixed feelings about seeing The Store again. My parents have little to do there now; if they had already locked The Store and left, a part of me would be relieved, even happy, because now I would be "free of obligations" and could therefore do something I really want to do on a warm spring day, like people-watch at the mall.

I wondered how I would feel once I drove into The Store's parking lot and knew for sure whether or not my parents were there. When I saw my parents' minivan there, I was both saddened to enter a place that is dying and grateful that I could pay homage to the place.

I came in with my day planner and some papers, only to see the lights off and the front door shut. I think I came in just as they were about to leave. Either that or they went to The Store but never opened. Regardless, I was relieved that I was able to at least walk in and walk the aisles for a while. So much stuff, yet so much history. And it'll all be over soon.

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I woke up this (Sunday) morning around 10:30. The 'Rents very well could be at home this late in the day. But when I checked outside, their minivan was gone. Apparently April 1 was the last day of The Store

I had to figure out what time they'd be coming home this Sunday. I base that on the times I told them I would have to leave for "work" (really a roller derby bout Saturday and watching WrestleMania XXVIII with a friend downtown), 6:30 Saturday and 5-ish Sunday. I got to The Store at 3:30 Saturday, which means I should get there by at least 2 on Sunday in order to, at the very least, walk in.

But then the doubts of whether it's worth it to go crept in. So I decided to hedge: I wanted to eat at McDonald's because I hadn't taken advantage of their 2-of-fish-and-fries-for-$3.33 Lent/Easter deal yet. After that I'll go home and look at the wires I have to disconnect from the antenna and converter when I take them to Grandmother tomorrow so we can see Dancing With The Stars. (When I forgot that I needed to look up directions to a bar for a benefit, and that was something I had to do when I came back.) Finally, there were NBA, NHL, NASCAR and men's tennis games going on (I should be thankful for busy sports days between the Final Four and football season), and I should come back to see how they end. After that, I thought I would go to The Store.

Well, I sidetracked my lunch to a trip to the mall to walk out the calories. When I came back Novak Djokovic had a little trouble putting away Andy Murray in the last set of the championship game of the tournament in Miami, so I decided to stay a little longer than I would have if the match was a blowout. And finally, I felt my bowels moving, so I decided to heed the call of nature.

So when all was said and done, I got to The Store at 3, a whole hour after I should have arrived if my parents stuck to the pattern of coming back they established on Saturday. And so when I went to The Store and did not see the minivan there but did see the padlock on the red door, I felt really scared and ashamed. I could not pay my respects although I could have with a little more determination. I could have if I cared more.

The only saving grace is that when I left for downtown after dinner, My Fucking Father told me to throw the trash in their van. I wouldn't do that unless they were going to do something tomorrow, and hopefully that something is The Store. Otherwise I will be very angry with myself.

Or, maybe I'm wrong. Did I just miss the final day of The Store?