Wednesday 29 April 2009

It takes skill

... to mess up this well. But I am up to the challenge.

Tonight I was supposed to go to Robert J. Sawyer's book launch and birthday party. Pretty cool. One of Canada's most successful writers, and a science fiction writer at that. A potent combination. (OK, so I was a preteen science fiction geek. And a teen SF geek. And... well, you get the idea. Sometimes I go into remission, but the symptoms will reappear with only the slightest provocation.)

I checked out the bus schedules, and decided to take the route that would get me out and walking a bit. I transferred all my things into a purse big enough to hold the autographed book I would be coming home with and headed out the door just a couple of minutes late, meaning that with my short legs I would have to make the 15-minute walk to the bus stop at something just short of a jog. That's fine, the weather was lovely and I always need the exercise. Besides, I hadn't memorized the itinerary for the closer bus and there was no time to check.

About a block shy of the bus stop, I saw a bus coming off the exit ramp. I panicked and broke into a sprint. If the light changed at the wrong time... The light changed at the wrong time. Despair. But wait, it wasn't the one I needed. Relief. A brisk trot brought me to the bus stop just seconds before the bus I really wanted. That sprint turned out to have been a very necessary thing. Happy at how everything had worked out so well, I reached for the outer pocket of my purse where I keep my bus tickets.

You see where this is going, don't you?

There was no pocket on the outside of this purse. And I had, of course, being a certified member of the so-absent-minded-we-wonder-how-she's-still-alive club, forgotten to transfer the bus tickets to one of the inner pockets of the new purse. I could pay cash, but my smallest bill was a twenty, and bus drivers don't make change. Um, no.

I walked back home. It was a lovely evening for a walk.

7 comments:

Janna Leadbetter said...

Oh, no! I am so incredibly bummed out for you. I do believe everything happens for a reason, and that whole cliche, but still? Poop, Janet. Poop.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Oh no!! I'm sorry. :(

Janet said...

The one I really have my heart set on seeing is Ursula LeGuin. I had to buy a ticket for that, so no WAY I am going to mess that up. And the bus tickets have been moved to the other purse...

{{Hugs}} to you two.

Alexander Field said...

Sometimes a walk is the best thing...sorry about the bummer night. Great story though!

Lynnette Labelle said...

Hi. Thanks for the link you left on my blog about websites, but it doesn't work... Bummer. Do you have the addy so I can check it out?

Sorry to hear about your bummer night.

Lynnette Labelle
http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.com

Janet said...

Well, I made up for it this evening. I'll post on Ursula LeGuin in the next day or two.

Thanks for the condolences Alex, Lynette. ;o)

Anonymous said...

Double, triple oh noes, Janet. Hugs and you are not alone!!

 

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