plain and simple story

Well, as promised, here the details of a plain and simple story. Telling the tale of my own stupidity. Friday was the date of our annual staff party. Once a year we sit together around that nice fire our green staff has put up on our so called “beach club”. A patch of sand, some benches, chairs and tables, some umbrellas, a hammock, a fireplace. And a barbecue. As I am in the position of host now, I spent my day off, Thursday, shopping for 30 people. And Friday evening, after 10 hrs work, I spent another 4 hrs barbecueing the food for everyone. My refreshments consisting of water. And wine. Not enough water, too much wine, as it were. Around half past one in the morning – there were only six or so of staff left – I considered my options. Staying on for a couple of more hours and go straight back to work from there (I had taken the early morning shift, my duty as host). Which would have been the smart choice. Then I remembered that I also was sitting my sweethearts cat this weekend. The poor animal had been left by itself the entire day already and needed to be fed. And I was craving a shower and a change of clothes, too. So I opted for the stupid thing: to drive to my sweethearts place. Never got far. Some of the inhabitants of the adjoining housing estate were bothered about our torchlight. Could not have been the noise, as we had kept rather quiet, music off since hours already. And called the police. As the police informed me later. So they just sat there, waiting for anyone to make a mistake. I was the one. I got pulled up as soon as I had left the parking lot and turned onto the street. They did their stuff, including the trip to the police station, the alcohol blood test, the lot. They kept my license and let me go. By that time I wished it were the other way round. Now I was standing on the street some 30 km away from any place I could rest at three in the morning. The cat still unfed, my poor old car somewhere on the road losing the last bit of energy in its battery and the prospect of an early morning shift still there. At least the police was kind enough to organize a cab. To be honest, they were nice enough all along. After all, they were only doing their job. Now, the cab driver was a gem. He helped me get my car off the road. As was to be expected, the battery was absolutely flat as we arrived. Even the emergency flasher had died. I couldn’t leave it there, as it was a hazard to those coming round that bend in the morning. Another nice person stopped in the middle of the night, helping out with a jump start, the cab driver parked my car nearby at a save spot where it still sits today. Then we walked back to the cab, he took me to my sweethearts place. Finally, the cat got fed, I got washed up and one hour of sleep after which the same driver picked me up again. Do I need to tell you, that this cost me whatever money was left for this month? Anyways, I was on time for work. Which turned out to be a rather hellish day. What with the heat, the lack of sleep and the shock. Plus I had to figure out a way to get to and from work with public transport from now on in untill I will be allowed to drive again. But that’s another story all together. And not as plain and simple as this one.

Plain n’ simple