Near Miss

Yesterday I was working like I most people do. One of my responsibilities is to assign visitor parking. One of the guys from the head of our Institute was coming up here for a meeting so I told him to park in the presidents spot (the president of the Institute). When he got here there was someone in it. Tim, my boss, came over and asked for the parking book. I gave it to him and he went back in his office and looked out the window. Now I knew what was going to happen. He was going to have the car ticketed and towed. We've had issues with parking for a while...at least as long as I've been here anyway. People think that they can just park anywhere in front of our building. I work in downtown Baltimore...parking is expensive so I understand why people wouldn't want to pay $5 for something that's going to take 10 minutes.

In my building there are 2 centers: the IHV and the one I work for, the MBC. Now IHV and MBC do not get along mainly because the director of the IHV and Tim don't get along. The director of IHV wants this whole building and he thinks that what he does is more important than anything the rest of the Institute does. That's just not right. I get along with people from the IHV. I've never once had an issue with them...well except one of the dr's. He got snippy with me because he swore he told me about a lab meeting he has every week in a certain room that I had given to someone else. He never once called me. Actually I'd never seen him before that day. Oh well...anyway back to my story. The IHV has a Clinic on the first floor of our building and their patients have a bad habit of parking there. After so asking the Clinic to tell there patients not to park out front, Tim started getting angry and said that if anyone is in our spot or the presidents spot without asking, then they would be towed. This is what brought me to what I thought would have been total and complete humiliation. Yesterday I was fairly busy and I thought that this one lady from IHV called and asked for the spot. I told her yes but I forgot to write it in the book. Later that day is when the fellow from Central was coming and I thought I got the person towed. It bugged me all night...I thought for sure I was going to lose my job or at the very least pay for the ticket and towing fee. Turns out it was the other day that that happened. I was so happy this morning when I looked in the book and saw that I got the days mixed up. That means that yes someone did get ticketed and towed but it wasn't my fault. I know that was a simple story and I made it a lot longer than it needed.

Tonight I'm going out with some friends. I'm the designated driver again. I like being the designated driver. Drinking is overrated. You do and say stupid things while drinking and when you wake up the next day, you feel like crap. So I choose to drink Diet Coke and watch everyone else make a fool out of themselves. Wednesday is Maggie's birthday so we're celebrating it this evening. Today is Claude's birthday but tomorrow is his party. That should be fun. I'm getting him a volleyball net and a gift certificate. He should like that. Sunday of course is Father's Day. I have no idea what I'm going to wind up doing for Dad or Mr. Mike. I have to get them a little something but I have no idea what that could be. I know, I know....I procrastinate but I seriously couldn't afford it this week. Actually I can't really afford it this week but I cut some corners so that I can get them both something. Well I get out of here in a little over a hour and a half. Can't wait. It's super nice out. Better enjoy it while I can...this weekend it's supposed to be sweltering. :(