“Remoted – Hybrid” – Day 725 (Friday) – rumble

Before leaving for work, there was a search for lunch. The quick rifle through the freezer revealed many containers of individual servings of macaroni and cheese and several containers of soup too large for a lunch serving. A single container holding a small piece of mushroom, spinach, cheese quiche was located and dropped into the work bag.

The morning was sunny and cold, and in a departure from the usual route, there was a detour to the coffee shop. Most mornings I think about stopping, then decide “maybe I’ll go later” and rarely do. Today was cold enough that I wouldn’t want to come out again in an hour or two to get a coffee.

Usually, if I get a coffee at work, it’s a couple hours after arrival. Today, the fresh cup of breakfast blend after what was consumed at home barely an hour earlier had me feeling electrified. When this happens, it’s usually followed with water to attempt to dilute the effect.

That’s when it was noticed the water dispenser had disappeared since Wednesday, lending an air of mystery to the day. When did it go? Was it spirited away for repair because the cold water wasn’t very chilled anymore? Nobody present in the office today knew the answers, but it seriously crimped the regular hydration attempts. There is a water machine on the other side of the suite, but out of sight, out of mind, and it’s so easy to just not get up and go over there. 

Hot cocoa reserves for days.

During the morning, the stomach was rumbling with hunger. The planned boring granola bar was cast aside and the lunch quiche became breakfast, creating the dilemma of nothing for lunch. Consideration was given to the plentiful local food options, but too many options became paralyzing. The stomach was actively rumbling again and the brain was stalling.

The desk snack drawer was inventoried. In addition to the usual paper clips and Post-it Notes, the drawer held seven packets of hot cocoa mix, 10 tea bags, four coffee pods, two packets of instant maple brown sugar oatmeal, four granola bars, and the emergency ramen brick. The ramen was the winner of the lunchtime lottery. 

While pausing to cross a small side street after work, there was a group of about 15 to 20 young people a half block away clustered on the sidewalk front of the bakery. A lot of yelling was going on. A police vehicle glided to a stop at the curb. I crossed to the other side of Merrimack to avoid being caught in a situation.

As the police officer approached, the crowd got louder and began to split up. One girl with long red hair and wearing a tank top was screaming and flailing and a guy tried to restrain her with a bear hug from behind. The officer yelled at her to “knock it off!”

Supper!

Meanwhile, over on my side of the street, kids watched out the window from the tea and smoothie shop, with some coming out to the sidewalk. A guy on the rumble side of the street started yelling to a guy who came out of the tea shop and I kept walking. Quickly. There was no interest in being an up-close witness to a downtown situation. There was a dog to get home to and supper to be had.

The hungry horrors that ruled breakfast and lunch dominated supper. The morning freezer forage provided all information necessary to know there were lots of ingredients and no quick supper solutions. An online order was placed and quickly delivered and it was vegetable pizza, beer, and cannolo for the win. Thank you nearby local, dependable pizza place and forgotten Sam Adams variety pack in the fridge.