Monday, September 19, 2005

Can we hit rewind?

Today was one of those days that, as I told my friend Cathy at CTU, I wish I could hit the rewind button. And that was only at 11:20. It continued along the same lines most of the afternoon! Started when the morning sprinkle turned to a downpour, just as the parking lot attendant brought our big green van down for me to take to school. I had a mailing to drop off at the Post Office after class--that was on a hand truck. And I was wearing sandals. The side door of the van faced a wide, deep puddle.Oh, well. I swung the door open and heaved the postal trays in one by one, one-handedly, since I was also attempting to manage an umbrella.  The hand truck wouldn't go in the side door (the van was already full of exhibit equipment), so I brought it around back, where another wide, dark puddle opened up. And the hand truck wouldn't fit through the back door, because of all the stuff. Another trip to the side door to shift tables and crates around. Then to the back door to shove the hand truck the final inch forward. Then to the driver's door, which had been left open all that time. In front of a puddle. I threw my backpack across to the passenger seat and grabbed a smooshed box of Kleenex to wipe off the door, the steering wheel, my wet feet... And then headed south, the wipers going full speed.
When I turned off Lakeshore Drive toward CTU, I found that all the west and south sides of the streets in the area were marked NO PARKING: STREET CLEANING. Naturally, the other sides of the streets were filled. I prayed for a parking miracle as I made my way up and down, side to side. No miracles today. The rain continued, gently this time. I drove down another street about six blocks from school. There went my plan to hit the library before class. But I did find one open spot and maneuvered into it. As I walked toward school, the rain picked up again. I barely had time to stop in the ladies' room for some paper towels (to dry my feet again) before class. The professor was late, too. He couldn't find a place to park either, poor soul.
After class, I did manage my library task (that's where Cathy is) and then headed toward the Post Office. Nowhere to park the car. The spaces allotted to 15 minute parking for the Post Office were all taken, three of them by taxis. I drove around downtown and tried again. Still no parking. So I just drove into the reserved spaces and hit the flashers, hoping for the best as I hoisted the three trays up the ramp for the Bulk Mail Unit (Open 10:00-4:00 Mon-Fri). No one was there. I waited a while, and a postal worker came through. "She's at lunch until 12:45." (It was 12:15.) "Didn't she put a sign?" No sign. "I can take care of that unless you have a payment." (I did.) "Well, just leave it here, and I'll put your paperwork and check by her computer, so if she needs to she can call you later." Okay.
As soon as I got home, I put on some dry shoes.
I was just finishing lunch (chicken noodle soup from a can) when the call came. Seems our Bulk Mail Annual Fee was overdue. I thought I had brought that the last time, and went hunting through the computer. There it was! But they had no record of our check of that date. I interrupted Sr. Helen at prayer to ask her where I could find a canceled check to prove we had paid the fee. I had the number and everything. Turns out it was last year's check. We did owe the fee. Apologized to Sr. Helen and called the Post Office. Made out the check and brought that with me, along with a small shopping cart for the nearby grocery. We have three extra souls here this week and their bodies need feeding. Got a few bargains at the store, though I almost left the cart behind several times. Made it home without spilling the cart over (almost). The rain was long gone. My feet were dry. The sherbet I scooped myself as a reward for all that lugging around of heavy groceries was good. And I made it to St. Peter's in time for Benediction.
Maybe we don't need that rewind button after all.

1 comment:

Sr. Marianne Lorraine Trouve said...

I'm sorry your day started off like that!
Today I had something similar. I called the trash company to complain that they hadn't taken away the packed dumpster--it looked like they hadn't because the metal plate was still slid in and bags of garbage were on top of it. But I came to find out that they really did pick it up and it just had to be rest....