Today has been a bit long. Productive, yes. But long all the same. To begin with, I didn't get to sleep until five in the afternoon. Because I stayed up all morning and, since I had errands to run, decided to stay up all day too at the risk of falling asleep and missing my chance to do them.
So, at nine o'clock in the morning, as the children were either already arriving at or frantically going to school, I departed. Armed with a two-hundred and six dollar cheque from Quizno's– my first one so far– I set out from my abode to do battle.
After cashing the cheque, our first stop was to groom for battle. I got a haircut. A mighty-fine one too, if I do say so. It was done well enough that I ended up giving the stylist a 100% tip, instead of my general 50% one. So I sauntered away, walked down to the bus stop, and waited ten minutes for the bus to come. By now it was nine-thirty.
I got off near the post office, purchased two money orders for my bills so that when the time for them to be due rolls around, the roommate cannot hold me responsible for paying the late fee, because I had the money weeks before it was needed.
I then walked over to the hardware store several blocks away. By now my knee which had been involved in the bike accident a few months ago started acting up pretty badly and I had developed a bit of a limp. But I went to the hardware store because someone pointed out this idea to me. If I went and bought a doorknob for my room with a key-locking system, she could not possibly pick that to get in. So I rummaged around for one of them and upon finally securing it, went to the checkout.
It was ten at this point, at least. Barns & Noble happened to be across the street, so I decided to be pretty gay and walk over. I got something to drink in the cafe and sat down, pulling out my journal and preparing to scribble in it like a true bourgeois bohemian.
After that was done, I figured I'd go through the store because I had some money left to spend. I saw something that made me smile when I saw it, so I tried to get it. It was this Queer as Folk calendar, and while that show makes me twitch of its own accord, seeing this in front of me made me think of said person and I thought I'd do something to make him smile.
So. I get to the checkout line. I give the Totally Gay Cashier my purchases, ignore the momentary glance I get when he sees the calendar, and wait for the total.
"Okay, that'll be $47.91." Uh, what? I had one book and a calendar. It didn't occur to me to look at the price of the calendar because I thought, hell, it's a calendar. Yes, a Barns & Noble calendar, but one nonetheless. I didn't expect it to be more than five dollars.
"Um, how much was the calendar?"
He gives me a bit of a narrow Gay glance, looks at the price. "$22.99." What?
"Woah, okay, put the calendar back, sorry." Since when do simple, twelve-month calendars go into the twenties!? Yes, it had a glossy finish and all, but that doesn't mean it was that fabulous. So, sorry to the person who was going to get it. Uh, commericalism took your present.
So. I finally get lunch and get home. Pop in a cd. The soundtrack for today was Not a Pretty Girl by Ani Difranco. Open up my new doorknob. Go through the arduous process of reading all the instructions, fighting with the old doorknob to remove it, finally get it ready, and then find out that the model I bought doesn't fit my door.
It pissed me the hell off. I'm going to have to go back tomorrow and replace it, because, while it says that it fits all standard household doors, it does not fit mine, and the locking system is a bit deflated by the fact that if you turn really hard in the opposite direction, it will click around and release the catch.
I was upset. Because I burst into laughter walking home at the thought of her reaction when she went to pick the lock and discovered there was a new one there. I grinned evilly because I thought I had won.
Alas.
So I finally took a nap around five o'clock, from which I just woke. To find the cat's litter box and dishes all put back where they were previously, along with the following note:
The litter is clean.
Do not reneg on previous agreements.
I will read no more notes.
Throw away your old garbage or cease making use of MY dishes.
- the roommate
So, I thought a second. And then scribbled my reply on a blank sheet of paper and put it in the same place.
The dishes are your mother's. If SHE states it in writing, I will not use them.
Otherwise, make me. There's no place you can put them where I won't go.
Yesterday I told her that if she didn't quit, I was going to eat all of her food. I told her she had a day to demonstrate she was going to quit. I believe tonight I will have three slices of pizza, two bagles, and several glasses of her cranberry juice while she's asleep.
Yes, it's stupid and petty and childish and likely very pointless. But she asked for this. She declaired this war; I went for a week telling her to stop, taking the shit. And I'm not going to take it anymore.
Anyway, for the time being, I depart. She's out to Laser Tag right now and I'm enjoying the apartment without the presence of evil in it. G'night!
25 October 2002 at 8:07 pm | No Comments »
the daily things
