'mala dies' sounds sinister
The Romans used to believe that some days were fas and some were nefas (incidentally, where we get 'nefarious' from). You would have to be a loony to expect things to turn out right on a nefas day. Chinese and Japanese people believe similar things about certain days.
Yesterday, I had a nefas day, a conjunction of stars and planets so adverse that absolutely nothing could go right. It was a mistake to get out of bed! So take warning. I tell now The Tale of the Story of the Saga of the Training Day.
(No, really, take warning. I am very bored and it is very long.)
I shall highlight and itemise proofs of my Planetary Miaslignment Theory (possibly Soy Planet-based; I may never know) as the gasbagging saga progresses.
Yesterday I was scheduled to take a day-long training course offsite for a program called IMS. This is how police track their cases and associated documents. I'm not an officer, of course, and I don't have cases or associated documents, but I file/despatch them. Every bit as exciting as it sounds. :D ... :/
My coworker, a fellow data entry receptionisty soul, had arranged to go with me to the big police complex where the training was to be held, 8:30am to 4:00pm (joy! excitement!). This was good, because I had no clue where the complex was except 'near the WACA'. Only annarti will understand the significance when I say that high-ranking officers on the top floor of the complex can see into the WACA ... FROM THEIR OFFICES :O
Anyway, I digress. Get used to that. I shall now outline the first two small but significant Circumstances of Ill Aspect for the day:
1. My mobile phone had died.
It had died on Sunday night. It often does this - its battery life is now down to a day and a half or so, though I never use it. I only have to switch it off at work anyway, especially on a training day. So I just shrugged and just plugged it into its charger on the bench for the day.
2. My coworker suddenly had to change her plans.
She ran unexpectedly late that morning (darling child-related reasons O;) as I found out when I arrived at work to find she wasn't there yet and gave her a call. She said she'd meet me there instead. "Don't worry, the guys'll get you there."
I was just photocopying the map of the Midland facility and tidying away before I left when one of my sergeants came up and said, "Hmm, I'm not sure you'll make it on time, you know ..."
"Aaaagh really?" I said, or something to that effect. I was rather puzzled, as I dimly recalled the first time I'd been taken there as being a trip of about ten minutes by car. "I thought Midlands was closer than that!"
"Midland. No, it's about half an hour. But don't worry - I see the good constable in the corner there's not up to much."
"Ha ha ha," said good constable in the corner at that.
This good constable is also a very kind constable, though, like all of them, so she grinned and took me out to Midland in one of the big police trucks. It was indeed a 40 minute drive in that traffic. Inside the car I realised what was soon to become Ill-Starred Planetary Conjunction #3:
3. I left the copy of the training email I'd printed on my desk.
In my sudden flap around to leave, the detailed outline of the IMS training and so forth had been forgotten on my chair.
No worries, off we were on our way to the Midland complex anyway. Wow, it all looks so different from this direction, thought I. Wow, I hope the trainer is tolerant of fools with no sense of distance, and doesn't have one of those scary police caps.
We arrived at the Midland facility, which is -huge- and still being built. I thanked good constable profusely and rushed in, buzzing through the gate with ID all official-like, and rushed up to the reception desk of the first building (as there were three).
Wow, all these buildings look very different with all the construction going on, thought I. I don't seem to remember it being quite like this.
"Hi, I'm here and I'm running late for IMS training," I said to the receptionist.
To which the nice lady blinked and replied, "Um?"
After checking with all three buildings on site, it became apparent that there was no IMS training being held anywhere. (I could've received resuscitation training, though. Coo.) I was absolutely bemused as to how a training session could vanish - these sessions are large and consist of 50-60 people each - until the nice receptionist suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! I bet I know where it is! I bet it's the Maylands facility!"
4. Midland and Maylands are both external police complexes in the metropolitan district.
They are also rather far from each other. ;P I had no idea there were two - I had visited one (Maylands!) on my first day, and had probably heard the name of one or the other once or twice after that, but my brain had helpfully compacted them into the one similar reference.
Of course, if I'd had the training email with me, this wouldn't have been a problem. I tried calling my coworker from the nice reception lady's phone, but my coworker was obviously in the training session and had her mobile switched off. I had no IMS contact person to call because of #3. Instead I called my sergeant back at the office.
"Ummm ... I'm an idiot and it's 'Maylands'," I said. "I'm going to be horribly late at this rate. Should I just come back to the office?"
