Everyone always tells me what a fun and exciting job I must have. Everyday is sunshine, unicorns, and pure bliss. Well I had my share of “It’s funny now, but not at the time” stories in 2014. I wish I had pictures or a video to show you of my featured event, but you will just have to use your imagination. Let me paint the scene for you.
It was a de-staging we had in Bondurant, IA this summer. Jordin was out ill and was in charge of the de-staging, and I needed to push all of my appointments back so I could meet the movers until Andrus could get there. I always start at the top and work my way down, so that meant removing the window treatments, only I had forgotten the ladder.
“No worries,” I said to myself “We used bar stools in the staging, I will use one of those to stand on.” I had gotten one side of the drapes down and was going to “hop” off of the stool, to move it to the other side and finish removing the last panel. Well, its not that easy to “hop” off of the bar stool when you are standing on top of it. The hop was more of a LARGE step down, which was basically like doing the splits…in jeans…can anyone see where this is going?
Yes, my long step down required more space in my jeans then my body had to give and rrrrrriiiiippp. There went the seat of my pants. My face froze and my brain immediately began problem solve. It’s summer and I had a T-shirt on, not long enough to cover the rip. I didn’t have an emergency pair of pants, so I just started praying that Andrus would show up soon, so I could go back home and change.
The more I started thinking of my ripped pants and how embarrassed I was, the faster I worked to start packing things up. But the more I moved to pack, the more the seat of my pants shredded and my heart was racing! Then I heard a car pull up and someone was coming to to door. Yay, saved, Andrus is here! Nope, not Andrus, it was the home owner.
Mortified, I can not keep my back to her forever and so I begin to explain my story. I’m not quite sure what she thought about that. I couldn’t tell by the look on her face, but finally Andrus showed up so I could put this crazy morning ‘behind’ me (too funny, couldn’t resist). Embarrassed, but relieved I cannot wait to get back to the office, and change to get to my other appointments.
Did I mention that the driveway is very narrow with long curves? In the driveway there was my SUV, Andrus’s car, the movers truck and trailer, and the homeowners very nice car in the drive way. There was nowhere to turn around. The only option is to back out. Feeling confident, I backed out very slowly, dodging cars, trucks, people, and furniture. Just when I thought I was in the clear, I feel and hear a CRUNCH. The right mirror was hanging on by a thread, and the homeowner came running out to see what is going on. Everyone was looking to see that I had backed into a tree and smashed the right side of my SUV, taking out my mirror and leaving punch holes in the side of my car like morris code. Although my car and mirror where is sad shape, I am glad to report no harm came to the tree!
With my head hanging low and tears streaming from my face I looked in the rearview mirror and stated “This is so not funny now, but one day it will be!” Then I called Alyssa, my office manager at the time and we met at Legend’s for lunch. I made that booth my office for the day. Yes, she brought me another pair of jeans to change into and a jacket to tie around my waist to get me in the door without being arrested.
I learned a lot from that de-staging: make sure to always bring a ladder, make sure to wear comfortable jeans to a de-staging, Jordin is never allowed to get sick during de-staging days, Legend’s is a great place to heal after a bad day, and that spin dip will not help you fit into your pants better, but it is delicious!
Here is wishing you a moment or two of reflection on some of your “Funny now, but not then” stories of 2014. If you ever want to share yours, I will meet you a Ledgend’s and you can see the magic of spin dip work first hand! Have a blessed rest of 2014 as we ring in 2015!