2002 Story Set
| July 22, 2002 First - it is lunchtime and Monday. So I had errands. First - let's pay eBenx - or COBRA. No - let's not - because we forgot to fetch an envelope from home. And we forgot our kid's SOC SEC number which must be on the check. OK. Next, pay VISA. And deposit the two unemployment checks because it is that time of the month - bill time. First, since I don't get home until 6-6:30PM - after Wells Fargo closes - I need to find a branch. Turn to the web. Except, they've changed their location algorithm - now you type in the address you are seeking to find the branch - not where you are. I figure this out with help - skip the street and use the zip and trick them. OK - I have two off Blossom Hill Road and I recognize that street name. So-- turn to Yahoo Maps and figure this out. Success! There is a branch one exit North on 101. So off I go. I will also stop at Staples and get zip drives and maybe get the acrylic nails done because it's been two weeks and they need filling. They also must be SHORTER. Because I stabbed myself this morning in a soft place! I can do this. I find the bank - but miss the turn and have to make a U. Note that wherever I drive ---- there are boys in orange (and occasionally a girl) and lots of BIG trucks and dirt. Boys (and sometimes girls) like to play in dirt with big trucks. I go in the bank. Not crowded. But I have never seen the thickness of the Lexan protection like this! Fremont Wells Fargo is routinely robbed and they don't have this stuff! Bolts and panels! Wow! I stare a bit. I hand in my VISA payment and he grabs the deposits as well. He does his thing. He gives me back the skip. Wait a minute------ it is $80.00 over what I wrote on the check! Ooops. Back it up. I have him stop trying to read my check and actually look at the VISA bill. I am paying the balance. It is typed on the slip. It takes two people to cancel this transaction. He tries again. This time, he drops off the 50 cents! OK. Try again. He does this a third time. He gets it. I watch the deposit being made very carefully. OK - I am recovered - I am off to drive back to Bernal and Staples. Except that the construction confused me and I ended up on Monterey Highway and U Turned in the nick of time, finding a McDonald's and another Albertson's. I may be lost but I will not starve. I get on 101 South - and off at Bernal and hunt the entrance to the little mall where Gold's Gym is hiding as well. I get into Staples. Keys clanging, because I have clipped the repelling clamp my son has now attached to my key chain to my purse, and I find zip disks. They come 5 to a package in a BIG plastic package. Talk about over-packaged products! Waste! Unnecessary waste! $10 mail-in rebate. I will be good and do this rebate this time. I need IBM format because the guy at work has a zip he can connect to the Mac (he has a G4 titanium laptop) and he can load my stuff to email on my PC and thence to my PC computer and the email T1 line. Also the reverse. I am determined to be good so I ask for the slip to send in. She rings me up and calls for backup. He in turn takes off for the back room. I wait. I am about ready to go in the back room after him when he appears and says that they have no slips and we will "take it off at the register". So I wait in line and she refunds the first charge and rings up the new one - for $10.00 - oooops. That's the price she has - instead of the $10 off. She calls for back up - while I examine the terminal and tell her how to do it right. Success! I am now qualified to work at STAPLES. I have time so I head for the Nails sign. I need to wait about 1/2 hour - and I do since I figure it's a short job. Ha Ha Ha. Nearly one hour later (and $20.00 cash including tips) I have shorter filled in nails. I like the shorter sport length better. I also noticed the "Cash Only" sign while she was stripping my nails. I had cash. I limp to the car with damp nails and the office where it is now 2:30PM. I had left at 12:45PM. Next time - nails alone on the lunch hour. I amble into work and attack the plastic casing on the disks. Carefully. Determined not to hurt the new nails. I have scissors that I wield with a vengeance while protecting my nails while my writing partner looks on and laughs. Equally determined not to bring that hunk of plastic casing home. I cut and shake and finally free the little disks. A woman at work, on hearing about my adventures, said, "Don't do anything else today!" I agree. Tomorrow will be easy. I do 1 hour at Gold's GYM. Heavy metal lifting. Whenever I get there after a design review meeting. Child's play! |
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