I'd like to buy a U

I woke up this morning, and just like I do every morning, the first thing I did today was go in my living room and turn on Good Morning America so I can listen to the news as I get ready for work. Today, the traffic and weather reports were on. Only they didn't go back to GMA. I started wondering what was going on that would make the weather and traffic people think what they had to report was more important for Dallas residents to see than whatever news GMA had to deliver. I walked over to my window, opened my blinds and saw snow all over the cars and my apartment parking lot.

Now it made sense.

I started thinking about my commute and trying to decide which way would make me least likely to get in an accident. One way involved many overpasses, which freeze faster than roads over the ground. The other way put me on lots of neighborhood streets that would be full of people who panic when it drizzles, much less snows.

I tried calling my boss several times to see if I could just work from home or to, at the least, get his opinion of the best route, since he's lived in Dallas for several years. No answer.

When I left my apartment, I was able to see traffic moving on the overpass route, so I opted for it. Somehow, it seemed safer. I had been crawling along for about 20 minutes at 15 miles an hour and less when I decided to try to call my boss again. He answered this time. He told me to just work from home. I turned my car around, went to Wal-Mart for some groceries and then went home.

I was actually home in time to watch Wheel of Fortune tonight. I love that show. I would totally kick butt at it.

What has never made sense to me, though, is why people buy vowels when it's unnecessary. I mean, those things eat at your profit!

Tell me, do you need to buy a vowel for this, because the person tonight did:

(The category was "phrase.")

S P _ _ A D / Y _ _ _

_ _ N G S / A N D / F L Y


Does that expensive "E" really just make you sure that's what the puzzle is?

Then again, I am really awesome at Wheel of Fortune. And I've always appreciated the value of a dollar. (But evidently not the value of a vowel ...)