Friday, June 13, 2008

Delayed reaction

Something is happening around here. It's been building up for several weeks, like a storm on the prowl. I have been trying to keep myself behind my desk to avoid catching the mystery, but i got "bit" anyway.

The symptoms are disorienting. I woke up one Wednesday morning and thought it was Saturday. I came to work in shorts and tennis shoes, hoping to get some cobwebs off of my desk. I thought everyone else must have had the same idea because everyone else was here, too.

Everyone AND some extras. A few kids roamed the hallways before lunch.

About 3pm, I got a call from a church chick friend. "Hi. What are you doing?" I asked.
" I"m working on meeting minutes, how about you?" she commented.
" I'm trying to clear my desk a little bit. Hey- how did you know to call me at work?"
" Well, it's Wednesday. Aren't you usually at work on Wednesdays?"
I looked at my watch. The day/date blinked at me. "Has it been Wednesday all day?" I asked.
" I'm not sure, but I think that's how it works. Why?" she asked.
" Well, it's just that I woke up in Saturday and somehow I'm now stuck in Wednesday afternoon."
" Probably Alien abduction"
"It's not just that. I've lost my focus, too."
" Like you ever had any?" she smirked over the phone to me.
" No, really. Something is going on. I'm seeing littler people in the hallways, and I've been obsessing over bringing my lap top and beach chair so I can work on the lawn before it gets too hot outside."
"Oh. That's what you mean about something going on.... School's out. Summer's on the train into town, and, like a cold front, it is pushing time and focus out of the way."
I felt myself slump into my chair.
For a moment, I was homesick for summer vacation. The days of being at the pool all day.

I felt a click click click inside my head. I think it was a delayed reaction to reality.

Somehow the old days of pooling equated with today days of wearing shorts to work. No matter the shift, the feeling remained. It still feels like summer, and that's a good thing.

I look forward to the coming weeks. I'll get lots of prep work done for Fall without a push from the clock. I'll clean out my closet, and watch the birds feed at the window. I'll enjoy the chaos of Vacation Bible School, and I'll stay in a constant state of confusion because every day will be different. Different staff ( Who's on vacation this week?), different friends ( my how your child has grown!), different spin.

Hello, Summer-

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Welcome back- you have been missed. Loonygin