Have you ever had one of those days? You know, the kind that start off bad and continue to get worse until you finally come to the conclusion that nothing good is bound to happen until the morrow. Well, I have had plenty! I like to call them "the days that keep on giving". I thought today was going to be one of those days, and not just because it's Friday the 13th. That thought didn't hit me until later. No, it was because my day started off like most bad days do.
I thought I was going to be late.
I have always hated being late and am perpetually early. Every time I feel I am going to be late I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach that moves up into my chest and paralyzes. me. I know that it's silly to feel this way, and that nothing truly bad will come of me being late, but I just can't help it. I can't even remember when it all began. I have just always been this way.
Once in college I had a teacher who told us during the first day of class that he closes the door at exactly 9:00 AM and if we are late we would need to open the door and proceed into a class of clapping people because that's just how he rolled. I didn't think much of it because I'm rarely ever late, but unfortunately one day I was. I didn't, however, suck it up and walk into the room of clapping people. As I walked down the hallway and noticed the door to my classroom closed I turned around and went back home. Sad I know, but I really REALLY hate being late.
So back to today ...
It started off not so bad. I woke up as usual, took my shower, got ready and proceeded downstairs to take my dog out for her morning walk. I hadn't forgotten that the weather was supposed to be bitterly cold and so I made sure I put my dog's booties on before taking her outside. She's never too pleased getting her booties on but that didn't affect me. I could already see my dog's breath as she stood behind me while I opened up the front door. Yes, it is cold today ... -22C without factoring in windchill, and as I walked outside and felt my nose immediately begin to freeze up and burn, not even that affected me. In fact, out in the bitter cold, walking my 14-year old Lab Cross who seems completely unaffected by it but walks as slow as a turtle due to her arthritis, I had a very happy moment. A boy, about 8-9 years old, was walking to school and as he walked passed us he said to me, "You have a really nice dog!". How sweet, considering the fact that my dog is very old. She has bumps all over her body and eyes from old age, her fur comes off in clumps because her skin is so sensitive now and nothing seems to help her, the muscle mass in her back legs has shrivelled to almost nothing, and again, she walks like a turtle. But I think she's still beautiful and it was nice to hear someone else thought so too, even if the kid's eyes were probably blinded by the freezing temperatures.
It seemed like it was going to be a good day, well ... until I got into my car. You see I live in an area surrounded by four schools, and I suppose -22C weather is no longer acceptable for students to walk by parents who probably walked in worse weather when they were children, and my street was lined with cars (and even taxis) from top to bottom. Everyone was late having to drop their kids off at school, and no-one was letting me out of my driveway. Within 5 minutes I started to feel that pit in the bottom of my stomach. Within 10 minutes it moved up into my chest. I quickly proceeded to take out my cell phone and text my boss with, "I'M GOING TO BE A LITTLE LATE". In the past I would have hated to send this text or make the phone call, but my boss is pretty understanding and I knew, even though I was stressing, it would be OK. She texted back, "NO WORRIES!". The feeling left my chest and returned to my stomach. I was still stressing. I hate being late!
It took 20 minutes to get off my street and around the corner to my local Tim Horton's drive-thru where yet another huge line of cars awaited me. I was starting to have a bad day and there was no way I was going to forego my Tim Horton's. Geez, I mean ... I AM CANADIAN! I was already late, and although this might seem strange, being 1 minute late or 1 hour late is basically the same to me. So I began to turn in but noticed a car that was on the side trying to get in line for their morning fix, and having the exact same issue I had just experienced trying to get out of my driveway. I sat back and waited, waving the car on to move ahead of me. This isn't a rare occurrence. Even when I'm late I try to be as courteous to people as possible. At Christmastime when the malls are bustling with people all in a hurry and stressed, I allow people to "bud in front" without complaint. What's the point? Everyone is in a rush, everyone is stressed. I know how they feel because I hate being late. I am always in a rush too! But I've had much practice dealing with those crazy feelings in my stomach & chest that I don't need to start bickering with some rude stranger who obviously doesn't have quite the experience that I do. So it really was no big deal to let a car in front of me at the drive-through and I thought nothing of it.
When I got up to the window I ordered my usual, steeped tea with milk & sugar (bet you thought it was coffee, right?) and I was again reminded of how late I was. The girl taking my order spoke back from the little speaker phone not with, "OK that will be $1.90 please drive through," but with, "Oh my ... You're coming through rather late today aren't you?" That crappy feeling was now back up into my chest although I'm still not sure if it's because I was reminded of how late I was or the fact that some lady taking my order at a drive-thru knows my voice and the time I normally come by well enough to make that comment. Apparently I'm a creature of habit! So I got to the window, money in hand, anxious to quickly exchange money for tea and drive off as fast as possible, but when the window opened and the lady handed me my tea she waved off my hand of money and said, "Oh, you don't have to pay, Miss. The man ahead of you already paid for your order!".
The man ahead of me ... the one I let in line ... The one who was probably just as stressed as I was at this particular moment, on this very, very cold day ... How nice!! Damn, this has never happened to me before!!
How can you have a bad day after that?
So thank you to the young boy who walked by and mentioned to me that my old mutt was nice for starting what was inevitably to become a "bad" day for me off right. If I didn't have such issues with being late I would have hung onto that wonderful sentiment for the entire day. And thank you also to the stranger in the car I cannot describe because I really wasn't pay any attention for turning my "bad" day into a "good" day by paying for my tea.
