Greetings Readers
Damn, it has been hot the past 20 days and there does not seem to be an end in sight to the hot weather. Though I think that I heard that there might an 89 degree day next Wednesday. Yes, Eighties. For the past 20 days Colorado, especially in the Denver area we have had 90 degree plus days in a row. We did break a record for most consecutive days above 90 degrees.
I do not think that the heat is really bothering me except for last night. I think that the day got very hot yesterday and with no wind blowing, from what I can remember, the heat was stationary and I slept restless.
I tried sleeping on the couch in the living room, but I could feel myself getting sweaty underneath me. So, I gave up trying to sleep on the couch. I decided to go the bedroom and sleep on the bed sheet as opposed to the bed covering. I also moved a small rotating fan next to the window and tried to get some of the night air into my bedroom. I did, but the air was still hot. I did manage to fall asleep, but I woke up two more times in the night. I was still getting sweaty underneath me, but not like I was at the couch.
Oh, did I mention that I have A/C, but in the immortal words of my friend – I am a cheap bastard. I am not sure if I totally agree with those words, but I do not really need the A/C on. I am suffering, but I can usually make it through the evening and the night by having the windows open and have the fans against the screens to blow in the evening and night air. I really do not see myself as a cheap bastard, but I am okay with the self inflicted suffering, because I can deal with not running the A/C.
I have gotten some bags of ice (10 pound bags) and put them in the freezer. I have some cold beer, Coca-Cola and fresh Sun Tea in the Fridge. With the bags of ice I have to say that I am doing okay. I can have the ice in my drink or even make a bag of ice and use that to cool myself down.
And now onto part of my day recap from yesterday.
I am and am not a morning person. I have my good days, my great days and then I have the wrong side of the bed days and worst yet –the fucking pissed off waking up mood.
Yesterday was the - I woke up on the wrong side of bed - day. I did not feel like riding to work, so I rode part of the way to work. I decided to take the RTD to work. Well, I saw the RTD bus go by the bus stop I usually catch the bus at and whispered “fuck me” and proceeded to ride up Arapahoe Road to the Light Rail Station at Arapahoe.
I rode slowly, but not this time for showing off my rims. I just did not want to ride. I was lazy. I was not mad for missing the bus, but mad that I had to bike all the way to the Light Rail Station since the next bus does not come for another 30 minutes and I did not feel like waiting another 30 minutes for the next bus to the Light Rail Station.
Fast Forward – When I went to the bank that evening two of the bank tellers saw me biking up Arapahoe Road. They noticed the bike jersey, the bike and knew it was me - and they loved the rims. They said they saw me going in the opposite direction and did not appear to be going anywhere fast. Anyway, it’s nice to know that I have a “base” of people who know me by sight. Ha ha. I wish that was bragging, but that is just a matter of fact.
Now, back to the morning. I apparently ignored my boss on one of the Shuttles to our work. I was focused on who was the shuttle driver – Either Mr. Cranky, since I was cranky or was it Mr. Crazy. It was Mr. Crazy, so I was the only one cranky on the route to work. Meanwhile, as I was trying to figure out the shuttle driver I just ignored who the passengers were. I saw some movement, but in my mood that morning I did not care who was in the back and I did not want to acknowledge anyone trying to get my attention.
Fast forward 30 minutes - So, it was my boss that was waving his arms and trying to get my attention. He noticed me as soon as I stepped off the Light Rail Train. He said he recognized the “loud” bike jersey and then he saw the HED rims on my bike for the first time and he said that they looked “Sharp”.
Back to the story - Here’s where the heart of the story that I wanted to share with you readers. I walk into the lobby of my work building since I did not see anyone driving into the underground parking garage. That’s the only way for me to get into the underground parking garage is wait and follow someone who has paid for the privilege to be parking in the underground parking garage.
When I walked into the lobby I saw another lady from the opposite side of the lobby walking towards the elevator. This scene gets played out every now and then where I work. The showers and bike rack are in the basement; therefore I am going to be going down. I have no obligation to push the button to go up for anyone, unless it is someone I know and I am feeling quite besides myself. Otherwise, do your own pushing of the elevator button.
I push the down elevator button and the lady, with sunglasses on, pushed no elevator buttons. At all.
Five seconds later the elevator dings with the light indicating that this elevator is going down. I roll my bike in the elevator and made no effort to make space for the lady to get in. Fuck no – I know that she was not going down, but I was not going to just tell her (or him should have it been a man) that this elevator and I was going down. I was cranky and as I wrote before I am not happy until someone else is unhappy – just like my favorite Soprano Character – Tony.
