As soon as my eyes opened at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, January 8th, I jumped out of the bed like a surprised squirrel.
With the hair standing up on the back of my neck, I sensed that something was going amiss. I rushed straight to my desktop computer to check what was in store for me that day.
While the throbber (why they call the spinning wheel as such is beyond me and the fact that it can be irritating, the name is actually quite apt) was looping on the screen like a hamster on LSD, I suspected that I was scheduled for an important appointment; however, I was unsure as to with who, where, and when.
Waiting, which seemed forever, as the countless and useless shortcuts populated my computer screen, I dreaded the possibility of missing that appointment.
Sure enough, I had an appointment for 10 a.m. in a city about 30 minutes away. I had to stop to think what to do since the minutes were ticking away.
Hmmm…should I call the office? Should I cancel? What?
After a brief hemming and hawing, I decided to call the office.
“For English, please press 1.”
I hurriedly pressed 1.
“Please enter pin number.”
Huh? I don’t have a pin number. I just want to talk to someone!
I hung up and tried the number again and, like clockwork, the same virtual auto attendant asking the same set of instructions. I hung up without taking heed of the second instruction.
I think I forgot to update the number of the office on my Contact List. Why don’t I go to the “Recents” call list and use that number instead.
“Hello. Happy Wednesday. This is Romeo. Is Iris around?
“I am sorry, but she is already on her way to the city to see you.”
“Oh, no! I overslept and I would like to let her know about it. Is there a way to contact her?”
“I’ll try. Please wait a minute.”
Fidgeting while the minutes were ticking away incessantly, I wasn’t quite sure what to tell Iris.
“Hello, sir? She is not answering. I will send her a text, but it may not be a bad idea if you also call her to leave a message.”
“Thank you.”
Using the number that she gave me, I immediately called Iris to leave a message.
“Happy Hump Day, Iris. This is Romeo. I am sorry, but I overslept and I don’t think I can see you today. I am really very sorry.”
I left my computer room to make my early morning coffee with mixed emotions – relief and guilt. And it was already 9:30 a.m.
While my coffee maker was brewing the one and only cup, my phone rang. It was Iris.
“Hi, Iris! I am terribly sorry. I overslept. I don’t think I can make it. Besides, I am having cold feet. I don’t think it is a good idea to make any stock transactions considering current situations.”
“I agree. Additionally, the market is at its all-time high and it is like buying stocks for such a steep price.”
“Thanks for making me feel better about it.”
“Well, I am going to be here for a little while. I can wait for you to talk about your portfolio and the gratis coffee and donut”.
“Oh, that is a good idea. However, it will take me an hour to get to where you are.”
“It takes an hour?”
“No, but I still have to get ready.” What my real excuse was the fact that I had not buzz cut my hair or dyed/groomed my beard and mustache. In short, I felt not meeting-presentable.
“Okay, we will do it next time then. Just let me know, okay?”
“Thanks, Iris.”
Whew!
Having gotten that out of the way, I made a mental list of chores for the day and went ahead to scratch them off the list:
- Made Mung Beans soup.
I had to view my YouTube presentation of it since I forgot the recipe.
- Had my customarily late breakfast which this time was oatmeal with honey, brown sugar, almond floud, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and chia seeds.
- Went to Walmart to get Freezer and sandwich bags.
I got tired of reusing the one and only freezer bag I had for which my friend chastised me. “Rome, they are quite cheap, you know.”
- Bought additional beads at Hobby Lobby.
Funny, instead of getting rid of leftover beads from my Renaissance Days, I am buying more to augment what I had. So far, I have made 14 bracelets and 10 pairs of earrings for family and friends. I am a jeweler – another flavor of the month. HA HA HA!
- Swam 50 laps at the gym while going over my lines as Adam in the forthcoming production of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” in perfect iambic pentameter:
Yonder comes my master, your brother…
- Enjoyed my favorite Culver’s spicy, senior-discounted, Buffalo Chicken Tenders Meal and a free ice cream with ooey-gooey hot caramel topping.
- Cooked two more dishes:
1. Pork menudo with bell peppers, sweet peas, garbanzo beans, liver spread and seasoned with salt, pepper, bay leaves, soy sauce, and fish sauce.
2. Ginata-an dessert – Filipino sweet dish comprised of coconut milk, sugar, banana, tapioca, sweet potato, taro, jackfruit, and ground glutinous rice flour.
- Texted a close friend with pictures to gloat about the dishes I made.
- Checked the beads that I bought and decided to return one set.
- Oh, I called the gym to let them know that the shower in stall 1 was leaking and that I had already noticed it last week.
- Went to bed happy since nothing else went amiss.
I mouthed my lines as Adam as my eyelids drooped.
Yonder comes my master, your brother…
