Rest Stop Ahead

"Rest Stop Ahead" was the title of the sermon this morning. It was based out of Matthew 11:25-30. While it was an encouraging message about finding rest in Christ in uncertain days, I had a hard time getting beyond the title. You see, I have a personal belief/conviction that Rest Areas on the interstates are breeding grounds for rapists, murderers, and the like. I hate Rest Areas! They are on the list of things that I am most afraid of! I hate to stop at them with groups, I hate to stop at them with David, and I will never, ever stop at one alone. I would rather pee my pants in my truck soiling the seat for as long as the vehicle is around and hearing David go on and on about how gross that is than stop at a rest area alone. I understand what the DOT was trying to do by creating them. The concept is nice, but reality is a different story. Give me a nasty bathroom at McDonalds surrounded by other people any day over the lonely quite bathroom that is a perfect hiding place for criminals.

Case in Point...

Last summer David and I went with Mike and Mir to the beach for the day. It was a lovely trip. We had tons of fun frockling in the ocean and building sand castles...or something like that. Anyways, on the way home, David needed a "potty break". I had already shared my feelings of Rest Areas with everyone on the way to the beach (although David already knows), so it really shocked me when they decided the upcoming Rest Area would be a good place for a potty break. Not only was this RA (as I'm now going to call it) off the main highway and hidden by trees, but it was NIGHT TIME!! How much more scary is that?!?

I tell David he can get out and go on his own, I'm staying the car. I wish him luck and let him know if something bad happens, he is on his own. What else would a loving wife say?!?

Shortly after David left the car, Mir decides she needs to go. I tell her I am not going. She will have to go alone. After much pleading and begging, she finally makes me go with her. I kind of figured that 2 had a better chance than one, and besides...have you seen Mir fight?? She would have lost in a minute!! We say our goodbyes to Mike and leave the car. I am literally shaking at this point, hating what lies ahead.

On the way into the building, we run into David who is coming out. I tell him to wait outside for us before he goes back to the car. David doesn't listen to everything that I tell him to do, but he understands that RAs are not a joke to me, so he waits. Mir and I slowly make our way into the RA building. Wouldn't ya know...this is the creepiest, maze-like RA that was ever created!! Of course, it isn't one that you walk right in and the bathroom is right there. NO...we have to walk down a hall, go through another door, walk down that hall, turn again and then go into the bathroom down the next hallway!! OH MY WORD!!

*Insert Scary Part*  So, like I said we have to walk all the way through this maze. At door #2, I had already hit Mir fussing about her getting us killed. When we turned the corner to head down the last hall, I came face to face with what I still to this day believe to be a murderer. He was the "cleaning guy" as everyone else would call him. This guy had on a hat, glasses, A MASK (as in the kind that some people wear when they cut the grass), a button up work shirt, pants, GLOVES and had a bag. Because I am already on edge, and this guy was the mayor of Creepsville, I kind of screamed. Not a super loud scream...more like the one that you let out when you come face to face with someone that you didn't expect mixed with the fear of dying. 

As we enter the bathroom, I threaten Mir's life, tell her she owes me forever, and make sure that she knows to run and scream if that guy is still out there when we leave. After peeing the fastest that is humanly possible and daring Mir to wash her hands in there (thank goodness for hand sanitizer), we take off out of that place. Thankfully David was outside when we got there which made me feel 100 times safer. He asked if we saw that creepy guy in there...uh, YEAH!! 

We all walk back to the car talking about the creepy man, me sharing my feelings of what I think about him. *He had a chopped up body in that bag of his.* While everyone is laughing and making fun of me, Sir Creeps-a-lot, FLIES past us in his car to the exit ramp. Why you ask?!? LEAVING THE SCENE OF A CRIME!!! I told Mike and Mir to be watching the news that week to see if they mention someone dying at a RA, because I KNOW that is what happened. They said nothing was ever mentioned, which means I am crazy, but I'm sure there will be one of those 48 Hours shows about this guy in about 10 years!!

To make matters worse...my DUMB sister and her husband went back to the beach another time and stopped AT THE EXACT SAME RA!! She called me one day to let me know that, and to say that they had seen the same creepy man!! To which followed a lecture about her going to RAs in the first place. I don't understand...I CAREFULLY explained what goes on at those places, yet they still choose to go?! I told Mir that I would not be a part of their funerals if they are killed at a RA. That would be due to their own stupidity since they have been fully informed about RAs!! I would, however, go and ID the creepy man that I believe would do something like that. That man's creepy face, or what I could see of it with his mask on, is forever ingrained in my mind!!

So there...REST AREA AHEAD...stop at your own risk!!