"No, no, they might let you in," he replied cheerily. "Off you go. Twit. *click*"
Oh, I thought. Well, transit, eh? Bah, I am a wayfarer of Japanese Rail! No worries!
I summoned up my paltry powers of navigation and walked in the direction I remembered the train station to be. It was ... a bit of a dodgy walk. Midland is a pretty rough part of town (in the words of one secondment officer, "Hell, you lot are moving out to Midland in August, aren't you? Hope they're issuing you all with pepper spray!"), a bit of a graffiti jungle, even with a huge new police complex going up there. The construction patches were particularly not-confidence-inspiring. I passed a few people muttering to themselves but got to the station without being hit by a broken bit of drainpipe, which is Good!
The train stations and the Perth train system in general are a no-brainer when you compare it to Tokyo (*silent scream*). In fact, as luck would have it - or so I thought - Maylands is on the same train line as Midland. It's only 20 min away, in fact.
So I hopped the train, swaggered off at Maylands Station with a little smirk on my face (until I remembered I was already an hour late) and went to the information desk.
This is, of course, not Japan. The desk was unmanned. I suspect it was painted on.
I looked around for a helpful map of the train station's immediate surrounds. This is not Japan; such a map would be covered in mindless graffiti tags within two seconds flat. As such, it did not exist.
I had no address for the Maylands complex because of the lack of my printed training email. Maylands is not quite as way out in whoop-whoop (you may refer to it as 'the boonies') as Midland, but still, a metropolis it is not. I had trouble finding someone to ask for directions, but luckily or so I thought an old lady was loitering around the station.
"Oh, yes, I know where they are, I've lived here for years!" she assured me. "Up that way! Up on the hill!"
I hiked up the hill, which was not actually a -real- hill, because this is WA and we put up warning signs for ten-degree slopes (not a joke ;D). As I hiked, I glanced behind me and noticed I could see the river. Far away from hill and train station alike. Hum, how odd, thought I, I could've sworn the place I went to was practically beside the river. We were sort of near the WACA oval last time.
5. In the 1980s, there was a police station further up the hill in Maylands, which had only been gone for ... oh, fifteen years or so.
Or so the pensioner walking his dog told me when I asked for directions again.
... bugger, I thought. I was now one hour and fifteen minutes late. Getting back to Maylands station made it one hour and thirty-five minutes. Oh, well, better call the office again on my GAAHDAMNITFUCKINGARGH. (#1)
I began a search for a map and/or phone. A teenager would not lend me her mobile phone; perhaps I looked shady. The hydroponics shop had no map. The model train shop had no map (yes, that is the kind of natural city planning we have in regional WA - "I'll sell whatever random crap I like" - and I love it <3). The florist and bakery had no map. All assured me that the Maylands complex was way down by the river 'somewhere sort of down that way', though.
I found an unvandalised pay phone. Called twice. No-one in the office picked up.
I walked further. I found another pay phone. Called twice. Someone picked up, but the line cut out both times.
6. I ran out of coinage.
Australian payphones (the ones that work) are frigging expensive. >_>
By now I had hiked down almost to the river foreshore and was busy hunting for the WACA and/or signage, which Australians do not believe in (except for bowls clubs ... I found three bowls clubs, very clearly indicated ... curious). I could see the city centre across the river and knew I must be close, but there are pockets of lovely trees everywhere down there, and Maylands complex itself is lightly tucked away in a screen of them. So are many residential blocks there, many of which I wandered around searching for signs of policeness. XD
The 'two hours late' mark arrived. I'd pretty much given up anyway. I pounced on a lonely newsagent's shop and begged the use of their phone, which they kindly granted, and called the office twice more. On the second time, I caught a senior constable who'd just arrived for his shift! YAY!
"Daaaah sorry I can't find Maylands I've been calling all morning the office must be empty I'm coming back to the office now please tell the sergeant that aaaagh," I informed him.
"Righto, love, will do," replied the S/C placidly, and hung up.
Victory and success! ... I thought.
First I walked back to the nearest train station. This was a kilometre away, and I'm glad I didn't trust the directions I was given to it because I'd have missed it - honestly, WA! When your sense of direction is worse than MINE, there is a problem! My problem, at least when it came to getting back to the station, was
7. I was wearing new boots.
Not generally badly made or uncomfortable, but not made for the purpose (you show me ANY pair of boots 'made for walking' ... false advertising in that song, it is). Thank god I don't wear heels.
