a day that gets flushed down a series of different toilets

Hi people. I'm alive, but I do not want to talk about the bar. That is over and I am moving on.

Instead of talking about the bar, let me tell you all about the little post-bar adventure I am now on. It's like this: I locked my keys in my car at the Airport Holiday Inn. I did it during the lunch break, but didn't realize until I was walking out at the end. I was stunned and smiling and waiting for the flood of relief to wash over me because the exam was finally over, and I put my hand in my pocket... and...

Well, it wasn't relief that flooded over me when my hand didn't make contact with the keys that should've been in my pocket. No car. No cell phone. No phone numbers. No energy, no brain, etc.

I went to the lobby and borrowed a phone and called SK at work to let her know about my predicament, but she doesn't have a car and there wasn't much she could do. The Airport Holiday Inn is surprisingly hard to reach by public transportation and I wouldn't have wanted her to have to hop a bus to come all the way out there (walking that last mile on the uber-industrial part of Columbia Blvd with no sidewalks -- yikes).

So I flagged down a woman I just met today and pleaded with her for a ride home. She was nice and very happilly said yes. She was not quite effusive enough with her generosity and did not offer to drive me back to the Airport Holiday Inn after I got my spare keys. And I didn't have the heart to ask. I mean, the poor woman just got done taking a bar exam. What do I expect?

Happy to be in front of my house, I crossed my fingers and hoped my upstairs-people were home with a spare key. They were. The mom didn't hear me knock until I was about to walk off in desperation, then she appeared. She let me and then disappeared back to the kitchen where some huge food project was in the works. Meanwhile, the two kids (one is probably four now and the other will be a year in March) sort of lingered around looking at me. The house was a wreck and I suddenly saw my landlady more like a zoo-keeper... and I completely understood all the racket that comes lilting down to me in my little hovel from above.

She finally gave me a key and I went in to my house and yet I was not content. I was supposed to hang out with SK tonight. We were going to get food and have a nice, relaxing night in. With no cell phone I couldn't call her. After a few minutes staring blankly at my computer screen I decided to hop a bus to my workplace where I could use a phone and from which I could easily bus to SK's house.

And here I am. At work. SK's not home. And I just overheard a huge, knock-down, drag-out fight in the Drop In Center adjacent to the room I'm hiding out in... woops. I'd go help out but... I'm not technically here, so... you know... sorry guys. Sounds like they got it under control anyway.

Wanna hear further complications? I have no money. Strike that, I have one dollar. I had to cancel my debit card two weeks ago for reasons that are not interesting enough to explain, and my replacement hasn't come yet. Not having a debit card is a real pain in the ass if you're used to having one. I have to actually go to my bank for cash and I never get enough because I keep thinking my card will arrive any minute, so I'm constantly running out... like right now...

So... just sitting here, at work, broke, no phone, no car, spent the past two days having my brain irrigated, and I can't even go out and get drunk. I can't afford to buy a beer. That's pretty sad. And yes, I know it's not as sad as it could be. I'm not homeless on the street. I DO have a car and a cell phone and money in the bank. My life isn't ending or even particularly bad. This is just turning out to be a pretty bad day. That's all.