Saturday, September 18, 2010

Anger in the air.....

Boy oh boy....I don't know if the planets were lined up just right yesterday or what the reason was -- but it seemed like everyone picked that day to just be ANGRY. I often pay for the person's order who is behind me in the drive-through in the mornings but I do have a limit. This morning the guy behind me had an expensive order and I couldn't do it so the day went downhill from there. I was forewarned.

Everyone had a complaint of one sort or another. My co-worker got sick of it and put in for a half vacation day and left. Since every boss in the building was also gone.....to say I was left to my own devices is an understatement.....you can only sweet talk people for only so long.

I had been yelled at over the phone mostly but a few residents appeared in person. They had rants about various little things but the longer they thought about those little things it made them expand to huge dimensions and they wanted action NOW. By the time 5 o'clock rolled around I was more than ready to escape to my own turf....to lock myself in with some soft music to calm my shattered nerves but first I had things to do. Number one on the list was get gas for the car cause I was riding on fumes, which is something I never do but I had forgotten to get gas earlier in the week. Then I had to quickly visit the grocery store and I was dreading it. Grocery shopping is one of my least favorite things to do.....topped only by ironing. I almost put it off but remembered that it was supposed to rain all day Saturday and that gave me the energy to proceed.

The most important item I had to purchase was a birthday card and cake for my daughter. I was surprised to see that the grocery store was nearly empty. Nearly empty at a little after 5 on a Friday? I simply had to take advantage of it. I ended up getting a few more things than the cake but it was still a quick visit, the anticipation of enjoying my easy chair and a good book in the quiet of my home giving me the impetus I needed to get this task done. At the bakery department I waited at the counter to get "happy birthday" written on the cake. The woman who waited on me had disgust and anger all over her face. She looked like she had experienced the same kind of day as yours truly. She answered my questions with short, sharp retorts and I made up my mind that I was going to put a smile on this woman's face before I left. She took the cake and returned with it a few minutes later with a beautifully written "happy birthday" on it. I smiled and told her it was absolutely beautiful.....actually the best I'd ever seen. (which was really true) You know what.....I honestly saw her icy exterior melt and she smiled and thanked me. I KNOW I made her day.....and it made ME feel better knowing that.

I finally made it home, fixed myself a nice hot cup of coffee and, grabbing an apple fritter that I had just purchased at the store, I headed for my easy chair and book. My son, of course, had to call me later on and put the ending on my day by some unnecessary garbage of his own. I almost felt like I was being tested.....especially when I found out that my ex and his wife had won an all expense paid trip to Paris, France. I'm glad for them.....yes I am. Yes I am. I'll just keep saying that with a smile on my face. It just seemed like I was everyone's punching bag yesterday. Did any of you have a day like that too? You know what?.....even if it IS cold, dark, dreary and raining today.....I am sooooo glad its Saturday and I don't have to go anywhere. I don't even think I'll answer the phone today.....so there! Hope you all have a good one today, no matter where you are or what the weather is like.

11 comments:

Joy Des Jardins said...

Well the weather is the same here too Val...dark, drury and rainy. As a matter of fact it downright POURED right at the time I started out running errands with my daughter.

I think we've all had those days kiddo...where everyone seems 'moody' and nothing seems to gel. I think you must be the best person to be around when one of those days occurs...a voice of cheer and optimism. You're terrific... ~Joy

Moohaa said...

I HAVE had days like that and they are maddening! I'm so glad you were able to bring a smile to someone else's face, despite your day.

I checked out that writing blog you told me about and I bookmarked it. It definitely sounds like something I'd like to do. Thank you so much for recommending it!

Hugs,
Kelly

Anonymous said...

Haha Val, I've had too many days where it felt like Every. Single. Darn. Thing. Is. Going. Wrong. Maybe it has something to do with my being in high school, which, as people know, isn't always easy :)

"just keep swimming...just keep swimming"

And keep clutching on to your sense of humor, because it'll get you through pretty much anything.

Betty said...

I have just gotten over two or three days like that. They're no fun. Hope things are better next week.

Peruby said...

Wow! That sounds miserable. Maybe your ex and his wife will get some kind of Montezuma's revenge while in Paris. ;)

Jamie said...

Oh heavens, I know days like these. They don't happen too often, thank the lord. And okay, it's just not right that your ex and woman won that prize. Just sayin'. Karma will happen, give it time.

Hugs, buddy. Happy Sunday. :)

happyone said...

It's amazing what a smile and a kind word can do.
Sometimes, it doesn't work like the woman I met on my walk yesterday morning!!

Linda Medrano said...

Val, I'm sorry it was such a bad day. I'm so glad you got it over with! Paris, huh? Okay, I am jealous for you! Too bad it wasn't an all expense paid trip to Fresno, California.

glnroz said...

ohh goodness, do i ever have days like that.. sometimes i look for a day that "ain't",, lol,,

Forsythia said...

Have a day like that? Absolutely. Mine was on Saturday. Somehow, the gas pump sprayed a bit of gas into my (cloth) summer purse as I was hanging up the pump. And that was just for starters.

Linda@VS said...

I think you're right about the planets being out of alignment. I remember when I was young and newly divorced, when most days were a struggle, there was one day that was the worst I could remember. EVERYTHING went wrong all day. When I got home from work, my four-pound Poodle, Julie, met me at the door with her tail wagging enthusiastically. She smiled her doggy smile and led me into my bedroom, jumped up on the bed and proudly called my attention to the beak, backbone, and a couple of feathers that had been my parakeet when I left for work that morning. The cage was up high and the door was still closed, so I have no idea how the bird got out. I do recall thinking that this was a perfectly morbid demonstration of how bad a day could get, and it actually helped me in a way. I realized that whatever forces were aligned against me were more than I could handle, so I no longer felt any responsibility for all the things that had gone wrong. Julie, however, had had a WONDERFUL day. I don't know how to rationalize that.