Then I arrived at the station and discovered that in addition to #6,
8. I could not locate my SmartRider card.
A SmartRider card is a nifty thing in Perth which you use to ride buses and trains without requiring change. Unless, of course, it's gone missing. I didn't know how that had happened between Midland and Maylands, but on that particular day I can't say I was surprised. ;D
#7 took on a whole new meaning. I was damned if I was going to hunt around aimlessly for another shop, though. FINE FINE FINE I AM A HIKER OF ANTIPODEAN WILDERNESS ANYWAY, BRING IT ON! I thought.
I started following the train tracks (from the adjacent road, obviously :P). I noticed almost immediately how far apart stations are in Australia.
Walkwalkwalkwalkwalkwalkwalkwalklimpwalkwalkwalklimpwalklimplimplimpwalklimplimp.
Three stations passed. By then my grand adventure had been going on for 3.5 hours. If I had seen a SINGLE GODDAMN TAXI all day I would've obviously taken it, but this is WA.
Limplimplimplimpaaaaghthepainlimplimphobblelimplimphobblehobblelimp.
One or two more stations.
At long last I arrived at a station within Zone 1 of Perth station, which means it is free IF you have a SmartRider card. Fortunately - and this really was fortunate, for a change - I found an OLD SmartRider card with a only few cents' balance on it. I was allowed to use it to tag on. I got on the train and sat.
I rode one station to Perth. I hopped on the free CAT bus to my work as I do every morning (and as I'd already done once that morning ;P). I inched upstairs to the office and wobbled inside to produce my abject apologies for being, well, me. But the moment I stepped through the door -
"Daaaaah there you are we've been so worried we're SO sorry you poor thing thank goodness you weren't mugged aaagh!" wails Acting Sergeant Teddy-Bear (I gave him this name in my head the very first week, since not only does he have a teddy bear on his desk, he -is- like a very tall white-haired teddy bear himself, and you'd agree if I had a photo). At this point everyone else in the now-populated office is daaaah'ing as well.
I was ... bemused. Because if I line up the circumstances and mark in red the ones that were my fault:
1. My mobile phone had died.
2. My coworker had to change her plans. (Shouldn't have relied on just her knowing the way!)
3. I left the copy of the training email I'd printed on my desk.
4. Midland and Maylands are both external police complexes in the metropolitan district.
5. In the 1980s, there was a police station further up the hill in Maylands. (Aha! NOT my fault!)
6. I ran out of coinage.
7. I was wearing new boots.
8. My SmartRider card could not be located.
... yeah.
I pointed this out at length and kept apologising -properly-, wondering how a seasoned criminal investigator was managing to misintepret the overwhelming body of evidence. XD
I was also amused to find out that the circumstances of nefasness had continued at their end as well. Apparently my other sergeant had thought I was still with kind-constable-who-chauffeur'd-me when I called from Midland, or he'd have sent someone else to get me. Apparently the senior constable (another one of my favourites ;) whom I'd finally got through to had just turned up for his shift without any of the others around and hadn't realised I was out at Maylands without an officer. And worst of all, apparently the reason the office had been -completely- unmanned at one point - usually there's at least one person left to take calls - was because poor Acting Sergeant Teddy-Bear had been so worried he'd taken one of the cars out to drive around Maylands looking for me! :(
"Daaah it is our responsibility to make sure you know where you're going so never never never think of it as an imposition to call for a car," explained Acting Sergeant Teddy-Bear in that impartial way. "Maylands is a half-hour walk from the train station even if you know where it is we're so sorry aaaaagh."
I tried again to go through list items 1-8, paying particular attention to the glorious Lissness of #4, but I really don't think he was listening.
"Next time we will drive you direct," he simply declares.
"Yeah, and maybe we should give you an EPIRB tracking beacon, hahaha," says S/C Smarty Pants. "'Help! Code Red! I'm lost in the carpark!'"
"You can wear one of the fluoro road jackets too!" crows Other S/C Smarty Pants.
"What's the Dog Squad's extension again? Should we put it on speed dial?"
At which I thumbed my nose at them all and limped back to work.
The work is boring, but I do love this office XD
I also find it weirdly cheering to think what a bizarrely fun day I had misadventuring around the place. It may not have been going-to-visit-the-Sun-Goddess adventure, or where-the-HELL-is-this-guy-on-the-bicycle-TAKING-me adventure, which I do miss. But I just found it a timely reminder that sometimes, while you're shuffling to work in the same stiff suit to catch the same cramped bus, life will throw your hat over the fence and giggle hysterically at you as you run around after it - and frankly, I find that awesome.
