The Day Before

Early Saturday morning, I went on-line to order

my ticket for the Indy 500. I could have printed it at home,

but I wanted a "real" ticket, one imprinted with

a picture of last year's winner, Ryan Hunter-Reay.

There weren't many good seats available,

but that wasn't a problem: I wanted general

admission so I could just find a nice place sitting

on one of the grassy mounds inside Turn Two.

People were lined up outside the IMS corporate

offices waiting to pick up their tickets.

While there, I heard one of the officials say

that over 100,000 folks attended Friday's

Carb Day, that included final shake-down runs

for the thirty-three starters of the '500,'

an Indy Lights race, as well as a rock concert.

All over town, people were in the midst

of their own preparations for the race.

The manager of the mattress store was inflating

a display character at the front of his business.

Oddly, the mattress was having a bit of difficulty

achieving the appropriate erect position.

There appeared to be some kink in his system

that prevented him from becoming

firm enough to, uh, stand.

A couple blocks from the Speedway, 

a man got ready for his race party, lining up

at least a half dozen coolers, four propane tanks,

and a grill to prepare food for his guests.

Back at the Speedway Shopping Center,

the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile and 

the Mr. Peanut Mobile were introduced at

the entrance to Kroger, where they would share

billing for the grocery's promotions.

I thought the Mr. Peanut van resembled 

a character from Star Trek. A Worf?

At any rate, the Weinermobile's license plate

read as YUMMY, while Mr. Peanut's

was NUTMBLE.

I kept reading it as "Nut Mumbles."

Go figure.