What a difference a day makes.
Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment. (Don't ask, it's getting to be almost routine.)
I got the appointment as early as I could, but it meant a change in my daily schedule.
Now keep in mind that my schedule is not what most people would consider normal. I'm not even sure I consider it normal. But it's what I do.
Let's just say I'm an early riser. Actually, I usually just tire of lying there in bed watching the numbers click off on the digital clock that sits on my nightstand.
That's right, kids, a digital clock. I've used that clock as long as I can remember, probably back to my college days. Still does the job, even if that red glow is my early-morning nemesis. I have a tendency to sleep like a rock for a couple of hours, then basically just kind of toss and turn the rest of the night.
I rarely have need for the alarm.
Bottom line is that with the doctor's appointment I started my early work from home. One of the very few things I like about technology. All I need is power and access to the Internet, and I'm in business.
I trundled off to my doctor's appointment without much in the way of a problem.
The procedures I had were pretty uneventful. It was when I left that the problems started.
For one thing, I noticed that I had somehow managed to leave the house without a belt. Most people probably would have just done without for the day. Not me. I felt naked.
Luckily, this appointment was in the opposite direction of the house, meaning I would be doubling back to get to work, so I ducked back into the house and grabbed a belt.
Then I jumped into the car and headed off for the office.
That's when reality hit.
I was getting on the road about 7 a.m., a lot later than my usual pre-dawn jaunt.
I use the drive into the office as a bit of a buffer for either the day that is about to begin, or to decompress on the way home.
Not for this ride. First, I noticed that there was a fairly distinct fog. Second, I realized that unlike most mornings, I was not alone on the roads.
Not by a long shot.
I'll be honest here. There are a lot of things about this job I don't necessarily like. But there is one advantage to this bizarre schedule I keep. There are very few people on the road with me when I start my morning commute.
That was not the case yesterday.
I don't know how people do that every day.
If I had to do that every day, dealing with the clueless drivers and phone-addicted zombies that populate our roads, I'm not sure I could do it.
As it is, what is usually almost exactly a 40-minute commute expanded to more than an hour of white-knuckle crawling.
I've never been so grateful for my schedule than this morning, when I once again basically had the roads to myself, aside from the deer and other critters who seem to want to say hello each morning.
Maybe I should be a hermit.
For those out there on the roads during rush hour every morning, you have my best wishes.
You're better people than I am.
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