(Could do with a new pair of shoes, or feet, though. Twelve blisters on both feet ... coo)
Yesterday, I had a nefas day, a conjunction of stars and planets so adverse that absolutely nothing could go right. It was a mistake to get out of bed! So take warning. I tell now The Tale of the Story of the Saga of the Training Day.
(No, really, take warning. I am very bored and it is very long.)
I shall highlight and itemise proofs of my Planetary Miaslignment Theory (possibly Soy Planet-based; I may never know) as the gasbagging saga progresses.
Yesterday I was scheduled to take a day-long training course offsite for a program called IMS. This is how police track their cases and associated documents. I'm not an officer, of course, and I don't have cases or associated documents, but I file/despatch them. Every bit as exciting as it sounds. :D ... :/
My coworker, a fellow data entry receptionisty soul, had arranged to go with me to the big police complex where the training was to be held, 8:30am to 4:00pm (joy! excitement!). This was good, because I had no clue where the complex was except 'near the WACA'. Only annarti will understand the significance when I say that high-ranking officers on the top floor of the complex can see into the WACA ... FROM THEIR OFFICES :O
Anyway, I digress. Get used to that. I shall now outline the first two small but significant Circumstances of Ill Aspect for the day:
1. My mobile phone had died.
It had died on Sunday night. It often does this - its battery life is now down to a day and a half or so, though I never use it. I only have to switch it off at work anyway, especially on a training day. So I just shrugged and just plugged it into its charger on the bench for the day.
2. My coworker suddenly had to change her plans.
She ran unexpectedly late that morning (darling child-related reasons O;) as I found out when I arrived at work to find she wasn't there yet and gave her a call. She said she'd meet me there instead. "Don't worry, the guys'll get you there."
I was just photocopying the map of the Midland facility and tidying away before I left when one of my sergeants came up and said, "Hmm, I'm not sure you'll make it on time, you know ..."
"Aaaagh really?" I said, or something to that effect. I was rather puzzled, as I dimly recalled the first time I'd been taken there as being a trip of about ten minutes by car. "I thought Midlands was closer than that!"
"Midland. No, it's about half an hour. But don't worry - I see the good constable in the corner there's not up to much."
"Ha ha ha," said good constable in the corner at that.
This good constable is also a very kind constable, though, like all of them, so she grinned and took me out to Midland in one of the big police trucks. It was indeed a 40 minute drive in that traffic. Inside the car I realised what was soon to become Ill-Starred Planetary Conjunction #3:
3. I left the copy of the training email I'd printed on my desk.
In my sudden flap around to leave, the detailed outline of the IMS training and so forth had been forgotten on my chair.
No worries, off we were on our way to the Midland complex anyway. Wow, it all looks so different from this direction, thought I. Wow, I hope the trainer is tolerant of fools with no sense of distance, and doesn't have one of those scary police caps.
We arrived at the Midland facility, which is -huge- and still being built. I thanked good constable profusely and rushed in, buzzing through the gate with ID all official-like, and rushed up to the reception desk of the first building (as there were three).
Wow, all these buildings look very different with all the construction going on, thought I. I don't seem to remember it being quite like this.
"Hi, I'm here and I'm running late for IMS training," I said to the receptionist.
To which the nice lady blinked and replied, "Um?"
After checking with all three buildings on site, it became apparent that there was no IMS training being held anywhere. (I could've received resuscitation training, though. Coo.) I was absolutely bemused as to how a training session could vanish - these sessions are large and consist of 50-60 people each - until the nice receptionist suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! I bet I know where it is! I bet it's the Maylands facility!"
4. Midland and Maylands are both external police complexes in the metropolitan district.
They are also rather far from each other. ;P I had no idea there were two - I had visited one (Maylands!) on my first day, and had probably heard the name of one or the other once or twice after that, but my brain had helpfully compacted them into the one similar reference.
Of course, if I'd had the training email with me, this wouldn't have been a problem. I tried calling my coworker from the nice reception lady's phone, but my coworker was obviously in the training session and had her mobile switched off. I had no IMS contact person to call because of #3. Instead I called my sergeant back at the office.
"Ummm ... I'm an idiot and it's 'Maylands'," I said. "I'm going to be horribly late at this rate. Should I just come back to the office?"
"No, no, they might let you in," he replied cheerily. "Off you go. Twit. *click*"
Oh, I thought. Well, transit, eh? Bah, I am a wayfarer of Japanese Rail! No worries!
