K awoke in a bad mood. It was barely 9 am and I heard K on the phone, talking to UPS about a package pickup. K was shouting into the phone and I woke up. I had not been able to go to sleep readily the past two nights, and sighed inaudibly. Kept the dog silent while the call was conducted. A hangup, indignation, and I could hear the hard breathing of one pissed off K.

When K was finally able to get through, there was an "I don't know we'll call you back because we don't have you scheduled for pickup today" when it clearly stated on the label K had online that the pickup WOULD be happening today and not two-three days from now, was yet another straw that further irritated K.

I stayed quiet, and listened to K vent about it. Yes, these people are inept and yes they are the ones who have jobs and are working while so many are out of work.

Some jokes about how cowardly the dog was, just like her owner, meaning me -- was when I looked at K and said, hmmmm, perhaps you need to go out and get some fresh air. Maybe even go back to your place and just chill there for some peace and quiet. I should put the word cowardly in quotes because the word used was a little more coarse and related to a female body part.

K quietly got dressed. But apparently now is slacking because someone else in the house is going out to run errands. "Why can't you go and run yours? I'm here. " I ask. A silent shake of head. Whatever. K could've gone and done and been back by now. Just because others take two hours to get ready and go out doesn't mean a thing in my book.

I take a deep breath and release

It's 3:00 in the morning. The doorbell suddenly starts ringing, one ding-dong then another. WTF? By the time I calmed the dog down and raced out the bedroom to see who it was, cousin's girlfriend strolled past me to the door and went to peer in the peephole. She asked who was it, as if she couldn't tell who it was. She then opened the door, as I got to the door and there was my cousin standing there, with an amused look on his face. I didn't think it was funny, and found it odd that this girl who doesn't live here answers a door that isn't hers to answer let alone open. I grunted, turned around and went to my room, only to find that it was curious that my other dog didn't bark or alert the media as to who was at the door. I met my other dog in the hallway and she was calm, wagging her tail at me to greet me, as if she just came in from outside herself. I wondered if my cousin had somehow taken the dog out for a walk and stayed out and the girl, to be mean or teach him a lesson, put an extra lock on that he didn't have the key for to get in. It's just not the time and place to teach him a lesson. She wants to teach him a lesson, she needs to go live in her parent's place where her bedroom's at and drag him there permanently to live under her parents' thumb. Let's see how lovey-dovey it gets then. They never stay there more than a day or two before they come running back over here, acting like they are pulling a fast one on everybody by living like gypsies out of bags and making excuses as to why they don't pay rent while they sport new video game systems and shoes. All this while in their mid-20's, certainly not children but not all that mature in the mind either. And they want to play house. In my house. Riiight.

I texted his sister who was luckily at her place, although I knew she was probably fast asleep unlike the rest of us. I had a few choice things to say but as I have a saying, only ugly things can happen at three in the morning, and to hold off and see how things look in the morning. I do wish there was a way to keep them both up since they inconvenienced me. Aunt was woken up by the ringing but she didn't come out, and I filled her in. She thought maybe cousin was coming from work. I said really? Wasn't he here at 8 pm? Why would he be back by 3 and from his job in another borough that takes over an hour to get to and back from? And if he had the dog, no way was he working.

We'll solve the mystery tomorrow. I am thinking of changing the locks, including the deadbolt and making sure the two idiots don't get a copy of any key so we don't go through the elderly teenager theatrics again.

honesty and cash flow

Broke night. Watched the sun rise. Again. I should be grateful I'm getting to see these as I'm not up to see the sun come up very often. It's during times like a sunrise or sunset where one ponders one's humanity, their success and failings, frailty, and beauty.

However, it also means one's awareness is not very sharp and I walked around today in a bit of a fog. I was hungry but did not really register the food except for the tangy sharpness of the ketchup as T and I finished brunch today after T's doctor's appointment.

