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August 16, 2000
This morning started out with me rolling over
in a dead sleepy haze and forgetting that I was due in class in Mountain
View at 9AM. Probably because I was late getting home. Probably because
I was so wound up I sipped about three glasses of wine while eating a
midnight meal. I wanted to relax, kick back and watch an hour or two of
TV. Good, bad or otherwise.
The ads are out in Romantic Times and Starlog.
I need to ship 200 books to Ingram. I need to get fulfillment settled.
Business issues I can't work on while teaching. They have to wait. They
will get resolved.
And I need to hunt for a storage locker and
for the draft of Hellsfire. And clean more of the house. I was trying
not to think.
So of course I was running late - literally
- when I swung my weary bones out of bed and stumbled up to let the dog
out.
It is Wednesday, garbage day, and I had, by
some measure of forethought, dragged the garbage cans (all right, rolled
them) to the street the night before. Fortunately. Because they are full
and I have more. Garbage.
Andy, my contractor, whom I called in a panic
when the city descended on me (because I asked for a business license???)
had moved the biggest stumps out of the side yard into the back yard -
where I can roll them around as I need to so I can line the yard - keeps
the weeds down. Cuts down on the wild raspberry bushes (no fruit) that
come from the neighbor's yard on the back. And the grass that just won't
die.
I let the dog out. And started the coffee
in the microwave. And realized I had forgotten to start the dishwasher
last night.
The dog was trying to eat what the friendly
rat from under the deck had left. Between the rat and the squirrels I
have a hard time feeding the rabbits and the dog - there is competition
for the food.
I hate to do it but I shall have to bait for
the rat. It jumped off the roof and scared the beejees out of me one night.
I didn't know what was coming.
I took pity on the dog and went out in my
long black slip and curlers, and barefoot, to feed the dog and rabbits
and water them - necessary since I spend long nights at the hospital with
my son and it is about 100 degrees at the this time of year at noon in
Fremont.
Of course, being sleepy (no coffee yet), I
left the back door a little bit ajar while I was filling water dishes.
Ranger, my 12-lb orange cat, ever alert for
such misbehavior on my part, crept out.
Somewhat alert by now, I was yelling for him
to go back in.
Cats don't obey commands like dogs do.
He ran to the left. Slung low and sneaky.
I chased.
He ran to the right.
I chased.
He ran to the left and I grabbed his tail.
I grabbed a leg and the rest of him in short
order.
He was well and truly caught.
I scolded and shook him (just a little) and
tossed him into the kitchen.
He pranced off.
He is pissed because I ran out of canned cat
food and won't feed him my chicken.
He KNOWS I have a little in the refrigerator.
I don't know how but I can start to defrost
a chicken and he will arrive from the attic or wherever he's hiding as
soon as it's out of the freezer.
Won't come for much else.
Well, the sound of the can opener works.
I must have been a sight - no makeup, just
bra, panties and slip. Big curlers. Barefeet. Boggles the mind. Good thing
there is a tall wooden fence.
So I got dressed.
I stumbled around - dress, nylons, jacket
and shoes. So far so good.
Makeup - quickly.
Pack up shoes and shorts and bra (sports)
and a top for later at the hospital.
Remember to grab the now cold toasted English
muffin and smear it with jelly and swallow it whole.
Grab a copy of Jettison for the class - they
asked to see it.
For some peculiar reason people have decided
that I am "interesting".
I was running late when I swallowed my own
pills and grabbed my purse and wandered out the door dragging my carry-on
suitcase behind me. Every parent running back and forth to Stanford Children's
Hospital where my son is is towing one of these suitcases. We haul a change
of clothes, dinner, snacks, stuff for the kid, extra shoes. I try to keep
it organized.
I settle behind the wheel of my little grey
and now aging truck and realize ....
No badge.
Drats!
Back into the house I go and I cannot find
it.
A long time ago I learned that if I am missing
something (watch, badge, wallet, rings when I wear them), I had better
go back and get it. Because I will fuss all day.
I go to the truck and check out my purse and
the little nuisance is in here.
Success.
I head for the freeway - and learn that there
is a mess on the freeway, before I even get there.
I drive to Stevenson (because I haven't figured
out an easy way to go surface streets to Automall Parkway) and get on
there. Not far enough down. Not past the accident.
It is a mess, just like they said, so I turn
up the radio and just roll along - about 1-2 miles per hour.
Great!
I forgot to get gas!
Oh well, I will drive in on fumes.
I run merrily along down the 880 which actually
rolls along decently, get to the 237 and it is a parking lot. After a
bit of a struggle, it breaks open - great! I may make it to class.
It hits 60MPH. Wonderful!
It's 10 minutes to 9 - when the class starts.
It would be nice to get there since I am the
teacher!
I have a chance!
Suddenly, I am aware that I am staring at
break lights!
And I am way too close to the car in front!
And the car behind me is way too close to
me!
And I have cars on the right and cars on the
left.
No place to go!
I stand on my brakes and brace for impact.
No way is this going to work!
At the last moment I look up to see smoke
pouring from the brakes of the car behind.
Just as the car ahead rolls up about two feet.
I quickly roll up two feet. I have good brakes!
And fast reflexes.
The back car stops.
Yikes! They are nearly in my trunk!
I take a few deep breaths and collect my wits.
We begin to move and suddenly are doing 60
again.
The car behind me is about 30 feet back and
moving very slowly.
The driver more shook up than I. She left
her tires on the road. I can smell the rubber still.
Her car was smaller than mine. She had been
closer to me - way too close.
I got to class about 1 minute before class
was due to start - and no one was there.
I had time to go upstairs, grab the NT from
its locked dock, grab a cup of coffee and hit the restroom.
I didn't even spill my coffee as I stumbled
down the stairs to class.
My priorities completely rearranged.
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