So I Had a Bad Day (For the Most Part)

By A. Goraphobic

Nice day today, the sun finally arrived, two days past the forecast. Hot but with enough of an ocean breeze to keep it pleasant. Too nice to work, hmmm, maybe I'll head up to the grocery store, get that out of the way so the boyfriend doesn't have to deal with line-ups after a long day at the office. Wow, it's so nice out I'm humming as I walk up Dunsmuir Road in Esquimalt. Just to be clear, I'm not a hummer so you know it must be an exceptional afternoon. Oh look, three crows are pecking away just off the curb, they must have found some tasty morsels left behind from garbage day. Lucky guys. Oh oh, here comes a car, surely the driver will steer clear of the crows. Nice thought for a nice day. But wait, she's speeding up and steering towards them, veering sharply to ensure that she nails at least one of them. And she does. The thud seems louder on such a peaceful day, our eyes make contact and she realizes that someone now knows what a stupid bitch she really is. So she speeds up and races away. I run out into the road, the crow isn't dead yet but it's fate is certain. I can't decide if it is appropriate to spare the poor guy's suffering and finish off what the woman in the red car had started.

I don't know if you've ever been present for the death of a crow but it is a mournful spectacle. The two remaining crows flew in circles above their dying companion, cawing as loudly as they could, so loudly it brought a neighbour out to see what the hell was going on with those birds. I told him what had happened, we both shook our heads, a little disoriented by the fact that we share a planet with people who take pleasure in the destruction of other beings for no sane reason.

The day was definitely different now, the sun was not as shiny, the breeze not as refreshing. Humming no longer seemed appropriate.

On with the day. I got the groceries out of the way, eight bags full so walking home was not an option. I called a taxi. At the local grocery store there are two exits, both onto the same parking lot. The taxi pulled up at the opposite end of the store from where I was standing. I waved, I gestured, I stopped just short of doing cartwheels in the parking lot. Finally, struggling, I hoisted up all eight bags and clumsily made my way down to where the driver had parked. I tossed the groceries on to the back seat, hopped in and said, in a politely suggestive manner, "next time you might want to look down the way and see if the fare is waiting further along". Imagine my surprise when she screamed "GET OUT OF MY TAXI". She then jumped out the drivers door, wrenched open the rear door and threw my groceries into the parking lot. I don't think she takes suggestions well. Now I probably shouldn't tell you the name of the taxi company, but let's just say it's a TAXI company in VICTORIA. I called the company back to request another car and to complain as her hysteria was not only uncalled for but quite embarrassing in a public setting. How often is it that a weeks worth of food is tossed into a parking lot while local faces, including two people who work at your bank, are awkwardly trying not to catch your eye as they scurry past? Apparently they will give her a talking to.

Back home, should I try leaving the house again? I did plan on walking the dog but now I'm not sure if leaving the safety of my own home is wise. Well, the dog made the decision for me. Why should he lose out just because the world is full of assholes? Grab the leash, let's go. I'll probably regret it but the puppy has needs too. So here we are, it's starting to feel like a beautiful day again, but I'm afraid to get my hopes up. We're strolling along the West Bay Walkway , it's lovely out but I'm just waiting for the next idiot to enter the scene on this progressively surreal Friday the 13th. Then we see him. This homeless guy who likes to hang out down there on sunny summer days. He looks like he's seen better days, on the other hand there's a good chance he never has. He probably doesn't have two cents to rub together but you know what, he always has something for the dogs. Every person he encounters gets the friendliest greeting, every dog gets a treat. The stereotype of homeless people begging so they can afford to get drunk is evaporated when you encounter the one who spends a good portion of his earnings on Milk Bones of all things.

So on this day of assholes this sweet homeless guy was what made me realize that the world is not such a bad place. No, he couldn't make up for the dead bird, but he did make me realize that there are still people who respect others enough to share a positive experience. Now he's a good guy. The two drivers, I'm not so sure. Perhaps the taxi driver was having a similar day to me and our paths just collided at the wrong places at the wrong time. But the woman in the red car? Nope, she's a monster.