Off kilter

I was woken up an hour early today. Not a big deal really, though I do like to sleep as late as I can. I'm no early bird and I've been feeling very tired lately... constantly drained. I checked my mail and messenger... no word from Tat. That was strange. My heart sank just a little, but then I figured she was busy. I tried to call the number she gave me and it just rang.

I hauled myself out to get to my student. It was hot! At 10am, the temperature boards in the city were reading 34ºC (93ºF). I was close to my student, a 2 hour bus ride, when I realised I'd left my cell phone at home. Dang! I got off outside Iguatemi Shopping Centre and popped in there to call home. "Thank goodness you called!" Jurgis let me know that the student had cancelled today's class and Thursday's, as she would be travelling. I mean, I don't have a life to organise. Don't bother telling me until the last minute. There's nothing I like more than taking a hot bus ride across town for nothing. Grr!! I went to the stationery shop to get some envelopes. We need to send documents off to be licked and stamped. Then off home again.

On the way to the bus stop, I stepped skew on a broken tile. The pavements here are disgusting! I twisted my ankle and went down like a ton of bricks. My bag flew off in one direction and the package I was carrying in another. Suddenly I felt very sorry for myself. It was a day when everyone seemed to be rude and self-serving. I was missing Tat and the fall just capped it all. I got the bus to go home and huddled in a corner. I actually sat in one of the reserved seats for the elderly. The bus was empty enough. On the second bus, there was this youngster who insisted on singing along to his mp3 player. I was feeling rather churlish by then, so I told him to stop, as we definitely didn't have the same taste in music. Closer to home, a man got on the bus and gave a 'talk' about how it costs nothing to smile at people and be kind, wishing them a good day and a "God Bless you". I smiled. I needed to hear that. These hawkers get on with various stories to sell their sweets. This was the first who, I think, had something worthwhile to say. The effect was ruined by the irritating youth (who hadn't stopped singing and had caught a glare or three from myself and the woman sitting next to me). He felt the need to tap me on the shoulder and, in a sarcastic tone, said, "And God bless you too, Girl".

I was feeling sore in so many places and emotionally fragile. Jurgis told me Tat had texted me. It turned out that some phone lines had been stolen and the neighbourhood was without phones. For a second there, I thought she was calling from South Africa. Surely that sort of thing didn't happen in England?! I called her on her cell. We confirmed the phone number. Blame the state of my mind, but I tried calling again. Still no reply. Well, darn... what do you know? Jurgis pointed out the obvious. Before his words were quite out of his mouth, I realised what idiots we were. Tat was waiting for my call on the other end and I was frantically trying to call and getting no reply... no darn phone lines!! That was funny when I'd finished feeling like a total nincompoop.

It's been an otherwise fairly frustrating day. I'm trying to pin a few students down to their class times and I'm having too many cancellations. Yes, I know it's still before carnival, and Brazil only starts their year after carnival, but... Gah!

On the bright side, I'm busy with a project and am fairly happy with how it's going. I think it will look good when I'm done. Just wish my pen had a backspace *sigh*

 

del.icio.us Tags: grumpy,rant,tatiana,phone