T handed me two twenty dollar bills along with the bill that had been written up by the waiter and walked out of the place to wait for me. There was a little line, with two people ahead of me and the cashier was nowhere to be seen. After a minute, she came forward and collected from one, then as she counted the money, I could see she was rushed. The other lady who was waiting said, "Oh, you can go ahead," and I said, "I am waiting until she is done with this prior order," as the woman was still doublechecking the money in her drawer before closing it after giving the other customer their change. The other lady said she had to pay with a credit card which is why she was telling me to go ahead.

Then the cashier took my bill and the two twenty dollar bills, peered at the bill, then went to count out change. She handed it back to me, and I proceeded to give a $5.00 bill to the waiter and then walk out with two bills and some change and handed it to T. Turns out later the bills were one dollar bills each and I had been shortchanged $10.00.

We came home and then shortly thereafter I finally went to sleep. When I awoke around 6:10-6:15 from my nap, I was immediately told of the missing change from T. Luckily I had grabbed a menu on the way out so we had the number to the place. I called, and T walked out, and muttered that never mind we'll probably never see the money again. For $10.00, the cashier would know if the till was over, I countered, and let the phone ring.

After speaking briefly to a man there, I asked to speak to the lady cashier. I asked if she was there working around 1 pm to 2 pm today. She immediately got on and admitted she was the only one who worked the register today. I gave her my name and explained about the $10.00 and she stated that she did not handled the counting out of the drawer, that the owner did, and that she didn't know if the owner had counted out or not as she was not sure of the times when it was done. I asked for hers and she didn't give it. She did state she was the only one who handled the drawer.

She stated I could call back tomorrow. I asked if I could leave my name and number and when the drawer was counted, if it was over $10.00 could they call me. She then mentioned about the manager being there, and I patiently waited for her to finish her thought as english was not her first language. I asked if I could speak to the manager if the manager was there now. She paused, then said OK. She also added that this was the first call for today, that there had been no one else calling about the overage and no other complaints. That didn't assure me too much.

The manager got on after I heard her briefly explain the situation in another language. Then he got on, I greeted him with hello he answered hello back. I asked if he was the manager and he said yes. I asked his name and he said Angelo. I gave him my name and proceeded to tell him my story and about the till possibly being $10.00 over. He listened, then said the register had already been counted out at 3. I asked 3 in the morning or in the afternoon? He responded 3 pm today. So I said "then you can tell me if the till is over." He said yes. So I asked if it was, and he didn't answer straight away. He instead said I could come over tomorrow morning around 9 (which T reminded me would be their busiest time) and talk to another manager named Alex who would be there to help settle the matter.

I went, OK, and then said, "could I leave my name and number and have Alex call me tomorrow to see if the money's there for sure instead of me making a trip out there?" And Angel assured me that I should just come by, no worries. I said, OK, although that was all weird about his not really answering the question of whether the till was over or not.

So I said OK and we said goodbye and hung up. I went to look for T who had since disappeared during the five to ten minute conversation. I took down the names of Angel and Alex onto the menu I had of theirs and wanted to share the news. T was nowhere to be found. I went back to my room and texted a "hey where are you?" kind of a text. Three minutes later, I heard the front door unlock and T and my dog sauntered in.

I quickly gave T the update and T had no confidence we would get the money back and said to let it drop. I countered that it is $10.00 not a dollar, and that the owner wouldn't have insisted on my coming by just on the off chance the money may or may not be there. The money was there, and the manager probably wanted to downplay it without saying outright they screwed up. "I asked him if I could leave my name and number and have Alex call me back so I wouldn't have to take a trip over there, and Angel said it's OK that Alex would take care of it, so that tells me that they probably just want to doublecheck it by checking me out to see if I'm legit or not. The lady cashier who was the only one there and our waiter may remember me, so...(I'm sure the trip will not be in vain)."

T expressed doubt, but the conversation was finished. I will take the walk tomorrow morning since I'll most likely be awake. I've broken night several times. I just pray I can be more focused and the conversation is positive.