Evan glanced at the lower right corner of his flat panel screen and saw that it was 5:02pm. 

“Time to go!” he thought, both weary and relieved.  He hadn’t gotten anything done at work — same as yesterday, same as the day before that — and that bothered him immensely.  He used to love going in to work.  In fact, he could remember the days when he was eager to get to the office early and get the day rolling.  Times had changed.  His highlight of the day was when he turned off his office light and headed out the door.  He was so happy to get out of there, The Trap, where he had spent nearly every day of the past thirty years doing the same job at the same desk.

With his wife and kids out of town, Evan knew this was his opportunity to get some projects done around the house, and to do some of that writing he’s wanted to do for a long time.  He wanted his wife and kids to be amazed at how much he achieved in the week that they were gone.  He could picture it:  ”Evan, how did you do all this?” his wife would say, while his kids would smile in amazement and say, “Wow Dad, you’re great!.”

On his way home, he took a left at the light when he should have gone straight, and he realized he had been daydreaming about bowling.  His inadvertent left turn brought him to right in front of the bowling alley.   He pulled into the parking lot and checked his wallet.  He had enough cash for a few games, and then some.

“I can relax a little before I start the projects at home.  This will be kind of fun!”

Evan spent the next two hours on Lane 25.  He bowled ten games.  He would have bowled more but he was running out of cash.

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He felt a bit disappointed in himself as he was leaving the bowling alley, knowing he could have accomplished quite a bit at home by this time.  Plus, he had spent nearly $35 bowling.  Money was tight these days, and he realized he had been frivolous.