The Friday Gauntlet
I was late for work today. It doesn't happen often because I usually leave 10 minutes early. Today though, was different.
Stage 1 of the Gauntlet: I had to stop by the doctor office to get my 'healthy enough to be given insurance benefits' form. They don't open until the time I absolutely have to leave to get there on time. So I had already resigned myself to being a little late. Unfortunately, 'open' doesn't always mean anyone is working there, and it was 10 minutes before anyone came to the window and another five to make copies of the form before I could leave with it.
Stage 2: I immediately drove into a wall of fog that lasted for 15 miles. I had to slow down to a putt because I couldn't see to the end of the hood. It went on and one and just when I was sure that I was going to end up in Ravenloft and preparing my sanity check, something appeared in the haze. It was a hearse.
Stage 3: It was a hearse! With URGONE on the license plate, moving through the pea soup fog at roughly the speed of smell. In no hurry at all, and why not? It was a beautiful morning in the fog bank. No rush at all. Gave me time to wonder about the initials. Ulysses Robert? Udo Ricardo? Ulrich Randolph? Umberto Riley?
Stage 4: Finally get clear enough of the fog to pass Mr. Gone. Land flat in road work in the speed trap. That took awhile. A long while. Time for another sanity check.
Anyway, it took a long time to get there and then it took a long time for it to be over! Tough Friday all around.
Stage 1 of the Gauntlet: I had to stop by the doctor office to get my 'healthy enough to be given insurance benefits' form. They don't open until the time I absolutely have to leave to get there on time. So I had already resigned myself to being a little late. Unfortunately, 'open' doesn't always mean anyone is working there, and it was 10 minutes before anyone came to the window and another five to make copies of the form before I could leave with it.
Stage 2: I immediately drove into a wall of fog that lasted for 15 miles. I had to slow down to a putt because I couldn't see to the end of the hood. It went on and one and just when I was sure that I was going to end up in Ravenloft and preparing my sanity check, something appeared in the haze. It was a hearse.
Stage 3: It was a hearse! With URGONE on the license plate, moving through the pea soup fog at roughly the speed of smell. In no hurry at all, and why not? It was a beautiful morning in the fog bank. No rush at all. Gave me time to wonder about the initials. Ulysses Robert? Udo Ricardo? Ulrich Randolph? Umberto Riley?
Stage 4: Finally get clear enough of the fog to pass Mr. Gone. Land flat in road work in the speed trap. That took awhile. A long while. Time for another sanity check.
Anyway, it took a long time to get there and then it took a long time for it to be over! Tough Friday all around.