I summoned up my paltry powers of navigation and walked in the direction I remembered the train station to be. It was ... a bit of a dodgy walk. Midland is a pretty rough part of town (in the words of one secondment officer, "Hell, you lot are moving out to Midland in August, aren't you? Hope they're issuing you all with pepper spray!"), a bit of a graffiti jungle, even with a huge new police complex going up there. The construction patches were particularly not-confidence-inspiring. I passed a few people muttering to themselves but got to the station without being hit by a broken bit of drainpipe, which is Good!
The train stations and the Perth train system in general are a no-brainer when you compare it to Tokyo (*silent scream*). In fact, as luck would have it - or so I thought - Maylands is on the same train line as Midland. It's only 20 min away, in fact.
So I hopped the train, swaggered off at Maylands Station with a little smirk on my face (until I remembered I was already an hour late) and went to the information desk.
This is, of course, not Japan. The desk was unmanned. I suspect it was painted on.
I looked around for a helpful map of the train station's immediate surrounds. This is not Japan; such a map would be covered in mindless graffiti tags within two seconds flat. As such, it did not exist.
I had no address for the Maylands complex because of the lack of my printed training email. Maylands is not quite as way out in whoop-whoop (you may refer to it as 'the boonies') as Midland, but still, a metropolis it is not. I had trouble finding someone to ask for directions, but luckily or so I thought an old lady was loitering around the station.
"Oh, yes, I know where they are, I've lived here for years!" she assured me. "Up that way! Up on the hill!"
I hiked up the hill, which was not actually a -real- hill, because this is WA and we put up warning signs for ten-degree slopes (not a joke ;D). As I hiked, I glanced behind me and noticed I could see the river. Far away from hill and train station alike. Hum, how odd, thought I, I could've sworn the place I went to was practically beside the river. We were sort of near the WACA oval last time.
5. In the 1980s, there was a police station further up the hill in Maylands, which had only been gone for ... oh, fifteen years or so.
Or so the pensioner walking his dog told me when I asked for directions again.
... bugger, I thought. I was now one hour and fifteen minutes late. Getting back to Maylands station made it one hour and thirty-five minutes. Oh, well, better call the office again on my GAAHDAMNITFUCKINGARGH. (#1)
I began a search for a map and/or phone. A teenager would not lend me her mobile phone; perhaps I looked shady. The hydroponics shop had no map. The model train shop had no map (yes, that is the kind of natural city planning we have in regional WA - "I'll sell whatever random crap I like" - and I love it <3). The florist and bakery had no map. All assured me that the Maylands complex was way down by the river 'somewhere sort of down that way', though.
I found an unvandalised pay phone. Called twice. No-one in the office picked up.
I walked further. I found another pay phone. Called twice. Someone picked up, but the line cut out both times.
6. I ran out of coinage.
Australian payphones (the ones that work) are frigging expensive. >_>
By now I had hiked down almost to the river foreshore and was busy hunting for the WACA and/or signage, which Australians do not believe in (except for bowls clubs ... I found three bowls clubs, very clearly indicated ... curious). I could see the city centre across the river and knew I must be close, but there are pockets of lovely trees everywhere down there, and Maylands complex itself is lightly tucked away in a screen of them. So are many residential blocks there, many of which I wandered around searching for signs of policeness. XD
The 'two hours late' mark arrived. I'd pretty much given up anyway. I pounced on a lonely newsagent's shop and begged the use of their phone, which they kindly granted, and called the office twice more. On the second time, I caught a senior constable who'd just arrived for his shift! YAY!
"Daaaah sorry I can't find Maylands I've been calling all morning the office must be empty I'm coming back to the office now please tell the sergeant that aaaagh," I informed him.
"Righto, love, will do," replied the S/C placidly, and hung up.
Victory and success! ... I thought.
First I walked back to the nearest train station. This was a kilometre away, and I'm glad I didn't trust the directions I was given to it because I'd have missed it - honestly, WA! When your sense of direction is worse than MINE, there is a problem! My problem, at least when it came to getting back to the station, was
7. I was wearing new boots.
Not generally badly made or uncomfortable, but not made for the purpose (you show me ANY pair of boots 'made for walking' ... false advertising in that song, it is). Thank god I don't wear heels.