If only all bad days could start off this way!
:)
I thought I was going to be late.
I have always hated being late and am perpetually early. Every time I feel I am going to be late I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach that moves up into my chest and paralyzes. me. I know that it's silly to feel this way, and that nothing truly bad will come of me being late, but I just can't help it. I can't even remember when it all began. I have just always been this way.
Once in college I had a teacher who told us during the first day of class that he closes the door at exactly 9:00 AM and if we are late we would need to open the door and proceed into a class of clapping people because that's just how he rolled. I didn't think much of it because I'm rarely ever late, but unfortunately one day I was. I didn't, however, suck it up and walk into the room of clapping people. As I walked down the hallway and noticed the door to my classroom closed I turned around and went back home. Sad I know, but I really REALLY hate being late.
So back to today ...
It started off not so bad. I woke up as usual, took my shower, got ready and proceeded downstairs to take my dog out for her morning walk. I hadn't forgotten that the weather was supposed to be bitterly cold and so I made sure I put my dog's booties on before taking her outside. She's never too pleased getting her booties on but that didn't affect me. I could already see my dog's breath as she stood behind me while I opened up the front door. Yes, it is cold today ... -22C without factoring in windchill, and as I walked outside and felt my nose immediately begin to freeze up and burn, not even that affected me. In fact, out in the bitter cold, walking my 14-year old Lab Cross who seems completely unaffected by it but walks as slow as a turtle due to her arthritis, I had a very happy moment. A boy, about 8-9 years old, was walking to school and as he walked passed us he said to me, "You have a really nice dog!". How sweet, considering the fact that my dog is very old. She has bumps all over her body and eyes from old age, her fur comes off in clumps because her skin is so sensitive now and nothing seems to help her, the muscle mass in her back legs has shrivelled to almost nothing, and again, she walks like a turtle. But I think she's still beautiful and it was nice to hear someone else thought so too, even if the kid's eyes were probably blinded by the freezing temperatures.
It seemed like it was going to be a good day, well ... until I got into my car. You see I live in an area surrounded by four schools, and I suppose -22C weather is no longer acceptable for students to walk by parents who probably walked in worse weather when they were children, and my street was lined with cars (and even taxis) from top to bottom. Everyone was late having to drop their kids off at school, and no-one was letting me out of my driveway. Within 5 minutes I started to feel that pit in the bottom of my stomach. Within 10 minutes it moved up into my chest. I quickly proceeded to take out my cell phone and text my boss with, "I'M GOING TO BE A LITTLE LATE". In the past I would have hated to send this text or make the phone call, but my boss is pretty understanding and I knew, even though I was stressing, it would be OK. She texted back, "NO WORRIES!". The feeling left my chest and returned to my stomach. I was still stressing. I hate being late!
It took 20 minutes to get off my street and around the corner to my local Tim Horton's drive-thru where yet another huge line of cars awaited me. I was starting to have a bad day and there was no way I was going to forego my Tim Horton's. Geez, I mean ... I AM CANADIAN! I was already late, and although this might seem strange, being 1 minute late or 1 hour late is basically the same to me. So I began to turn in but noticed a car that was on the side trying to get in line for their morning fix, and having the exact same issue I had just experienced trying to get out of my driveway. I sat back and waited, waving the car on to move ahead of me. This isn't a rare occurrence. Even when I'm late I try to be as courteous to people as possible. At Christmastime when the malls are bustling with people all in a hurry and stressed, I allow people to "bud in front" without complaint. What's the point? Everyone is in a rush, everyone is stressed. I know how they feel because I hate being late. I am always in a rush too! But I've had much practice dealing with those crazy feelings in my stomach & chest that I don't need to start bickering with some rude stranger who obviously doesn't have quite the experience that I do. So it really was no big deal to let a car in front of me at the drive-through and I thought nothing of it.
When I got up to the window I ordered my usual, steeped tea with milk & sugar (bet you thought it was coffee, right?) and I was again reminded of how late I was. The girl taking my order spoke back from the little speaker phone not with, "OK that will be $1.90 please drive through," but with, "Oh my ... You're coming through rather late today aren't you?" That crappy feeling was now back up into my chest although I'm still not sure if it's because I was reminded of how late I was or the fact that some lady taking my order at a drive-thru knows my voice and the time I normally come by well enough to make that comment. Apparently I'm a creature of habit! So I got to the window, money in hand, anxious to quickly exchange money for tea and drive off as fast as possible, but when the window opened and the lady handed me my tea she waved off my hand of money and said, "Oh, you don't have to pay, Miss. The man ahead of you already paid for your order!".
The man ahead of me ... the one I let in line ... The one who was probably just as stressed as I was at this particular moment, on this very, very cold day ... How nice!! Damn, this has never happened to me before!!
How can you have a bad day after that?
So thank you to the young boy who walked by and mentioned to me that my old mutt was nice for starting what was inevitably to become a "bad" day for me off right. If I didn't have such issues with being late I would have hung onto that wonderful sentiment for the entire day. And thank you also to the stranger in the car I cannot describe because I really wasn't pay any attention for turning my "bad" day into a "good" day by paying for my tea.
If only all bad days could start off this way!
:)