It was also an ice cream day. You know when you have those days where all you want to do is sit down and eat ice cream? It wasn't that bad, but the need was certainly still there! And there's a place in Chubbuck, right next to the mall, where my momma and I would always go for momma-daughter dates, and I haven't been in years. But they made these amazing milkshakes, where you could get one medium shake and it would end up being like three and they were absolutely fantastic! And their ice cream cones were unique too, where they would have some kind of fun color wrapped around it with the ice cream swirl. I was pretty sure they were still open. So we set out.
We went to the ice cream place first. We drove right past the mall to get there, and as we drew near I began to worry about it being closed. How could it be though? It was an amazing place and one of Pocatello's finest restaurants (which, admittedly, isn't saying a ton). As we drive steadily closer, I can pick out the sign that says, "Sundae". In my head, I'm thinking, Sweet! Not only are they open, they have a deal going on!
Can you guys see what's going on here? You probably already figured it out. I hadn't. It wasn't until I pulled into the decrepit parking lot (which really should have clued me in before) and looked into the dusty windows and saw the stripped interior that I realized: They were closed. I turn to Emily. "They have a deal going on. I don't know what this is. This is the best place ever to get ice cream. They can't be closed!" I don't know if it were more shock or denial. I pulled the car around to get into the traffic again and that's when I saw it. The other side of the sign. Asking for a final offer on the building by Sunday. They had run out of "y"s for the other side.
So I was trying to figure out a way to recover from this devastating realization. And then I had it! My uncle had taken me out for frozen yogurt when I got here to Pocatello! And I knew where that is! It's right by the mall. So I convince poor Emily and we're off. Of course, I don't know Pocatello THAT well.
So we go to the mall's parking lot. There's Panda Express, Red Lobster, the movie theater (both of them) Allstate, Home Depot. Where is this Kiwi Loco place?! It was right here last week! Maybe it was in the Kmart parking lot. So we go across the street (the parking lot here was worse than that closed ice cream place and Kmart was still luring unsuspecting victims into its claws!) where there's still no Kiwi Loco. We drive around for a few more minutes and now I'm really getting annoyed. Poor Emily. I really don't know why she still agrees to get in the car when she knows I'm going to be driving! I try to call my uncle. No answer. My aunt. No answer. It's time for drastic measures. So we go to Panda Express.
When I was thinking this beautiful plan through in my head, I was thinking about this time we had gone to get ice cream with my family and we couldn't decide where to go. So my dad pulled up to Dairy Queen and asked for directions to Arctic Circle or something. The woman on the headset inside was taken aback by his audacity, stuttered a moment, and said, very vehemently into the microphone, "NO!" Paused a moment, "But we would be happy to serve you here." Funniest thing ever! So I pulled into Panda planning on recreating this moment. Nope. Drive-through was WAYYYY too full. We were going inside.
We walked in and it was a lot less crowded. We walk up to the order area and one woman walks up to the counter. "How can I help you ladies today?"
I give Emily a look. She has learned to beware the look. When it comes, she knows I'm up to no good. That's when I asked. "Hi! We were just looking for Kiwi Loco and we can't seem to find it. Would you be able to ask us for directions?"
Her face! Guys! This was almost better than the faces of that couple in Fred Meyer's parking lot! Then she recovers herself, and I can see her thinking. I could see the thoughts moving in her head and I was starting to wonder if we'd get the cold shoulder like we did in the drive through with my family. Instead, she waves over another girl.
"I'm sorry." She told us. "I just moved her about a month ago. I have no idea where Kiwi Loco is." She turns to the other employee. "Do you know where it is."
Then woman #2 starts thinking. And in comes Woman #3. "What's going on?" She asked, more curious than anything. #1 and #2 explain this situation to her. We definitely had everyone's attention now. We warranted three people to help with a question. Both #2 and #3 start talking at once, reasoning out directions together. The people behind us pitched in and after being thoroughly confuzzled for a few minutes, we finally figured it out. Who knew directions to frozen yogurt could be so complicated!? Or needed so many people!
We finally found the place (and I started freaking out because Pocatello also has a Costa Vista! YES!!!! I knew there was a good reason to come to Pocatello! We come out, loaded with frozen yogurt a few minutes later and go directly back to the mall, eating our yogurt and looking around. There was still a problem to fix. Emily needed to see the mall!
We walk in and maybe it was the yogurt. Maybe it was the thrill of finally taking Emily to see the mall, maybe it was just happiness that we were finally done with that stupid ice cream trip that took up half the day, maybe it was the joy to eat frozen yogurt or ANYTHING not served at the school for that matter. Whatever it was, I totally freaked when I saw Maurices in the mall! I had been told there wasn't one and it was a total let down and then I saw this!!!! (P.S. Guess where Emily and my next adventure to the mall will be once I have money? =D)
We walk around, stroll through some of the stores, explore the awesome smells of Bath and Body Works, ignore the Halloween costume shop, and Emily put up with me pointing out different places in the mall that weren't there 6 years ago, where that old bookstore used to be, where I got my eighth grade dance dress, and other things that I happened to remember.
Then I saw it. A hurricane simulator. I gave Emily my look again. She returned it with one of her own then she said, "really?"
I just grinned wickedly and headed over. I always thought those things were stupid when I was growing up, but really? We had to do the whole mall thing. We had disposed of our trash from the frozen yogurt much earlier, but still, squeezing both of us in there was crazy! Then I turned it on.
Our hair started flying wildly, doing some crazy things and we could feel the wind pushing against us and threatening us. I don't even want to think how idiotic we must have looked to the people walking by since the door was see through and we were totally visible! I did remember to take a picture, but it was after the wind had started to calm down a bit.
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| This was how fast the wind was blowing when I finally remembered to take a picture. |
Casey
P.S. Sorry it's been so long since the last post. We've both been caught up in midterm craziness and I was sick too. YAY! =P But everything's starting to calm down again..
I can't wait to read more of your adventures. I am enjoying reading this and getting to "know" you, Casey. Can't wait to meet you sometime. I am glad that Emily has a great roommate.
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