misfortune

Oh how my foot hurts! My back aches and I think I am coming down with something. I have a headache to end all headaches. My whole life has fallen apart! I can't wait until I can get into a hot shower and then into bed. Oh crap, what is this on my door. A notice from the landlord, the hot water is going to be out for the next two days, why me! I was doing so well! I was sailing along without a care in the world, now the world hates me! I cannot figure out what is going on?

I get into my apartment and nearly fall over a package that my landlord has left inside the door. I turn on the light and a bulb blows, so the room is half dark. I plop down on the couch and I hear a spring coil snap. I am too tired and miserable to care right now. I think to myself how could it have all gone so wrong? I look over my day and remember going to bed last night. I felt so peaceful, then this morning the world went to crap. I got out of bed too early because my alarm clock went off at 5 am instead of 6. I tripped over a throw rug on my way to the bathroom and stubbed my big toe on the edge of the bathroom door. I looked outside and it was still dark, except for the streetlight that was still on. I realized that something was amiss, so I used the toilet and went back to bed, but the bed was cold. I lay there for over an hour tossing and turning with a throbbing toe. I finally got up at 10 past 6 am and tried to stand. I found a new element of pain from my left foot. I sat back down on the bed and turned on the lamp. I looked and my whole big toe was blue. I touched it and winced in pain. I knew it could be broken, but I couldn't worry about that now. I had an important day at work and couldn't miss out. So, I hobbled to the bathroom and ran some cold water into a foot pan. I soaked it for half an hour and took two over the counter pain pills. The foot was a still Purple, but the pain was lessened. It took me twice as long to get ready as normal. I wrapped the toe and put on two pairs of socks and got the widest pair of shoes I have. I was determined to get out of the house and to work on time. Little did I know that my misfortune was just getting started.

I got out of the house a half an hour late after burning breakfast. I had to take a cab to work which set me back 25 dollars as opposed to my usual 1.25 bus fare. I got to work and hurried to the elevator. As I got on and the elevator began to go up, it stopped on the second floor, a woman got on holding a 1-year-old snot factory. I moved to the other side of the elevator and as it continued on the elevator seemed to stop on every floor. The woman was going up but at each floor the door would open. On the fifth floor an old man got in, then on the 8^th floor a woman with a small dog. It wasn't until the 15^th floor that the elevator came to an abrupt stop. Halfway up to the 30^th floor where I was supposed to give a presentation to a major client in less than an hour and the elevator stops. I am trapped with a crying and sneezing snot factory of a child, an old man with a hearing problem and a woman holding a dust mop for a dog. After about two minutes, I got the phone on the elevator and rang the lobby. It took over 5 minuets to get someone. When I finally did, the person seemed aggravated that I had called them. They said that they would check with maintenance and see what was going on. Meanwhile, I am sitting in a iron cube and the child is screaming it's head off. The woman's dog is growling and barking because it is irritated. All I can think of is that I must be dead, and this is my hell. The old man is the only one that seems to be unbothered by the whole situation, then I notice that he is wearing a hearing aid. I nudge him lightly and he turns to me. He then turns his hearing aid back on and ask did I say something before turning it off again. It is getting hot when the phone rings again and the front lobby person says that it will be another 15 minutes or so before they can reset the elevator. It feels like eternity has passed and I am sweating profusely. My pain pills have worn off and my foot is aching again. What I wouldn't give for water, but all I am getting are sneezes from the sick kid and shit, the dog had to piss, and my leg got part of it. Oh, what have I done to deserve this?

