Numb…Dumb…Thursday
Fri., January 16, 12:01 PM
We’re beyond the point of talking about numbers. I can only talk about the effects of this bone-crushing cold.
I stayed in bed on Thursday morning until the six o’clock news. Oh, I was awake. But the combination of darkness, cold, and snow kept telling me “don’t move!” Around six-thirty I got up and did the usual things, made coffee. Please! It may be the only thing keeping us alive!
I put on an outside light to check the snow; it was still coming down. I decided I would not go out for newspapers. If they were there. I don’t have footwear that would have survived snow that deep.
Both U.D. and I were waiting for calls from our employers. No phone calls. She went out to clean her car and got the papers. The snow people were late. It’s cold. U.D. went to work. I stayed off the net so that Bosslawyer could phone; he’ll usually close at the drop of a snowflake. And then I decided to get ready; he could decide not to call.
When he finally called, it was to ask, “what do you want to do?” Well, I was dressed, so I said I could come in, or stay home and give him Friday instead. He said, “I hate it when you make me decide.” I pointed out that he was the boss.
He gave me a choice between going in at noon or doing Friday morning. I chose to go in at noon. If he was trying to save money, he fooled himself. If I did Friday morning, I would work for two hours. If I stayed home completely, he wouldn’t have to pay anything. As it was, I went in at noon, didn’t take lunch, and worked four hours instead of five.
We were kind of busy, however. Now that his big check had cleared, he was ready to pay some bills. Brought Adecco up to date – as if that would get them out of the hole. Paid a lot of other bills, including his NRA membership. (Why do I work for this man?) He had me answer his e-mails (he’ll dictate answers, but I still have to print out his mail because he just doesn’t sit at a keyboard). He had me make some phone calls and look up (and print out) driving directions for him. I need to buy more ink for the printer.
It just so happens that this is one of those tasks that a temp does not do; it’s in the contract. We don’t run errands. I not only do that, I use my Costco or Staples memberships to buy his supplies, but I use my credit card and give him to bill to reimburse me.
He had a meeting scheduled for the afternoon (so that’s why he decided to open today), but he decided to make it a conference call instead so they wouldn’t all have to go out. And he was still on the conference call when it was time for me to go. So I bundled up – jacket over my “indoor” jacket, scarf, gloves – and checked around for anything else I had to do. Made sure I had the number of the ink cartridge. Made sure there was paper in the fax, because we're closed Monday
(M.L. King Day), which means no one will fill it for four days. Made sure I had turned stuff off, made sure the door was locked, and left…with my office keys still on the desk.
So I got into my car, turned on the motor with my extra key – at least I remembered my purse! – and got out my cell phone. Of course, he was still on the conference call, so I left a message on his voice mail. And I waited. When I could see him moving around downstairs, I got out of the car. And he came out and said, “I just set the alarm, what do you need?” He never checked the voice mail!
Well, I said, I left my keys, but you can be the first one here on Tuesday… And he said, “I guess I’ll unset the alarm.” So I got my keys, anyhow. He had forgotten about Monday, even though it was his idea.
Well, y’know, this is not a strenuous job, but I’m gonna tell you that the cold really took a lot out of me. I went home, made some tea, made some supper for Husband and me. I was looking forward to two episodes of “CSI,” but I never even made it through the first one. I went and sat on the bed to take off my shoes, and then I just turned over and pulled the comforter over me. Out like a light.
