I was driving a car and Matthew was a little boy. He was in the front seat with me. We were driving around my mother's hometown. The weather was really bad. I was on my way to take him to school. I stopped by a little mini-mart place. I was going to buy a book of matches. There were two cigarette machines there that you could also get matches from. I was afraid to try them because I didn't want the cigarettes, only the matches. I leaned my hand against one of the machines to balance myself while I stepped over this guardrail so I could go into the store. When I did that, I found a dollar and some change, two quarters, a penny, and others. I went in the store and got in line. Just before it was my turn at the register, I saw another man come in and pick up a book of matches. He showed it to the clerk and walked out. I went ahead and grabbed a book but then it was my turn. I laid it on the counter and paid 26 cents for it. The clerk didn't get me any change. I walked out of the store and then realized I walked out with the matches. I decided that maybe I should buy a pack of cigarettes. I got out of line and then I had to get back at the end of the line because I thought I would have to get them from the cashier. Then it was my turn again. I just bought he matches, no cigarettes. I left the store and realized that I had forgotten the matches. I went back in to get them from the cashier and I saw a book lying there. I started to pick them up. He stopped me, grabbed another pack of matches, he did something to them, put them in an 8.5 x 11 sheet protector, and handed them to a cashier. She headed back to the back of the store. I followed her and asked for my matches. She said, Well we have to give you a test before you are allowed to have them. I said excuse me? I am a doctoral student. I am late for work. I have really got to go. Can I PLEASE have my matches? She just gave them to me and let me go. I got in the car and the windows were steamed up because it was cold and snowy out. Matthew had fallen asleep holding a stuffed animal. We talked a little, but I don't remember what we talked about. I was driving and the roads were really bad. It's as though I was driving on top of these big mounds of snow on the road. I thought, well, now I understand why they asked people to stay at home and they asked people to drive their own kids to school. I don't think I took him to school. I ended up at a friend's house. It was a black family. I think I dropped Matthew off there. I told them about the incident with the matches and needing to be tested to get a pack of matches. They all laughed and thought it was ridiculous too. I got ready to leave without Matthew and they asked me if there were any more Anastasia books in the series. I stepped back in the house, closed the door again, and told them I honestly didn't remember but I thought there were a bunch in the series. I suggested they check the library. I was buying the matches to light and burn my old palms. I thought about getting the cigarettes because I thought it might be easier to light the palms from a lit cigarette. I thought if I bought the cigarettes, Matthew would see me light it and I would have to say, Yes, I did try smoking once.