Thursday, August 20, 2009

coffee and too much wind for cigarettes, but hell, I've never even tried one, so who am I to talk?

Today, in gale force winds, I discovered to my horror that the tiny coffee cart at the bottom of the building, of which my geekiness is resident most days of late, was closed.
A quick rant in the lift about said closure, and then a jaunt on the bike, landed me at Seven Seeds, reading (of course) some Cultural Studies writing (amusingly about writing Cultural Studies).
A big slug of my 3/4 Soy Latte*, and I jump back on the bike, scrunched up paper cup in hand, gusts of wind ruffling my hair, feeling a little time-pressed, wind-blown but redeemed.
So of course the world takes further revenge upon me, by making my foot slip as I get on the bike - knocking my chain off its rightful path, and me into a stumble - right in front of the bemused eyes of about 15 workmen at the construction site across the road.
Handy D.I.Y. me comes into full force here, and flips the bike over, all the while swearing just a little louder than 'under-my-breath' really encompasses, and re-engages the chain, consequently filthifying** my hands with chain oil.
So (of course), it turns out that one of the said workmen has, unbeknownst to me, crossed the road on his way to his vehicle, and says with a hint of genuine concern in his voice 'You okay?'.
Gone is handy D.I.Y. lady. Gone is get-to-it girl. Gone is self assuredness and composure.
As I try to hide my grease-smeared hands behind my back, and briefly mentally contemplate a return trip to Seven Seeds for hand-cleaning, I manage to muster the words 'Um, yeah... It's just... Yeah. Ta.'
The quaver in my voice was detectable only by me. For sure. I mean, totally. Yeah.

And this was by far not the lamest moment I've had all week.




*really excellent, thanks guys! and yes, i am aware of how embarrassingly hipster try-hard that coffee order makes me look.
**look, it's a word NOW, alright!?

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