Stranded at the Bookstore

So years ago I posted this on my blog and the other day the picture came up on my Facebook Memories/On This Day, and it jogged a memory of something that happened years ago.

Time to go back…

My final year in college I was on the History Journal. It was a two credit class and we put on our own history journal, choosing papers, editing, designing, and putting it all together.

Out of all those in the class, a fellow member, Steve, and I went to speak to the printer. We went and met with the man, but everything with him in regards to me seemed off.

Hmmm…something’s not right

You know that feeling, when someone pays too close attention to you, is too helpful, just too of everything. It’s nothing direct, but ladies, and some men I’m sure, you know what I’m talking about.

He kept offering me drinks, even after I said that I didn’t drink-assuring me that he had nice cold beer and other things.

For the thousandth time

We had to pause for a moment, while Steve took a phone call. His wife had an emergency and he had to go help her-leaving me there and without a ride.

That is not good,

I stepped aside and called my friend Elaine, who agreed to pick me up but she was doing something and wouldn’t be able to come for hours.

Steve hurried out as his wife needed him, and I finished up with the printer. Sitting and having that man stare at me…I don’t know to explain it. It was like this feeling came over me that I needed to leave now, I needed to just go. I needed to get away from this man-who once again tried to offer me beer or wine and was just too much all in my space.

And run fast NOW!

I handed the USB over, concluded the business, and left as soon as I could. The only problem was that now I was stuck in the next city over for a couple of hours, stranded until my friend could come get me. All I could think was I have no clue what to do.

Bit then I remembered, not too much of a walk away was a bookstore. I didn’t know the hours, but there was a restaurant nearby if it was closed that I could wait at.

Luckily the bookstore was open, and I was able to wait there reading until my friend came and got me. She ended up having to stay longer, as her appointment went over, so I had to be there much longer.

Thank goodness for the bookstore!

Later, Steve did text me and apologized that he had to leave. He was worried as he didn’t feel the man’s attentions were right and wanted to make sure I was okay. I completely understood- wife needed you takes precedence over everything else.

When we had to go back, I voiced my concerns, and how I would prefer someone else taking care of it. Our professor was upset about it as she felt I wasn’t being professional and when she asked if the guy had actually done anything, I had to admit no he hadn’t.

However, Steve thankfully backed me up and stressed that it wasn’t just “a feeling” but he had witnessed it too. She then said she would take care of it and I wouldn’t have to go back.

Yay!!!

All I can say is thank goodness for that bookstore. And in case you were wondering, I did buy something when I was there, I just couldn’t resist.

For more book-filled posts, go to Better Not Be Disrespectin’

For more scenes from my every day life, go to A Water-Logged White Christmas

A Water-Logged White Christmas

So every year my family goes and cuts down a Christmas tree. And this year, things did not go as expected.

So it rained.

Which was good. California really needed it. But because of fire and storm the place we usually go to was closed.

So we had to drive over an hour away, wait an hour to process for permits (never had to do that before), and then drive another hour away.

When we got there, the snow was super deep. The banks went up to your knees and thighs, depending on the area. It was such hard work. We couldn’t drive up to the tree cutting allowed area, as the snow was so deep, we had to hike in.

NoooooooooooooooS

While it was raining, which turned into sleet-and snow.

So it was hard to look for a tree with the snow, as my family we all wear glasses-so quickly fogged up and covered in rain.

Then the chainsaw broke so we are all sitting out there standing in the snow and getting even more soaked then we already were.

We finally got the tree, but the rest of the group couldn’t help, so my sister and I are trying to drag this huge 14 foot tree through the crazy deep snow.

Ugh

And finally we were ready to go. It was so wet that my gloves were full of water and falling off of me, my jacket so soaked it was drippingly full-the rain had gotten through my coat and on my shirt, pants and leggings, etc. I felt like Marianne Dashwood.

[after Marianne has first met Willoughby]

Elinor: Marianne, you must change. You will catch a cold.

Marianne: What care I for colds when there is such a man.

Elinor: You will care very much when your nose swells up.

Marianne: You are right. Help me, Elinor.

But even though it was a lot of work-and we all were soaked it was still fun. Even though after we got home, changed, and ate-all I wanted to do was sleep.

For more stories on cutting down our Christmas tree, go to Winter Wonderland

For more Marianne Dashwood, go to The Austen Series: Reason and Romance

T-I-E-R-D…Tired

I haven’t been posting lately because I’ve just been so busy this week. At work we have summer reading signups, lots more children coming into my programs, my other jobs needing my time, trying to fit in my friends, my niece is visiting, etc.- it seems as if every day there is less time to do everything.

