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The lawnmower, a tire, and my cell phone
Jun. 20th, 2015 07:52 amMom wasn't feeling well these past few days, but felt good enough yesterday to take care of something at work for just a few hours. Early in the morning, she offered to bring me to the mall during that time. I initially declined, because I was busy updating the second of four Starbound-related documents that I've been already planning on and assumed she'd be leaving some time in the morning.
Dad got a new lawnmower. We just had to get rid of the one we've had, because an important part had snapped that he can't replace. It helps that that thing was already on its way out, despite still being functional. This one is lighter, more compact, easier to pull backwards, doesn't take as much strength for the pullcord, and best of all, came from Lowes, not from The Home Depot. (Mom told me later on that she explained the deal about THD and Autism Speaks to Dad the other day, after I had thanked the two of them for going to Lowes instead when they told me where they were going and Dad asked what was wrong with THD.) Dad tried it out for a bit between the house and the boathouse, and I tried it myself to finish that strip and mow around the garage.
Managed to finish the aforementioned document I was working on, and decided to come with Mom after all, figuring that I'd take a preview of the next doc when we come home.
Right before we left, I was walking around outside, wandered near the passenger's side of the car, and noticed a flat tire. Asked Mom what the pressure should be for each tire, but then just retrieved the pressure gauge and checked a different one, which it read 35. Filled the flat one to around there, and then Mom and I had a look at it together before filling it to 40.
(That isn't something Mom would've noticed on her own, so it's obviously a good thing here that I've been living with her and Dad, still unemployed. Good thing she's got this whole coming week off from work, so that we can observe the tire for problems in case it needs to be replaced.)
Made my way to the food court upon being dropped off. Got myself a stromboli, a pepperoni stick, and some pink lemonade. Went down the hallway afterwards, looking for a map with which to pinpoint Barnes & Noble. (Didn't bother with FYE, because I don't feel like watching anything right now, and anything I buy there would just end up sitting around for the time being.) Ended up sitting down on an armchair in an intersection, before simply asking someone for directions to either the nearest map or just to B&N.
Went back to the food court, and ordered a cup of ice cream at a nearby Haagen-Dazs counter, before making my way to B&N. Took a look at whatever Madoka manga there was, and initially only noticed the original Madoka Magica and The Different Story. Had a nearby seat and took a while to rest up.
Eventually got up to grab some water from a vending machine somewhere. Noticed a pitcher of water near The Cheesecake Factory while passing through the courtyard, and went in to ask one of the waitresses if it belonged to someone. She said it's for guests in general, and I asked for a mug of some. Made sure it was free before leaving, although I did come back at some point for a second mug.
Came back to B&N, and asked a clerk if she knew of anywhere on the premises to get good reception. I explained to her that I tried in multiple places to make a call (to Mom), and didn't even hear her phone ring. She told me that she gets good reception everywhere when she has her phone, and I asked her to try calling someone on her phone, but she told me she doesn't usually have her phone on her.
Looked around a bit more, and it was then that I noticed Oriko Magica: Extra Story and volume 1 of Tart Magica on a separate shelf from the other Madoka manga, presumably reserved for newly released manga. Went back down to pay for those, and then back up to sit down. Asked these four people at the seats (all simultaneously) if they knew of anywhere to get good phone service. This girl told me that she normally gets that, except that her phone just died. Some old guy asked me if I tried going outside, to which I replied that hadn't worked.
Some time after three of them left, this remaining guy offered to make the call for me in exchange for $5. Good thing Mom gives me that much as weekly allowance, and that she had already given me that for this coming week, because that's all I had in cash. He made sure to get through to Mom, who then promised to come get me.
Made my way downstairs, looked around while awaiting her, and picked up a MAD magazine to skim through. The other guy came down afterwards and waited with me for a bit until I saw the car outside.
During the ride home, I told Mom what happened, and she said she had even tried to call me. She also suggested that I might've been taken advantage of by that guy, if he were to request money for just a small favor like that. (All facts considered at this point, I'm not sure whether that's true or not. I mean, cell phone calls tend to cost only cents to make, and the fact that he took as long as he did before helping me out might say something. However, it is good that he didn't simply take off with the money, and that he waited with me for her suggests he might've actually meant to help me.)
