Gloria and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Those who read this book as a child will understand the title.

I had to get up way earlier than usual this morning because I had an appointment at 10 a.m. I scheduled it about 2 weeks ago and was excited because it was with an advisor and the new director of the MBA program. I usually don't get up for the day at around 11:00-11:30 a.m. I fretted over what to wear because much of what I own no longer fits. I chose the army green slacks and a black cardigan with an a black tank top underneath. It's become a regular standby in my dwindling wardrobe.

I leave the house at 9:30 a.m. because I know traffic and parking near campus are the worst. My faculty/staff pass would only get me so far. I decided against trying to find a spot right next to the building and opted to try a different lot about 400 meters from the my destination. I end up having to park further away than I anticipated and had to hike across grass, pavers, hills and a street to COBA.

I walk in the building. At first I'm a bit leary because I only vaguely remember how to get to the Student Services Center. My steps were so loud that had I been a student in one of the classes I was passing, I would have sworn someone was marching outside in the halls. I walk a bit and feel as if I'm lost. Someone passes me and I smile a bit to try to avoid that "I'm lost" look. A few more steps and my surrounding are a bit more familiar. I turn a corner and walk into the SSC.

A black girl in a hot pink shirt is sitting patiently at table. At the adjacent table, a chipper blond is having a conversation with a shy guy in a gray athletic shirt. Behind the desk, I see a women with a cloud of graying, blond hair busily working at her computer. Completely confused about what I'm to do next, I take a seat at table in front of chipper blond and shy guy. I see a dispenser with a sign that says "Please take a number," and make an attempt to casually look around at the others. None of them appeared to have a number, so impatiently I take out my cell phone.

"Good morning. University Advancement. How can I help you?"
"Tosh. Hey. This is Glor..."

I pause. A women with glasses walks to the front. "I can help the next person."

Chipper blond explains that shy guy is the next person. I wait for her to pause and then interject.

"Tosh. Let me call you back...." then, "I have a 10 a.m. with B____ W_____."

With no pause or thought at all, glasses tells me that B___W____ is out sick and that I'll have to get back on the scheduler and make another appointment.

I hop up and walk to the counter.

"You'll have to explain what you mean by 'scheduler'. I made the appointment with her directly so I have no idea how to go about doing what you just said."

As I was speaking, she stared at me, expressionless, and then she said, "Are you a first semester freshman?"

What would have been a compliment on any other day at any other time was at that moment a biting insult.

"Um. No. I work here. I'm meeting with her to discuss TAP and graduate school options." I almost regret my tone, now but at the time I meant every bit of it.

She jots down a number for me to call and reschedule. I leave defeated. My eyes begin to warm with tears as I trudge back out of the building. I take my cell phone out again. This time to call B____W____'s line.

"Hi. This Gloria G_____. I'm sorry to hear about your illness. Please call me back when you're well because I'm really interested in discussing my options soon. My office number is _____. My cell number is _____. Thanks.."

I make another call to Tosh to explain the injustice. She encourages me. Reassures me. Tells me all will be okay. And...it will. The excitement of actually getting advised was so huge that not being able to discuss it at all was disheartening. I stop at Sonic to drown my sorrows in bacon, cheese and eggs on texas toast.

When I get home I take a nap. Off to campus again at 12:30 p.m. but this time to go to work. I'm still bent over the morning's troubles, but then realize that the afternoon will bring enough of their own and resolve to get over it. I'm just now realizing how right I was about trouble in the afternoon.

Everything is set and I'm ready to go about the business of working. I check my e-mail. B____ W_____ has e-mailed me to apologize and reschedule. I tackle a few issues. One in particular takes about 2-3 hours and ends in no resolution at all. It's finally time to get the stations ready for shift.

I test a new headset, fresh off the mail truck and out of the wrapper. It doesn't work. I plug the old headset and amp into the dialer and realize I can't hear a thing through the headset. Probably an amp issue. I skip to the hallway storage closet to get soem batteries. In the room, the new batteries don't do a thing for the problem. I test a few amps, move to different stations, restart computers, reboot dialers and switch out cords. My stomach begins to turn and a lump grows in my throat. 6 of the 8 stations are having sound issues.

I see a shift manager walk by the window. I realize shift is just 20 minutes away. I call my supervisor and explain the situation. End result. Shift has to be canceled. Money is lost for the evening. So here I sit typing. Completely peeved and sure that nothing will cheer me up. This was a terrible, no good, very bad day. I guess I was due for one.