It was a dark and stormy night.
ClichΓ©? Yes. But it was true. And the storm was getting more intense. Sheets of rain, lightning, loud thunder claps. Visibility was minimal. Cars were stopping under the bridges. I ran over some tree branches. Having been on the road for hours and already fatigued, I decided to exit.
There was seemingly nothing at the exit but a single street lamp at a driveway. I pulled in with the intention of just parking and waiting the storm out. As I made my way along the drive, a building became visible, and a sign I could just barely make out in the pouring rain. "ADULT". Wow. Haven't been to one of these in years.
I parked and shut my eyes for a minute and took time to breathe and relax. I took a drink of water. I checked the weather on my phone. This was just the first of a number of systems backed up. It would be awhile before it would be clear. A good time for a break. I wonder if this place has an arcade. There was a great adult book store in the town I went to college in, and I was an active participant in the back. But that was years ago. I'd since been married, raised a family, divorced. Hell, I hadn't had sex of any kind in probably ten years. I was getting kind of bitter just thinking about it.
I decided to go in. I made a run for it to try and keep from getting completely soaked through. I realized as I got to the entrance that the building as an old Stuckey's. So many of those buildings house rural adult book stores now.
"Hi!" the clerk said as I entered. "Nice night, huh." The rain was pounding on the roof.
"Do you have an arcade?" I immediately asked.
"Yep. Seven dollars," she replied.
"Seven?" I repeated as I took my wallet out. "And then does it take quarters, or..."
"No," she replied. "Just a flat seven dollars. Stay until you're ready to go."
"Wow," I thought to myself as I handed her $7. She pointed me to the entrance.