One of 'those' days... (758 hits)
Category: Quotes & StoriesRating: 1.87 on 21 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by LisaCat (View user info) at 2004-01-07 13:21:00 EST
Today started out as a meager Wednesday. Upon rolling out of bed, I walked towards my bathroom and turned on the shower. I subscribe to the theory that my morning showers determine the type of day I'm going to have. If I take a good morning shower and emerge refreshed, my subsequent day will be good. If I take a bad shower, I will either a) call in sick to work b) end up thoroughly grumpy throughout the day or c) take twice as long in the shower in attempt to make it a good shower, which eventually happens, invariably making me late to work, thusly treading down the dark path towards a bad day. This morning, I awoke to find that local water pipes froze solid and I was denied any shower whatsoever.
As any Chicago resident will tell you, winter has finally arrived bringing with it sub-zero temperatures and frozen water pipes. Tom Skilling confirmed all of this as I was attempting to prepare my breakfast of Pop-Tarts and Lucky Charms, only to find that I had no milk. I meant to pick up some milk last night, but didn't knowing damn well that I'd regret in the morning.
Score:
Procrastinator Me: 1
Hungry-Showerless Me: 0
As determined as ever, I get dressed, tied my hair back in an uncharacteristic ponytail, and headed off to work early, intent on stopping off somewhere to get at least a bagel and some caffeine. I ended up stopping at a nearby Country Donuts shop to get my breakfast in a futile attempt to save my morning.
Armed with one bagel and one atrociously strong medium coffee, I made my way on and off the Elgin O'Hare expressway in record time. It's amazing how much quicker the commute can be if you're one shower's length ahead in the morning.
I was making quite a killing up until I got near I-90 in which traffic came to a screeching standstill.
Great, an accident.
After patiently waiting in line, I was finally granted my chance to gawk at the wreck that was responsible for the delay. The crash was indeed a bad one, involving several emergency vehicles and a dark colored sedan that had its engine block squarely slammed back into the driver's seat. I quietly muttered the words "God Bless," and returned to the trek at hand, already late because of the traffic delay.
Just as one is rewarded with a quick commute for leaving early, one is punished with a lack of parking when one arrives late, which left me few options such as meter parking street side, or parking at another facility and walking three blocks to the office. I tried desperately to find a street space, but was out of luck completely. I resigned from my search, parked three blocks away, and walked back to work freezing.
Upon finally getting to work I noticed everyone seemed quite dreary. I knew it was cold outside, but that's no reason for everyone to be depressed, at least that's the lie I was telling myself when I finally realized my piping hot, atrociously strong medium coffee became cool in my seven minute walk to work.
An hour into the workday I noticed that Mike, the oldest guy in the department and the most enthusiastic of all of us, wasn't in today. I thought to myself how strange it was that Mike wasn't in and asked my boss about it.
His response sent chills up and down my spine that even the cold weather couldn't claim responsibility for. "Mike was involved in a car accident this morning on his way into work and is currently in intensive care."
My spirits immediately sunk as I remember passing the wreck on the way in. I thought the car looked familiar, but couldn't place it. It was Mike's car.
No matter what I try to do to escape it, I'm still having one of 'those' days.
User Reviews
Submitted by cheg at 2004-01-07 22:15:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
seeing as how i've had one friend and one friend's brother die on the garden state parkway in a very short time(and another friend crash and die just in town, so that makes three deaths in less that 1 1/2 years), i've never been able to "gawk" at accidents on the side of the road, after seeing three times how they effect the families. just one teenage-death funeral is not something i wish upon anyone.
anyway, im rambling.
hope Mike is ok.
Submitted by Nicole3 (user info) at 2004-01-07 16:33:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Though this isn't the kicker of all ass, here is a +2. Hope tomorrow is better. Thanks for reminding me to check the pipes in my basement. If I forget to leave them dripping slightly, they freeze.
Submitted by Falconer (user info) at 2004-01-07 14:43:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by xLisaCatx (user info) at 2004-01-07 14:43:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
There's a spot on the inbound Ike into Chicago in which 'sun delays' slow everyone down to a crawl because no one can see through the glare of the rising sun in their windshield.
Submitted by Perplexd (user info) at 2004-01-07 14:30:19 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
made my stomach sink as well. sorry to hear about that
Submitted by reallybored (user info) at 2004-01-07 14:25:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
It was kind of chilly today. With the breeze it was 65, and i didnt have a jacket. Damn this Florida weather!
Submitted by Lost_Gator_Fan (user info) at 2004-01-07 14:06:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Well at least your traffic slows down for a pertinent reason. On the I-5 (heading to/from LA) traffic will grind to a halt just so everyone and leer at the guy changing a flat tire.
Submitted by Random Joe at 2004-01-07 14:04:32 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
My bad, I wasn't logged in yet...good story...really made me think.
Submitted by jumpinjellyfish <jumpinjellyfish59.at.hotmail.com> at 2004-01-07 14:03:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
No Comment
Submitted by xLisaCatx (user info) at 2004-01-07 14:02:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Showers can be bad. Have you ever emerged from the shower not refreshed or even feeling clean? Typically my showers are good and they wake me up although sometimes I want to just crawl back into bed after one.
I guess what I mean is that not all showers were created equal. There are the good showers and then there are the bad showers.
Submitted by volklcess (user info) at 2004-01-07 14:01:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Wow. My heart sank when I read that last part. That's so sad! Is he going to be okay?
Phoenix
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2004-01-07 13:49:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Quartermain - play nice
I catch myself getting irritated with traffic and then think about that. Oh sorry if my DEATH on the highway made you late. Still though, frozen pipes are not cool - that was not supposed to be a pun.
I'll stop typing now.
Submitted by Natophelia (user info) at 2004-01-07 13:49:28 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Yikes. True what Q said...
Submitted by antluvdog (user info) at 2004-01-07 13:49:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Holy crap.
Submitted by Deisangua (user info) at 2004-01-07 13:42:13 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
At first I felt bad for you because you live in Chicago and have to deal with frozen pipes instead of showers. Then I got to the end of the post. Now I feel bad for Mike.
Another +2 for Quartermain's review.
Submitted by smokymtcsw (user info) at 2004-01-07 13:37:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Sorry good story, I said a quick prayer for your boss.
Submitted by corn_nugget (user info) at 2004-01-07 13:37:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Ah, man... That's crappy. Makes you feel guilty for being mad about traffic. Makes you think about all the times you were ever mad about traffic.
But I am curious as to how showers can be bad. Besides todays frozen pipes... of course.
Submitted by xLisaCatx (user info) at 2004-01-07 13:36:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I was doomed from the get go, and I know some part of me wishes that had called into work sick this morning. I know I'm not directly responsible for Mike's ill-tidings, but maybe things would've gone differently if I were just resigned to my fated bad day instead of trying to force the issue.
Submitted by Lord_Of_The_Strings (user info) at 2004-01-07 13:36:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Sorry to hear that, I feel guilty cos I laughed at this
"Look at it this way..you're still having a better day than Mike."
Submitted by Phinch (user info) at 2004-01-07 13:29:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
woah. thats not good.
Submitted by Quartermain (user info) at 2004-01-07 13:24:43 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Look at it this way..you're still having a better day than Mike.