And, according to Mom once we were home, it turned out she had missed a payment to AT&T. She took care of that, but I guess that might've been a good thing this time, lest I actually had missed out on those two manga.
Dad got a new lawnmower. We just had to get rid of the one we've had, because an important part had snapped that he can't replace. It helps that that thing was already on its way out, despite still being functional. This one is lighter, more compact, easier to pull backwards, doesn't take as much strength for the pullcord, and best of all, came from Lowes, not from The Home Depot. (Mom told me later on that she explained the deal about THD and Autism Speaks to Dad the other day, after I had thanked the two of them for going to Lowes instead when they told me where they were going and Dad asked what was wrong with THD.) Dad tried it out for a bit between the house and the boathouse, and I tried it myself to finish that strip and mow around the garage.
Managed to finish the aforementioned document I was working on, and decided to come with Mom after all, figuring that I'd take a preview of the next doc when we come home.
Right before we left, I was walking around outside, wandered near the passenger's side of the car, and noticed a flat tire. Asked Mom what the pressure should be for each tire, but then just retrieved the pressure gauge and checked a different one, which it read 35. Filled the flat one to around there, and then Mom and I had a look at it together before filling it to 40.
(That isn't something Mom would've noticed on her own, so it's obviously a good thing here that I've been living with her and Dad, still unemployed. Good thing she's got this whole coming week off from work, so that we can observe the tire for problems in case it needs to be replaced.)
Made my way to the food court upon being dropped off. Got myself a stromboli, a pepperoni stick, and some pink lemonade. Went down the hallway afterwards, looking for a map with which to pinpoint Barnes & Noble. (Didn't bother with FYE, because I don't feel like watching anything right now, and anything I buy there would just end up sitting around for the time being.) Ended up sitting down on an armchair in an intersection, before simply asking someone for directions to either the nearest map or just to B&N.
Went back to the food court, and ordered a cup of ice cream at a nearby Haagen-Dazs counter, before making my way to B&N. Took a look at whatever Madoka manga there was, and initially only noticed the original Madoka Magica and The Different Story. Had a nearby seat and took a while to rest up.
Eventually got up to grab some water from a vending machine somewhere. Noticed a pitcher of water near The Cheesecake Factory while passing through the courtyard, and went in to ask one of the waitresses if it belonged to someone. She said it's for guests in general, and I asked for a mug of some. Made sure it was free before leaving, although I did come back at some point for a second mug.
Came back to B&N, and asked a clerk if she knew of anywhere on the premises to get good reception. I explained to her that I tried in multiple places to make a call (to Mom), and didn't even hear her phone ring. She told me that she gets good reception everywhere when she has her phone, and I asked her to try calling someone on her phone, but she told me she doesn't usually have her phone on her.
Looked around a bit more, and it was then that I noticed Oriko Magica: Extra Story and volume 1 of Tart Magica on a separate shelf from the other Madoka manga, presumably reserved for newly released manga. Went back down to pay for those, and then back up to sit down. Asked these four people at the seats (all simultaneously) if they knew of anywhere to get good phone service. This girl told me that she normally gets that, except that her phone just died. Some old guy asked me if I tried going outside, to which I replied that hadn't worked.
Some time after three of them left, this remaining guy offered to make the call for me in exchange for $5. Good thing Mom gives me that much as weekly allowance, and that she had already given me that for this coming week, because that's all I had in cash. He made sure to get through to Mom, who then promised to come get me.
Made my way downstairs, looked around while awaiting her, and picked up a MAD magazine to skim through. The other guy came down afterwards and waited with me for a bit until I saw the car outside.
During the ride home, I told Mom what happened, and she said she had even tried to call me. She also suggested that I might've been taken advantage of by that guy, if he were to request money for just a small favor like that. (All facts considered at this point, I'm not sure whether that's true or not. I mean, cell phone calls tend to cost only cents to make, and the fact that he took as long as he did before helping me out might say something. However, it is good that he didn't simply take off with the money, and that he waited with me for her suggests he might've actually meant to help me.)
And, according to Mom once we were home, it turned out she had missed a payment to AT&T. She took care of that, but I guess that might've been a good thing this time, lest I actually had missed out on those two manga.