Then I arrived at the station and discovered that in addition to #6,
8. I could not locate my SmartRider card.
A SmartRider card is a nifty thing in Perth which you use to ride buses and trains without requiring change. Unless, of course, it's gone missing. I didn't know how that had happened between Midland and Maylands, but on that particular day I can't say I was surprised. ;D
#7 took on a whole new meaning. I was damned if I was going to hunt around aimlessly for another shop, though. FINE FINE FINE I AM A HIKER OF ANTIPODEAN WILDERNESS ANYWAY, BRING IT ON! I thought.
I started following the train tracks (from the adjacent road, obviously :P). I noticed almost immediately how far apart stations are in Australia.
Walkwalkwalkwalkwalkwalkwalkwalklimpwalkwalkwalklimpwalklimplimplimpwalklimplimp.
Three stations passed. By then my grand adventure had been going on for 3.5 hours. If I had seen a SINGLE GODDAMN TAXI all day I would've obviously taken it, but this is WA.
Limplimplimplimpaaaaghthepainlimplimphobblelimplimphobblehobblelimp.
One or two more stations.
At long last I arrived at a station within Zone 1 of Perth station, which means it is free IF you have a SmartRider card. Fortunately - and this really was fortunate, for a change - I found an OLD SmartRider card with a only few cents' balance on it. I was allowed to use it to tag on. I got on the train and sat.
I rode one station to Perth. I hopped on the free CAT bus to my work as I do every morning (and as I'd already done once that morning ;P). I inched upstairs to the office and wobbled inside to produce my abject apologies for being, well, me. But the moment I stepped through the door -
"Daaaaah there you are we've been so worried we're SO sorry you poor thing thank goodness you weren't mugged aaagh!" wails Acting Sergeant Teddy-Bear (I gave him this name in my head the very first week, since not only does he have a teddy bear on his desk, he -is- like a very tall white-haired teddy bear himself, and you'd agree if I had a photo). At this point everyone else in the now-populated office is daaaah'ing as well.
I was ... bemused. Because if I line up the circumstances and mark in red the ones that were my fault:
1. My mobile phone had died.
2. My coworker had to change her plans. (Shouldn't have relied on just her knowing the way!)
3. I left the copy of the training email I'd printed on my desk.
4. Midland and Maylands are both external police complexes in the metropolitan district.
5. In the 1980s, there was a police station further up the hill in Maylands. (Aha! NOT my fault!)
6. I ran out of coinage.
7. I was wearing new boots.
8. My SmartRider card could not be located.
... yeah.
I pointed this out at length and kept apologising -properly-, wondering how a seasoned criminal investigator was managing to misintepret the overwhelming body of evidence. XD
I was also amused to find out that the circumstances of nefasness had continued at their end as well. Apparently my other sergeant had thought I was still with kind-constable-who-chauffeur'd-me when I called from Midland, or he'd have sent someone else to get me. Apparently the senior constable (another one of my favourites ;) whom I'd finally got through to had just turned up for his shift without any of the others around and hadn't realised I was out at Maylands without an officer. And worst of all, apparently the reason the office had been -completely- unmanned at one point - usually there's at least one person left to take calls - was because poor Acting Sergeant Teddy-Bear had been so worried he'd taken one of the cars out to drive around Maylands looking for me! :(
"Daaah it is our responsibility to make sure you know where you're going so never never never think of it as an imposition to call for a car," explained Acting Sergeant Teddy-Bear in that impartial way. "Maylands is a half-hour walk from the train station even if you know where it is we're so sorry aaaaagh."
I tried again to go through list items 1-8, paying particular attention to the glorious Lissness of #4, but I really don't think he was listening.
"Next time we will drive you direct," he simply declares.
"Yeah, and maybe we should give you an EPIRB tracking beacon, hahaha," says S/C Smarty Pants. "'Help! Code Red! I'm lost in the carpark!'"
"You can wear one of the fluoro road jackets too!" crows Other S/C Smarty Pants.
"What's the Dog Squad's extension again? Should we put it on speed dial?"
At which I thumbed my nose at them all and limped back to work.
The work is boring, but I do love this office XD
I also find it weirdly cheering to think what a bizarrely fun day I had misadventuring around the place. It may not have been going-to-visit-the-Sun-Goddess adventure, or where-the-HELL-is-this-guy-on-the-bicycle-TAKING-me adventure, which I do miss. But I just found it a timely reminder that sometimes, while you're shuffling to work in the same stiff suit to catch the same cramped bus, life will throw your hat over the fence and giggle hysterically at you as you run around after it - and frankly, I find that awesome.
(Could do with a new pair of shoes, or feet, though. Twelve blisters on both feet ... coo)