After an eternity is what I believe is a prelude to my own personal hell, the elevator finally moves. I eventually get to the 30^th floor and step off. The old man is the only one left on the elevator with me and he comes off behind me as if he wasn't in a hurry. I rush down to the bathroom and try to clean myself up. I stop and look in the mirror and see rings under my eyes. My leg is still wet from dog urine. I use paper towels to dry my pant cuff as as best I can. I open my brief case and pull out some more pain pills, I take 4 of them. I want to be on my best game. I only have 10 minuets left before I have to make a presentation. I come out of the toilet and get to my office. I sit down and try to compose myself, all of a sudden, I begin sneezing. I take out my handkerchief and blow snot into it. This goes on for a few moments. I finally pull my shit together and take my work laptop out of the drawer where I keep it securely. I make my way down to the conference room to find my boss and the old man with whom I shared the elevator ride sitting quietly looking at each other. I walk in and neither of them gives any indication of emotion. They just sit with stoic looks on their faces. I turn on my laptop and get the computer to sync with the projection system, when all of a sudden, the room goes black. Oh shit, I cry out loud. Much to my dismay, the emergency lights come on and I see my boss sitting there with a look of disdain on his face. The old man seems unmoved from his previous stoic position. He just looks at his watch and stares into the either, as if he is saying why am I even bothering. I beg their forgiveness and run out to my secretary. I ask her what is going on? She says that she is trying to get someone, but the lines are busy, and she can't get through. I pull out my cellphone and dial the lobby. After 5 minuets, I get the agitated person whom I spoke with earlier. They recognize my voice instantly and I ask what the hell is going on. In a curt tone the person on the other end replies, that they aren't sure, but they think that the main power has been cut for some reason. They say that they will check into it and get back to me asap. So, I return to the meeting room and tell my boss and the client I can just go over the high points of the presentation. I set my lap top up and begin to give an oral recitation of how we can help the client meet his goals and improve his bottom line. After 20 minuets of looking down a half-lit table, the lights finally come back on, but I am done, much to my apparent relief and my bosses apparently. The old man seems unmoved but does get up and shake my boss's hand. The two walk out of the room without giving me even a second glance. I feel like I am a piece of officer furniture, just used and forgotten. Not feeling myself, I close my laptop and return to my office. I sit at my desk quietly with my foot not so much hurting, but I am tired all of a sudden. The next thing I know, everything is black. I don't remember much except darkness and a kind of restfulness. Then I get a shock, I open my eyes and I am laying on a table with an oxygen mask and I needle in my arm. I am thinking what the hell, as I lay in the company infirmary. I male nurse is checking me over; I look at him as if to ask what the heck? He says oh you are awake, as if this were some kind of philosophical question. I try to talk but the mask makes this nearly impossible. He shines a light in my eyes ask me to follow his finger and tries to get me to nod yes or no to a series of questions. I just try to shake the cobwebs out of my head. Finally, I see him put a needle into the IV line that is going into my arm and within a few moments, I am wide awake from a shot of adrenaline. I get the mask off and ask what happened. The nurse says that I have had some kind of reaction. He asks if I had taken any pills or other medication today. I answer him and tell him about the pain medication in my briefcase. He takes the pills out and ask how many I have taken. I tell him 6 this morning. He then explains to me that this is the problem. The pills have dropped my blood pressure so low that I nearly died. I think great, now the grim reaper is coming for me. I just scoff a bit, but he reiterates how serious this is. I agree and ask can I go; he says that he recommends that I go home, I look at the clock on the wall and it is after 12 pm anyway. I was out for a couple of hours and the day is shot anyway. I take his advice and limp back to my office to get my stuff. I get back and my secretary informs me that my boss wants to see me. I skulk to his office a few doors down from mine. I walk in and he says sit down. I know this can't be too good, so I just brace myself. I get the standard what is going speech, blah blah blah. I am mostly tuned out until he says I want you to talk to someone. I sudden get the what the heck look on my face. Before I can speak, he says that this is just a procedural matter. I ask, what do you mean talk to someone? He says that the company has a psychologist on staff that can help with people who are suffering from emotional stress and anxiety. I think to myself, SHIT I have one bad day and now I am a mental patient. I ask is this required, the boss says that no it isn't mandatory, but he implies ever so subtly that if I want to keep my job, I might want to do it, so I take the appointment card and tell him that I am going home for the rest of the day. He tells me to take a few days and come back after I have had a session with the headshrinker. So here I am, back at home in the same position I was earlier. I am in pain; I am sick both physically and mentally apparently. My life has gone from luck to suck in one moment. What horrible thing have I done to deserve this?