Bad Case of the Wednesdays…

It’s been a long day. I mean, it’s been a reeeally LONG day.

My day started off at 6:45 a.m – or at least, my day should have started off at 6:45 a.m… except I couldn’t get out of bed. Can you blame me? When I finally started getting ready, it was already past 7, so of course, the slowpoke that I am, I was running late. I scarfed down a piece of cake for breakfast, which was delicious but not so nutritious. Then I started my long commute to Chicago, which takes a whopping hour and forty-five minutes. It wouldn’t be so bad if I was in a nice air-conditioned car with the radio blaring. However, I have to go from car to train to bus to my own two feet, which is hardly bearable.

I have been commuting like this twice a week for the past two months, and let me tell you, it sucks. But this morning was different. This morning more than just sucked. This morning, I had to pick up a form to get a drug test done, go to a clinic to actually get it done, and then get to work within an hour – or at least that was the plan. I ended up going from car to train, to bus, to walking, back to bus, back to walking, back to bus, on to another bus, to walking, to another bus, to walking again before I finally arrived at work… TWO HOURS LATE.

I’m exhausted just thinking and writing about it. Imagine spending two hours doing that. It was draining. I cried. I literally got on the bus and cried the whole way to the clinic. It was just so frustrating. I felt like everything was going wrong this morning.

First of all, as soon as I got off the train in Chicago, I had to run for the bus because so many of those CTA drivers will drive away even if they know someone is there (I HATE THOSE DRIVERS). When I got to the location to pick up my drug test form, they couldn’t find any forms and actually sent me back to a location that I had just passed by on my way there. This meant that I had pretty much just wasted twenty minutes traveling back and forth. And again, I had to sprint for my bus… although I would definitely say this driver was one of the nice ones because he stopped even though I didn’t quite reach the bus stop yet.

Anyway, once I had the form in my hand, I just wanted to hurry up and get to the clinic. But of course, I ended up having to wait fifteen minutes for the bus to arrive. Three minutes after getting on the bus, a grungy unkempt man plops down next to me, beer in hand, and tries to speak to me in Spanish. Not a huge deal, but I would have preferred for him to move to one of the twenty empty seats all around us. Then, when the bus got to the end of the route, and my stop was nowhere in sight, I realized I had taken the right bus… just in the complete opposite direction. And I had just wasted another twenty minutes traveling farther away from where I needed to be. Frustrating, yes. On the verge of tears, not yet. I kindly asked the bus driver about my stop, and he told me where I needed to wait.

So, I waited where I was told. Good news is, the bus arrived a few seconds later. Bad news is, it was not the right bus. This time, I was smart enough to ask the driver about my stop. Unfortunately, I was not smart enough to ask before I paid for the ride.

Here come the waterworks. It seems stupid now, but at that time, I was already late for work, and I felt like I had gotten absolutely nothing accomplished. Plus, I was infuriated with public transportation. So I cried. Then I got on the right bus. And then I cried some more, in front of complete strangers. One guy even asked if I was okay. Looking back, I think it was just more embarrassing than anything. Good thing I know someone who will take time out of work to call me and make me stop crying

By the time I got to the clinic, I was already an hour late for work. I called in to work just to let my supervisor know, but I’m pretty sure he didn’t even realize I was coming in today. I got to the clinic and was surprised to find a small waiting room full of people because I had been told that there most likely wouldn’t be a wait. I think I was there for another twenty minutes before it was finally my turn to pee in a cup. This process was much stricter this time than my last drug test. I had to lock up my purse, I couldn’t wash my hands (EW, WORST PART!), and I couldn’t flush the toilet when I was finished.

When I was finally done with the clinic, I sat down to wait for yet another bus to take me to work. Yes, work, after such a dreadful morning. I pulled out my phone and was texting someone when a dark SUV pulled up at the intersection… Ah yes, the morning was not done with its eventfulness. This big black guy asks me to text him next. Excuse me? I shake my head at him, and he asks why not. “Well, you know what, I don’t even have your number, sorry.” I give him a shrug. Annnd, he pulls over, gets out of the car, sits next to me, and makes certain that I get his number. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a good liar, and I cannot think quickly on my feet. This is how I end up with a text ten minutes later from, as he describes, “this 6′5 $exy, Fine A$$, Bald, Built, Chocolate $tar.” Yes, he really did use dollars signs as S’s.

I couldn’t believe what a strange morning I had, and as soon as I got on the bus and the driver looked at me, I knew it was just about to get even more ridiculous. I stood for fifteen minutes on the bus, waiting eagerly for my stop, and right as I was about to step off, the bus driver asks me for my name… and then hands me a piece of paper with his number on it. Like I said, ree-dic-u-luss.

Work, on the other hand, was uneventful. Those of you who get spam texts from me during the day know how bored I get over there. Please bring your prescriptions to my store and give me something to do. Thanks.

Well, I think this day has worn out its welcome. I’m going to bed, and I pray to God tomorrow will be better.