Fill 'er up

I have not gotten myself hot water from the coffee maker at work since "the incident."

No one actually forbade me, but I'm just not allowed because of the blown-out-of-proportion incident. Of course, I helped blow things out of proportion by fainting, but I will go to my deathbed claiming that the fainting was a result of the out-of-proportion blowing.

All the coffee makers at work have a spigot for just hot water, which I need every morning to satisfy my raspberry tea fix. All the coffee makers are also at the same height, just reachable if I extend my arms fully. I could fill my cup; the problem was checking whether it was full and trying to pour more water in if needed.

One day as I was checking my cup, my arm jerked and I threw the water in my face. This was painful but not as bad as it sounds. The water is not boiling. It hurt, but I am sure I have had hotter water on me in the shower.

I was putting a cold towel on my face and wiping up the floor when a cleaning woman saw me. I told her I was fine, but she d got one of my co-workers. I told him I was fine, but he got my boss. I told my boss I was fine, but he wanted me to go to the clinic. I said I was planning on it in a minute, but he insisted I go right then.

The nurse wasn't there yet, but my boss scrounged up some ice packs for me. Soon after, I told him I needed to lie down. The nurse had the key to the rooms with beds so I just got down on the floor, which was where the nurse found me.

If someone had believed me that I was OK, I am sure I would not have fainted.

Since then, my boss has gotten me water. This is fine with me ... usually.

There are the busy days or days when I am late when I don't get water until after a morning meeting half an hour or more after I get there.

There are the days he is off when I have to find another water bearer.

There are the days he out is sick, and I worry about him having spread his germs to my cup.

He went home sick Tuesday. All I can think about is how he got my water Tuesday morning. If I get sick, I am so asking for a lower coffee maker to be installed.

Don't try wheeling a wheelchair with your eyes shut. It is beautiful out here, but that means my allergies are rotten. I was also really tired. I went for a walk on the track around this pond thing at my work. I say thing because it is pretty nasty: chemical smells, algae, mud, etc. I closed my eyes for a bit as I wheeled, and opened them as I was going down the slope to the pond. I managed to get back on the track and get my eyes open for the rest of my walk.