HisSonNess and DatSauce are about to get underway for the SD Zoo, and are hoping to get there at about park open in case the place is mobbed. We are picking up Ms. Groovy Gal and her adorable kidlet on the way out.

Coffee in hand (a liter and a half?) Check.

Lots of Persuasions and Keb�Mo and They Might Be Giant�s (kid album) NO! and more, for music in the car? Check.

Looking forward to inane discussions about single parent stuff? DoublePlusGood Check.

Kind of feeling trepidation about those lovely brown eyes? Um, yeah. Checkmark.

I actually cleaned the car. Which for DaSauce is paramount to primping�as clothing doesn�t much change from the Doc Marten�s AirWair Boots, jeans, same surgical steel earrings I�ve worn for years, and a t-shirt with some kinda big cardigan for cooler weather.

Oh.

Speaking of my car. I had a little vignette I had been meaning to add.

Only in California (and maybe only from a Vermonter.) Two days ago, I had a hunchback of older dame (OK. She was stooped and elderly, actually,) put her rather huge Behind The Orange Curtain Republican �mobile (old caddy) in reverse at a light (instead of forward.) She backed into me at about five to seven miles an hour. I turned on my flashers and climbed out of the car trying not to project anger or look too imposing (which at 6�4� with a bunch of earrings and a head the size of a cinder block is hard.) The incredibly dapper looking gal shakily got out of her car�tears starting. I walked forward and looked at the damage (rubber bumper in car color not bent but minus big hunks of paint.) She was trying hard not to sob as she approached�explanations flying from her mouth. I grinned and said, �look�it was just paint. No major damage done. Not to worry, Ma�am. Besides. Merry Christmas.� And I trundled her back to her car and started to help her in. Never in my life have I seen gratitude so palpable. It WAS just paint. If I cared it would cost a couple of hundred to fix. But, I can look at it and grin�as this woman clearly expected police, protracted insurance battles, et al�and instead, I just sent her on her way. It felt damned good.

So there.

--DatSDBoundSauce