If there was ever a day to go back and do over...

I got up a little late, Katie and I were to leave at 8:40 for my 9:00am class, but I overslept a bit and didn't get up till 8:15. She was giving me a ride there, and Mark was to pick me up at 4:30. While getting dressed to go, I happened to look at my paperwork for this class, and freaked when I saw that the class actually started at 8:00!! Katie was in the shower, but we hustled our asses like madwomen and I was there by 8:35. I didn't have time to pack a damn thing, just grabbed a bottle of water and my backpack and ran.

So by lunchtime, I was cursing myself for not waiting 5 more minutes to throw some food together. I had no food, no money, just my water. Bah. I spent lunch talking to a guy that's already an EMT, and was taking this class as a refresher. Good talking to him, but I was starved.

The afternoon portion of the class was much more intense than the morning, and I was daydreaming, not really concentrating all that much, thinking instead about baloney, chicken, hamburgers, cotton candy, and slurpees. It's a wonder I learned anything at all. The actual CPR portion of the class was quite grueling, we had to do it for extended periods of time, to see how exhausting giving CPR is. Just what I needed on an empty stomach.

So, the day wore on and we learned everything there was to learn. We tested one on one with the instructor, with different scenarios using the mannequins, then also had a long written test. I froze a bit when she switched scenarios right in the middle of what I was doing, but recovered ok. After we handed in our tests, she kept coming around to people saying "ok, you missed this one, go back and make sure you understand.." or "You missed 3 questions, let's talk for a few minutes after class.." etc.. She never came around to me and finally I said "uuh...I didn't get my test back" thinking oh god, I've done so poorly she's not even going to mention it in front of the class and will probably speak to me privately. Gah... But she said "If you didn't get your test back, you got all the answers correct." Whee! I now possess a CPR/AED Certification for Professional Rescuers. They spelled my name wrong on my card...but still.. *sigh.

The day went markedly downhill from there.

We got out early, at around 2:45. I dug deep for change to call Mark from the payphone and let him know that we were out early, and if he could pick me up earlier than 4:30, please do. I knew he would be mostly unreachable all day, but thought if he checked his messages I might get lucky.

Not only did I not get lucky, I'm the most unlucky person on earth. I waited 3 hours, and he never showed up.

I had absolutely no more money, so I finally started walking home. 4 miles. Fuck it was hot, and all uphill. I even stayed on the sunny side of the street facing north, sweating my ass off in case he drove up, he would see me there. 4 miles was bad enough, but I was totally unprepared for walking. My backpack was really heavy, I had my planner, my makeup, and big heavy book in there. Plus, I had on my $3 thongs from Kmart...not exactly walking shoes. I had no sunglasses, and no chapstick. My lips were killing me. And now my legs are killing me.

He didn't drive up, and I still haven't talked to him. I have no idea what happened, if he misunderstood my 3:00pm message, if he got busy and couldn't get away, or if he just plumb forgot. (Note-no excuse that I can think of will get him out of the doghouse anytime soon, nuff said.)

It doesn't end there.

So I get home at 7:20. It had taken me 95 minutes to walk home. Oh, I was such a happy camper! Then Katie calls, and I tell her my tale of woe. She felt so bad! But then she said ..

"did you get your lunch?"
..."uh..what lunch"
"I made you a sack lunch, drove back up there and left it at the front door of the class"

Fuuuuckkkk.....

I saw it there when we went to lunch, and ignored it. Never even considered that it was mine. I only happened to look down at it and say to myself.."Hey, I have cookies like that at home..."

Then we came back from lunch and it was still there. I feel like such shit for not looking a little more closely. Katie went to a lot of time and trouble, and I didn't even know it was for me. She had written my name on the side, but I couldnt see that because I was standing up and the lunch was on the ground. She had put in a soda, a sandwich, cookies, candy, and chips....and a few quarters in case I needed to make a phone call, she said. Which I desperately did, as it turned out.

That's the kind of kid Katie is. I wish everyone could have such a daughter. I cried when she told me what she'd done. Not cause I missed out on lunch, but just that she was so thoughtful to do that for me.

Now I've been home for an hour, and still haven't eaten. I'm ticked off that Mark never showed, but am reserving my wrath to see what happened.

If I set the clock back to midnight, can I have a do-over?

[Edit - Does anyone do carpentry work? I need a doghouse big enough to house an average sized British man for an extended period of time.
He forgot.]

"I have no power. Why should she have the upper hand? Once in my life I would like the upper hand. I have no hand. No hand at all. She has the hand. I have no hand."
- George
"We all want the hand. Hand is tough to get."
- Jerry

Right now, I have hand.