OH CRAPPY DAY

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You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? You have those days as well. Those days where everything seems to go wrong and the tiniest thing annoys you and makes you mad as hell, swearing like a banshee, throwing everyone crossing your path the evil look. And mostly it’s the small everyday occurrences that annoy so much, don’t they? Even though they are not even worth mentioning, let alone getting annoyed in times like these with so many suffering … but you also just can’t help it.

I had one of THOSE days recently. It started out not so badly, actually. Like any other home office day with having Earl Grey at my desk – and no, nothing happened, I didn’t spill the hot liquid and short-circuited my laptop and didn’t drop my precious Demmers Teehaus cup (only to be used for Earl Grey) I inherited from my Mum. My crappy day started late morning with the delivery of my long anticipated small table I had ordered for my balcony. And for the sole purpose to put my electric grill on for summer BBQ. Well, it was wrapped tightly, sealed in its original plastic wrap … and still arrived damaged, with a broken hinge and therefore unusable. Great, just great! I already saw myself lugging the bulky piece to the nearest post office to mail it back at my expense to receive a new one …

Mood sinking, the next annoyance came in form of an email. From Austria. From my Austrian bank, regarding information on my taxes in Germany. Of course, they wanted me to fill out a form, sign it and mail it back together with a copy of my German proof of residence. Mail, as in real mail. No email. So, printing everything and searching for a fitting envelope to stuff the papers in. Since I like to get the annoying things done immediately, I decided to take an office break at 1:45 pm and head to the post office, a 10-minute-walk away from my apartment. And guess what? It was closed! CLOSED! Lunch break until 2:30 pm. Can you believe it? Every shop is open through noon, but the post office is closed!? Bloody post office! I was hopping mad and swearing loudly as I made my way back home with a little detour. Waiting for 30 minutes was not an option since my next teams meeting was waiting.

Next stop – basically to calm my nerves and at least get the weekly grocery shopping done – my favourite discount grocery store. Treating myself to green asparagus for the weekend, chicken, blueberries, yogurt and Snickers ice cream bars (50 cents off from the original price was just too good an offer to pass up). And guess what? There was only one cash desk open and the queue endless. Of course! Of course, this had to happen. Of course, everyone had to go grocery shopping at exactly the same time I was out and about. I was actually considering putting the ice cream back – worrying it might melt before I even reached the end of the line to pay. Impatiently, I counted the minutes and hoped at least the ones before me wouldn’t be of the annoying customer kind who tend to count out the single coins from their wallets …

Finally, having paid and stuffed everything into my tote bag I hurried home … just to discover, that the large yogurt container had split open, spilling its contents lovingly over my asparagus. The rest covered my letter, which I wasn’t able to mail because the post office was on LUNCH BREAK AND CLOSED! Of course, the papers in my letter were soggy as well and I had to print and copy everything again and use the last A6 size envelope I could dig out of my office supplies.

I returned to work, with a cup of chocolate vanilla cappuccino to enjoy its hot sweetness and tried not to bitch too much at my colleagues, when they dared calling me via MS Teams.

You think my annoying day was over? Nooo, stupid as I am, I headed back to the post office to finally post the letter and scratch another “To Do” item off my list. And nearly jumped at the post-office-guy-who-thinks-he-is-so-funny when he announced I had to pay 3,70€ for a measly letter to Austria. As I was laughing out sarcastically, he meant, I should have used a smaller envelope, then it would only have been 1,70€. And that at least the receipt – which I always request everywhere – is free of charge. Boy, if I weren’t so well-mannered … 

The German post office in general is a red flag for me. Don’t get me started … not to mention, that my general mood as soon as I step one foot outside my apartment usually is in the dumps nowadays. I hate those bloody medicinal masks I have to put on as soon as going outside (the disadvantage of living in a pedestrian street). I didn’t much care about the cloth masks, they fit snuggly under my glasses and didn’t fog them. But those light blue medicinal masks which the ridiculous German politicians decided we have to wear from now on with their piece of wire inside … they never fit and I’m running around not seeing anything. I hate them so much I barely leave my apartment to avoid this ordeal. Hoping that soon I too will be vaccinated and some kind of normalcy will come back into my life.

Well, apart from that … most days are happy days. I try to make them happy days by enjoying the little things. A new book, sitting outside on the balcony in the sun with a cup of coffee and a slice of cake, reading (of course), having DVD theatre nights, cooking something special on weekends, chatting with friends on the phone … and planning the post-Corona-vaccinated-and-travelling-again-time. So, don’t worry about YOUR crappy days, they will pass … and the next day will look bright again!

By the way, my little side table for the balcony was replaced immediately and I could trash the damaged one. And clever me discovered a way to make those bloody blue masks fit better … I just remove the wire now … (why didn’t I think of that before?) As for my issue with the German post office and it’s officials … they will remain an annoyance for me forever!

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