An obstacle course to try and get everything done.

And I just feel so dang tired. I just want to sleep all the time.

But things should settle down to normal soon. As for now…I’m going to take a nap.

For more on being tired, go to Tired With a Capital T

For more on my everyday life, go to Something’s Scratching at the Window

Something’s Scratching at the Window

The other day I woke up at four in the morning, having fallen asleep while watching TV, with an upset stomach. It turned out to be pre-period cramps.

 

Yep, that pretty much sums it up.

As I knew it was going to be impossible to go back to sleep right away, I decided to go to the bathroom and brush my teeth, wash my face, maybe do a mask or scrub, etc.-until the pain passed. While I was in the bathroom I heard a noise that went like this:

Scritch, scritch, scritch, scrith…

It sounded as if something was clawing under the window.

So the window in the bathroom is really old. It is a slat window that has to be opened with a lever, and because of its age it never shuts completely. And the acoustics are really good there as people who are across the yard sound as if they are right next to you.

Ugh.

So at first I wasn’t freaked out. I figured it must be a raccoon or possum or something just digging around in the yard or on a trash can.

Meh.

But then I heard it again and it was louder…and it wouldn’t stop…and it sounded like it was right next to me.

Ahhh!

For a split second my mind went to there is a monster out there:

In fact it made me think of that old “scary” story that everyone told at slumber parties; where the two people are stranded in a car and the boyfriend leaves to go for help. While he is gone the girlfriend continuously hears a scratch, scratch, scratch (or tap, tap, tap) while the boyfriend is gone. In the end, a psycho has been scratching at her car or the boyfriend has been killed and his body is hanging overhead.

I’m sure you’ve heard one of the versions of it.

So yes, I went there but then I bounced back. I was certain it was no big deal and going to scare off whatever animal was making that noise.

The gun is a metaphor. I wasn’t going to shoot any animals.

I was just about to walk out of the bathroom and go check outside when something jumped into the window!!!!!!!!!!

And then I saw clawed fingers poking into the cracks of the window!!!!!!!

And I have to admit:

But then this thing started to meow angrily.

And my brain realized that the clawed fingers were just the clawed paws of my cat. Lack of sleep, cramps, it being early morning, whatever-had made me not realize that the hands I saw were tiny cat paws not monster hands.

Yes, since I had fallen asleep watching TV, I didn’t bring my cat in and I guess she heard me in the bathroom, or saw the light-but somehow figured out I was in there and was trying to get my attention to let her in.

But hey, I will take being trolled by my cat over a real psychopath (or rodent) scratching under my window any day.

For more of my scary adventures, go to A Bump in the Night

For more on cats, go to Cat Lovers All Know This

For more stories from my everyday life, go to Road Rage

If this stokes your appetite for horror, check out Horrorfest, Horrorfest II, Horrorfest  III, Horrorfest IV, & Horrorfest V

Road Rage

So we all have things that bother us when we are driving. I hate when people don’t respect those who are walking or biking.

When people don’t stop at stop signs,

I mean come on, its there for a reason. Or when you are going the speed limit and this person speeding keeps trying to pass you because they think you are “too slow”.

Yes, that’s just a few. But one thing of the BIGGEST THINGS I can’t stand is when you have someone make a right turn on red and cut in front of you when you have the green light.

You are ONLY supposed to go when it is CLEAR! Not because you want to go.  WAIT YOUR TURN!!!!

So the other day I was driving to visit my friend, and someone pulled this on my. I had the green light and was driving across, when they pull fast and cut in front of me, making me hit the brake.

Like I totally wanted to annihilate them.

But I just had to calm down and let it go.

Although I did honk my displeasure.

Ugh.

 And continued on my way.

But…it turns out we were going the same way as we continued straight across the freeway.

Hmm…

And then taking the same turn.

Now I was just going to my friend’s house for lunch, and I had no clue where the other driver was going; but we continued with me following them.

Hmm…

In fact our ways were in such a resemblance that I freaked the driver out and they pulled over to let me pass. I guess they thought I was a real psycho and was going to try and attack them.

I found the whole thing to be hilarious.

So even though I did not get exact revenge, I still got some payback.

For more stories of my everyday life, go to An Explosive Trip

For more Mandy Hale quotes, go to Let It Go