The story begins with my visit down to the courthouse in the middle of the city. There I find out that the computers and clerks of the jury office have confused me with another woman. She has my maiden name and middle name, though a completely different first name. Apparently when I called yesterday to confirm my online impanel, the jury clerk confused me with this other woman and gave me her assignment. So, in short, I really didn't need to be there today and they will mail me at some random point in the future to ascertain my true jury date.
Fine. Slightly upset over my failed attempt to perform my civic duties, I decide that eleven blocks isn't so far and I'll wander up to Metro for a cup of coffee and some relaxation. It's grey, but not raining. I miscounted the horrible, horrible humidty however as it really is 70 degrees out there.
Sweaty and bedraggled, I get a cup of iced vanilla hazelnut and wait for Sarah to come round for a spot of conversation. It's been far too long since we last met. While I wait, I do mighty battles on the phone with my insurance company. I pull out the ice cold bitch queen voice, I employ gallons of tears and hysteria and constantly tell them I know they personally are not trying to make my life a living hell but the company surely is doing so. At long last after some truly astounding incompetancy, I am transferred to a honey voiced woman who gets things straightened out for me. I am given a case manager, a kind gentleman who assures me all things are in proper order and my husband can get his appointment tomorrow. Then I return to the honey voiced woman, who takes my tearful and angry complaints to send even further up the chain of command. I'm awaiting a call back from the supervisor of cases.
I won. Despite my fears to the contrary, I got what we needed. Never ever hesitate to take up all the way up the line when your health insurance company tries to fuck you over through poorly trained call center reps and the maze of regulations.
So I had a nice couple hours visit with Sarah, and we boggled over the amazing stupidity of so many people. We were witty and silly and laughed between sighs. It was good, and I drank lots of coffee. The Metro bathroom graffitti is still no more enlightening than usual, but I am dismayed by the appearance of bigoted statements on the door. Someone thoughtfully wrote "Frodo Lives" however, and that cheered me.
I decide that instead of calling a cab, I would see if my old student ID still worked and hop a bus home for free. Surprisingly, despite a new swipe system, it does. Yay for small victories. I saw a spectacular and stupid car accident that will no doubt tie up traffic on northbound Lamar for the next hour. When the road is busy, it is a bad idea to try and take your big honking pickup truck all the way across the road.
At the North Lamar transit center, I hop off. It's only somewhere between a half mile and a mile to my home, which isn't too bad of a walk. Crossing Lamar is the worst part, as there are no rails or sidewalks on the bridges so I am forced to walk almost in traffic and in fear of falling over the low stone wall and onto Lamar. It was a nerve wracking minute. When I finally make my way to the southeast corner of the intersection I suffer a new indignity. It begins to rain. It actually begins to pour, so that I can barely see out of my glasses. I walked the rest of the way home soaked to the skin. Thank goodness I took my waterproof vinyl purse instead of my pretty green suede one along today. I never noticed it was uphill all the way through the parking lot to my complex either.
But I'm home now, in dire need of food and a nap and a phone call. At least I got some exercise, coffee and conversation I suppose.
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