The Arboretum

The Class

I signed up for a gardening class, it was pricey, but it was held at a prestigious garden and arboretum, so I figured it would be worth it. I left work late and hadn't eaten since lunch time which I ate standing in the breakroom.

 It was the second day of 100 degree temperatures outside and I had been hot and irritable all day. Our hospital is old, and the chillers just cannot keep up with the heat wave. So I left the hospital late and starving and irritable for class.

 As I got into my car, a blast of heat came from my vents and my steering wheel was too hot to touch. My car has the kind of air conditioning that just about starts working when you arrive wherever you are going.

I thought about just ditching the class, and heading home to lay under the swamp cooler in my underwear, but I had paid a lot of money for it, and forced myself to go. I also was trying to get out more and meet people. I spent way too much time just going to work and going home. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. I wanted to be with people.

I stopped on the way for a cheeseburger. It was juicy and hot, with slices of tomato and pickle but no onion (because I'm trying to make friends here) and I held it in one hand as I drove, taking advantage of each stoplight to take a big bite. With every bite, my chin dripped with grease. I tried to contain it in the yellow wrapper but it was everywhere.

 I now had grease on my chin, on my hands from wiping my chin, and now on the steering wheel. I restrained myself from wiping my hands on my scrub pants, but just barely. I really wanted to. I couldn't find a napkin, and the stained brown paper bag, was now crumpled on the floor of the backseat where I had tossed it.