Spooky Stuff on the 73

So last night’s drive home was weird. I leave Huntington beach around 10:45 to head back to Laguna (so, I must point out the sad fact that I missed LB last night, and from what Winston tells me, it was a doozie). Anyway, so I head for the 73, and I pass the 73 South purposefully cuz I’m like I need to take the 73 North.

After a few miles I for some reason ask myself why the hell I purposefully am driving north when indeed I live south of Huntington…and I know this. It’s like for some reason I tricked myself momentarily into thinking I live north. It was a very, very dumb moment, and I’m not proud. Nor am I entirely surprised given that I generally suck at finding my way around and am generally very good at going the wrong way.

Anyway, so I turn myself around and pretty soon I’m back on track, and I get to the toll plaza. I put in a $5 for my $4 toll (no person on duty) and the machine starts making like this puking noise and then…nothing. Machine still says I owe $4. And I’m like, the f I’m going to pay you again you damn machine. I see a phone number on the toll booth. I called. I left a message. Something to the effect of, “Hi, my name is Lindy, my phone number is blah blah blah, and I’m on the 73 heading south, just past the Bison exit. The machine ate my money, and I have not more bills smaller than a $20 left (that was a lie). So, umm, please call me.” Then I ran through the red toll booth light.

It was at that point that the orange glow of my gas light caught my attention. Which is always nice. Especially when you realize you’ve been completely zoned out for the past 20 minutes and you’re driving on the 73 which winds through the mountains and is very, very, very (I’m emphasizing something here) dark, and kinda spooky, pretty spooky actually.

That didn’t keep my attention long b/c soon I hear a siren or two in the distance, and then all of a sudden like three cops with their lights on and no sound whiz past. Then I see all sorts of lights up ahead, like a light show, crazy. Then I see a spotlight swooping around and I notice a helicopter circling overhead. So, I am witnessing, I think, a high speed chase. It was like OJ V2. Or, something. I kept getting closer or closer, and seriously, there are like 8 cop cars all clumped together driving down the 73 w/ their lights on, copter following overhead.

This was also…spooky. I turn my radio on and I’m scanning FM and AM for some news, but nothing. I like to think it was an escaped convict b/c that’s pretty exciting and I like excitement. But I guess I’ll never know. I think it was top secret or some shit.

I am now going to prepare for my presentation. Maybe one more person can walk by and give me that raised eyebrow look and ask me in that pumped up voice if I’m ready. But I am, oh yes, I was born ready. Then once it’s all over, I’ll be spending the remainder of the afternoon googling, trying to solve the mystery that was the 73 last night.