I got up at five, as usual, thanks to Alarmclock Keiko, and stayed awake as I had an eight o'clock interview in Franklin. Franklin is about 20 miles south of here. It's not my ideal choice of where to work, but I'd accepted the interview so it had to be done. My headache didn't improve when I discovered I only had enough coffee to make a really weak cup. Life was not good.

I hauled my butt down the highway after looking up the directions for TCS Travel. I knew I'd written them down earlier, but I hadn't been able to find the piece of paper this morning. I probably balled it up for Keiko to play with, knowing me. Anyway, I showed up in good time, told them I was there for my interview, met with the manager about the travel agent job they'd advertised, and went away again. Fine. No big deal. I was much more concerned about not being able to get a decent cup of coffee until everything opened at 10 than I was about whether the interview went well. I think it did, actually, but I was feeling ill and cranky.

Back home I read the paper, hit the store when they opened, bought coffee beans, made coffee, took three Advil, drank the coffee, had a hot shower, lay down on my bed, and conked out. The cats joined me, one on either side, and we all snoozed peacefully through the hot day. Bliss. Got up around four, made some more coffee, read my email, and doodled around while my headache leached away. By six I was feeling really rather good and looking forward to my phone call from John (who is in California this week, as I mentioned in an earlier entry). The phone rang and I zoomed off to get it. I picked up the phone and said hello in a cheerful tone.

"Ms. Huntzinger? This is Kelly at Franklin Travel. Did you forget we had an interview this morning?" a nice lady said. My mouth fell open.

"Why, I went to it. I talked to Dawn, the manager," I said in amazement. "I was there for about half an hour. Was I supposed to meet with you also?"

"We don't have a Dawn at this agency," she said. I stood there, aghast. She continued to talk to me a little while my mind raced. Then I suddenly and quite uncontrollably started to laugh.

"Did . . . did you say Franklin Travel?" I asked. "Not TCS? Oh my god. I went to the wrong agency." She laughed politely, clearly not quite as amused as I was. I was horrified but there wasn't much I could do about it at that point. I couldn't stop the bubble of laughter from welling up. We chatted for a little longer; I apologized profusely and quite sincerely with a distinct tremble in my voice. She didn't ask me to reschedule, and we hung up.

That's right. I never had an interview set up with TCS. I thought that's who called me on Friday afternoon. I'd sent them a resume, after all, and they didn't let on for one moment that I didn't have an appointment this morning. I'd gone all the way to Franklin for a job they didn't have for me, and blew the interview where they were interested in me.

I swear, coffee is not a drug to fool around with. If I'd been awake, I might have had a clue. For sure, no more early morning appointments. Also, I will not leave the house before double checking with the agency that I'm supposed to be there. And I will definitely start keeping a stash of beans in the freezer. I hope this will help. Pray for me, brothers and sisters, pray for me.