Feeling Like Ziggy

Ziggy is an age-old comic strip. The main character always seems to have his challenges with life. Usually for poor ol' Zig, anything that can go wrong does go wrong. This strip is my partner's very favorite, and we often laugh at the daily comic shown on a calendar we keep in our kitchen.

Today, I'm feeling much like Ziggy. With all great intentions of getting my day started extra early, I left the house a half-hour earlier than usual so I could drop off two tax returns that I had completed for some "elder buds" at their respective homes. They live in a nearby gated retirement community, and I have a pass. As I drove up to the gate, I held up my pass for the guard as usual, but he stopped me, and became overly officious. He asked to see my card, then my driver's license, and gave me the third degree. "Where are you going?" among other questions. This poor rent-a-cop kid was bored, I guess. I answered his questions but was frustrated by the unnecessary delay.

After dropping off the tax returns, I drove to the Metro station where I usually board my train to get to work in the city. Some nitwit was stopped in the driving lane at the entrance to the parking garage. I kid you not: it looked like she was applying makeup while just sitting there. I gently tapped my horn, and she gave me a dirty look before giving her car some gas and moving forward. She entered the garage and parked, and I happened to park next to her. As I was walking toward the station entrance, she huffed and puffed and said, "you didn't need to honk." So I couldn't resist, and asked, "just what kind of makeup emergency were you having that you couldn't park first?" She glowered....and didn't say anything else. She knew she was guilty as charged.

Then just as I got to the platform, the train pulled away. If Ms. Make-Up didn't delay me, I would have made it. I hate it when I just barely miss a train, but that happens sometimes. Another should be along momentarily.

9 momentarilies later, another train finally pulled up.

We board the train, and I scan the newspaper. The daily free rag is so ultra-Republican. Its shrill negativity about our President and his actions gets to be so ... boring ... blathering ... I dunno, awful. Too bad I don't have a parakeet any more. That paper would be great to line the cage.

Then at one of the stations, the train operator announces that we all have to get off due to a train malfunction. Oh great, there we go again.... this happens all too often.

Everyone disembarks, and waits... and waits... and waits some more. Meanwhile, there are announcements "regretting the delay."

Another train finally pulls up, we all board, and in a spot of luck, I even got a seat.

When I arrived at Union Station, I queued up to get off the train, only to be almost bowled over by commuter train passengers who had rushed off their trains from far-flung areas to board the Metro. Why they never let others off before trying to rush on.... Alas, life in the big city, where everything generally is "me, me, me."

Fortunately, the rest of my morning "commute" as it were, was fine, though I did arrive to work about 15 minutes later than usual. And in my typical optimistic approach to life -- making lemonade out of lemons -- I beheld an unusual cloud formation as it was growing lighter. It really was pretty to see dawn breaking behind the U.S. Capitol building. I paused for a couple minutes to watch. Heck, my schedule was already "blown" and the display of God's handiwork brightened my spirits a lot.

Some days are Ziggy days. Despite all best efforts, things go wrong. Oh well, such is life. My attitude though remains bright, and I'm singing, just for the heck of it (and also because no one else is here yet LOL!)