Monday, December 22, 2008

Just as soon as my pocket book was empty, not a friend on Earth to be found

My ride to work was a difficult one. Because I didn't have access to my wiper fluid, I had to hang my arm out the window and splash bottled water on the windshield. The method had worked ok late last week, when I first started employing it, but today it most definitely did not. I wasn't on 93 more than two minutes before my windshield was a salty, murky, mess. I did the water trick, but that only made it worse. The water froze instantly and my wipers, probably due to ice build-up at their base, weren't making enough contact with the windshield, which meant, in a nut shell, my visibility was for shit.

I made it to work without totaling my car and determined early on in the day that I had to take it to Sam's garage a little ways up the street. There was no way, if the roads were as salty as they were in the morning, that my commute home was going to go very well. So, I brought the car to Sam's and, yada, yada, yada, I'm out seventy smackers.

Earlier this evening, I took Spira to CVS so she could get some supplies. Her car's snowed in and she's been sick, so I was happy to oblige. On the way to the store, I tried several times to start a conversation, but each time Spira interrupted me. I asked her to try not to interrupt me whenever I speak --- she does it all the time --- and she said she'd try, but that it would be difficult because she has attention issues.

We'd discussed her interrupting me before, but nothing really changed. Mara interrupts me as much or even more than Spira. I understand that perhaps they don't mean to do it, but it seems they only do it with me, and not only is it irritating, it's disrespectful. I know I'm not the most riveting of people, but I like being afforded the ability to speak without being completely disregarded.

To illustrate what I'm getting at, here's a taste of Spira interrupting me in the car tonight.

Me: You know, I was listening to the radio this morning and they were talking about...

Spira: Hey, pull up a bit, I want to see how bad my car's snowed in.

Me: ...teachers not wanting to work...

Spira: Oh, wow, it really is snowed in.

Me: ....the week of Christmas. So maybe....

Spira: I wonder if they'll have my prescription ready.

That's about when I gave up trying to speak. Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut with certain people. Less frustrating.

I finished McMurtry's Dead Man's Walk last night. What a great book! I'm going to dive right into Comanche Moon later on. And when I'm done with that, I will feel lousy about reaching the end of Gus and Call's epic story. How will I fill the void?
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Ok, I'm out of here. I still have more awards to give out, but it's not going to happen tonight, I'm afraid. Yeah, I can tell you're devastated.

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