She’s says excuse me and wiggles herself into the elevator car that is going down. Then, she proceeds to take her security badge to the elevator scanner and pushes the button for the fourth floor. Meanwhile, 10 seconds before, I had push the “B” Basement light and the "B" has been lit ever since.
That’s when the fucking stupid question comes out. (yes, stupid fucking question in my opinion)
“Is the elevator going down?”
Readers, the answers I give to this question many times vary from each time this sort of scenario happens. Such as if I was in a pleasant cordial mood – “yes”. Or if I was in an un-pleasant mood – “No, it is going sideways.” “Did you not look at the elevator light in the lobby before getting in the elevator?” “Why don’t you take those sunglasses off so you take a second look at the elevator buttons.” “Did you push the button in the lobby to go up?” and there is more, but I better not give you readers any more quotes.
You see readers – it is not my fault… fucking fault, for you not paying attention before getting into an elevator car with me. You ask me a stupid question I am going to give you a sarcastic remark. Or sometimes I am just quiet – neither response nor acknowledgement to your question.
Well, this lady looks at me, hard, then gets out of the elevator car with a second long hard look at me as if how dare I. I raised my right hand made a “V” from my fingers which I pointed at my eyes and the pointed at her, and then the elevator door had closed by then.
That was me sticking it to the woman.
That incident made my day better, which in turn I was able to tell my friends and I eventually lost the Mr. Cranky attitude I woke up with.
P.S. – Since the weather has been hot and sunny the road surface has been extremely hot. I can literally feel and smell my bike tires burning and melting. I can smell the tires burning 30 minutes after parking my bike inside my humble abode. Thank goodness I have new tubes, otherwise any patches would come off since the heat would heat up the rubber cement and make the patch slide off the tube.
P.S.S. – I know the way I handled this elevator incident could have been handled the a nicer way, by taking the high ground, being Mr. Nice guy or just helping a brother out. Yet, I saw that scenario was going to be happening and there was no way that I was going to stop the unavoidable event I actually wanted to happen. Every now and then I believe in sharing and at that particular moment I decided I did not want to be the only one cranky this morning and the opportunity opened up for me.
Until the next time
Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete
Damn, it has been hot the past 20 days and there does not seem to be an end in sight to the hot weather. Though I think that I heard that there might an 89 degree day next Wednesday. Yes, Eighties. For the past 20 days Colorado, especially in the Denver area we have had 90 degree plus days in a row. We did break a record for most consecutive days above 90 degrees.
I do not think that the heat is really bothering me except for last night. I think that the day got very hot yesterday and with no wind blowing, from what I can remember, the heat was stationary and I slept restless.
I tried sleeping on the couch in the living room, but I could feel myself getting sweaty underneath me. So, I gave up trying to sleep on the couch. I decided to go the bedroom and sleep on the bed sheet as opposed to the bed covering. I also moved a small rotating fan next to the window and tried to get some of the night air into my bedroom. I did, but the air was still hot. I did manage to fall asleep, but I woke up two more times in the night. I was still getting sweaty underneath me, but not like I was at the couch.
Oh, did I mention that I have A/C, but in the immortal words of my friend – I am a cheap bastard. I am not sure if I totally agree with those words, but I do not really need the A/C on. I am suffering, but I can usually make it through the evening and the night by having the windows open and have the fans against the screens to blow in the evening and night air. I really do not see myself as a cheap bastard, but I am okay with the self inflicted suffering, because I can deal with not running the A/C.
I have gotten some bags of ice (10 pound bags) and put them in the freezer. I have some cold beer, Coca-Cola and fresh Sun Tea in the Fridge. With the bags of ice I have to say that I am doing okay. I can have the ice in my drink or even make a bag of ice and use that to cool myself down.
And now onto part of my day recap from yesterday.
I am and am not a morning person. I have my good days, my great days and then I have the wrong side of the bed days and worst yet –the fucking pissed off waking up mood.
Yesterday was the - I woke up on the wrong side of bed - day. I did not feel like riding to work, so I rode part of the way to work. I decided to take the RTD to work. Well, I saw the RTD bus go by the bus stop I usually catch the bus at and whispered “fuck me” and proceeded to ride up Arapahoe Road to the Light Rail Station at Arapahoe.
