76 Gas Station & Circle K

«I’m bored.»
She says it nonchalantly. I take it as the challenge it is.
The glove is off, so to speak.
I pull on my bathrobe and put on some slippers. «We’re headed to the Circle K.»
For a brief moment, I see myself through her eyes. In my pajamas. It’s 9pm on a thursday night. It’s raining outside. I’m wearing a robe and some fuzzy slippers. Declaring we’re taking a trip to the Circle K.
She grabs her jacket.
Out the door we go. I set the alarm. No telling when we’ll be back.
I unlock the car door. She gets in. She unlocks my side for me. She’s a keeper.
We head down the road. Make a left onto Rainier. Right onto Graham. Right into the parking lot of this gas station/​circle K.
I pull up to the Red Box movie rentals. Her eyes go wide, then she nods approvingly. «I’ll get the beer.» She says. «What do you want?»
«Surprise me,» I say. The glove drops.
I shuffle up to the available Red Box. At the other Red Box, there’s a hip looking gal in her gem studded jeans with tattoo art on her shirt and expensive hair going damp in the rain. She glances over at me. Does a double take, and looks me up and down. My Anheiser-​Busch pajama bottoms are starting to absorb rain.
I give her a wink. «Rum Diaries,» I say. «I had to watch it tonight.» Her eyebrows go up and she slowly looks away, in the familiar Seattlite reaction when a stranger dares speak to us. That’s right. I dared speak to a stranger. Hopefully the passive-​aggressive violation police don’t catch me tonight.
I pull a couple movies out as my girl returns with a couple paper bags. I cross my finger that it’s malt beer. I’ve been craving Olde English. We return to our vehicle.
It’s a couple Bud Light Lime tall boys. I’m surprised. Her challenge completed successfully. I whistle a Super Nintendo level up tune.
I hand her the movies. Rum Diaries and ⁵⁰⁄₅₀. I see the other movie renter gal in her car, glancing over at us. I wave. She whips her head around. So easy to freak out the Seattlites.
We head home. Not another word is spoken of boredom. As we guzzle our bud light lime and watch movies, it occurs to me: mission accomplished. Boredom eradicated.