I rode slowly, but not this time for showing off my rims. I just did not want to ride. I was lazy. I was not mad for missing the bus, but mad that I had to bike all the way to the Light Rail Station since the next bus does not come for another 30 minutes and I did not feel like waiting another 30 minutes for the next bus to the Light Rail Station.
Fast Forward – When I went to the bank that evening two of the bank tellers saw me biking up Arapahoe Road. They noticed the bike jersey, the bike and knew it was me - and they loved the rims. They said they saw me going in the opposite direction and did not appear to be going anywhere fast. Anyway, it’s nice to know that I have a “base” of people who know me by sight. Ha ha. I wish that was bragging, but that is just a matter of fact.
Now, back to the morning. I apparently ignored my boss on one of the Shuttles to our work. I was focused on who was the shuttle driver – Either Mr. Cranky, since I was cranky or was it Mr. Crazy. It was Mr. Crazy, so I was the only one cranky on the route to work. Meanwhile, as I was trying to figure out the shuttle driver I just ignored who the passengers were. I saw some movement, but in my mood that morning I did not care who was in the back and I did not want to acknowledge anyone trying to get my attention.
Fast forward 30 minutes - So, it was my boss that was waving his arms and trying to get my attention. He noticed me as soon as I stepped off the Light Rail Train. He said he recognized the “loud” bike jersey and then he saw the HED rims on my bike for the first time and he said that they looked “Sharp”.
Back to the story - Here’s where the heart of the story that I wanted to share with you readers. I walk into the lobby of my work building since I did not see anyone driving into the underground parking garage. That’s the only way for me to get into the underground parking garage is wait and follow someone who has paid for the privilege to be parking in the underground parking garage.
When I walked into the lobby I saw another lady from the opposite side of the lobby walking towards the elevator. This scene gets played out every now and then where I work. The showers and bike rack are in the basement; therefore I am going to be going down. I have no obligation to push the button to go up for anyone, unless it is someone I know and I am feeling quite besides myself. Otherwise, do your own pushing of the elevator button.
I push the down elevator button and the lady, with sunglasses on, pushed no elevator buttons. At all.
Five seconds later the elevator dings with the light indicating that this elevator is going down. I roll my bike in the elevator and made no effort to make space for the lady to get in. Fuck no – I know that she was not going down, but I was not going to just tell her (or him should have it been a man) that this elevator and I was going down. I was cranky and as I wrote before I am not happy until someone else is unhappy – just like my favorite Soprano Character – Tony.
She’s says excuse me and wiggles herself into the elevator car that is going down. Then, she proceeds to take her security badge to the elevator scanner and pushes the button for the fourth floor. Meanwhile, 10 seconds before, I had push the “B” Basement light and the "B" has been lit ever since.
That’s when the fucking stupid question comes out. (yes, stupid fucking question in my opinion)
“Is the elevator going down?”
Readers, the answers I give to this question many times vary from each time this sort of scenario happens. Such as if I was in a pleasant cordial mood – “yes”. Or if I was in an un-pleasant mood – “No, it is going sideways.” “Did you not look at the elevator light in the lobby before getting in the elevator?” “Why don’t you take those sunglasses off so you take a second look at the elevator buttons.” “Did you push the button in the lobby to go up?” and there is more, but I better not give you readers any more quotes.
You see readers – it is not my fault… fucking fault, for you not paying attention before getting into an elevator car with me. You ask me a stupid question I am going to give you a sarcastic remark. Or sometimes I am just quiet – neither response nor acknowledgement to your question.
Well, this lady looks at me, hard, then gets out of the elevator car with a second long hard look at me as if how dare I. I raised my right hand made a “V” from my fingers which I pointed at my eyes and the pointed at her, and then the elevator door had closed by then.That was me sticking it to the woman.
That incident made my day better, which in turn I was able to tell my friends and I eventually lost the Mr. Cranky attitude I woke up with.
P.S. – Since the weather has been hot and sunny the road surface has been extremely hot. I can literally feel and smell my bike tires burning and melting. I can smell the tires burning 30 minutes after parking my bike inside my humble abode. Thank goodness I have new tubes, otherwise any patches would come off since the heat would heat up the rubber cement and make the patch slide off the tube.
P.S.S. – I know the way I handled this elevator incident could have been handled the a nicer way, by taking the high ground, being Mr. Nice guy or just helping a brother out. Yet, I saw that scenario was going to be happening and there was no way that I was going to stop the unavoidable event I actually wanted to happen. Every now and then I believe in sharing and at that particular moment I decided I did not want to be the only one cranky this morning and the opportunity opened up for me.
Until the next time
Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete
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