There are perfect sick days when you get to cozy up on the sofa, and then there are flawed sick days where there are still chores to do. Find out which one Jeff experienced recently…
Earlier this month, I called in sick to work. With the flu that has been going around the Lower Mainland, I wasn’t surprised when I began feeling ill. I don’t like to call in sick and tried my best to “tough it out” at work on Monday and Tuesday, but on the Wednesday I woke up feeling terrible.
I decided to hit the sauna at the Canada Games Pool and see if maybe a good sweat would make me feel better. No chance. Many of the patrons I knew urged me to go home and get some rest; one mentioned I looked like death.
So I showered up, got dressed and called my work. The office was closed so I left a message saying I wouldn’t be in that day. My employer is really good about sick days, with a message being sufficient and no questions asked unless an employee calls in sick more than three days in a row.
Now, when I call in sick, I like to make it a movie day. The idea of sitting on the couch, wrapped in a warm blanket in front of the big screen is what I consider a perfect day when I am sick. But I got a little greedy as I was walking out of Canada Games Pool; I thought about having some hot and fluffy blueberry pancakes with maple syrup. So I called my wife Baljeet to see if she was up yet, and I made my request. The conversation went something like this:
Me: Hey, I am not feeling well so I am going to stay home today. I was wondering…..
Baljeet (interrupting): Oh good. Superstore is open. Do you mind picking up a couple of things before you head home?
Me: Umm..sure. What do you need?
Baljeet: Well, we could use a gallon of milk, some eggs…
At this point I am fine with this request, because making pancakes would require milk and eggs…
Baljeet (continues): …some apples, oranges, green peppers, oh and red peppers too…
Now I’m getting a little annoyed but still accepting the requests…
Baljeet: …and pick up some outdoor light bulbs.
And cue the meltdown.
Me: Are you serious? We couldn’t get light bulbs at any other time? Are we completely devoid of light at the moment? Is there not even one light bulb working in the house?!?!?!
At this point I made a snide remark that I would be calling my employer and redacting my sick day because I’d rather be at work than stay home. Baljeet retorted that my comment was the best thing she would hear all day. (It was only 7:45am.)
You see, if I am going to call in sick I want to make sure that it is an enjoyable day at home. But I guess we both felt bad about the argument: I decided to go the grocery store anyway, and I bought everything Baljeet had asked for. When I arrived home, I noticed the warm smell of blueberry pancakes wafting throughout the house.
We finished breakfast, and as we settled in to watch The Godfather (Baljeet had never seen it), she joked that it was an odd request to ask for outdoor light bulbs when there really was no need for them immediately and she was glad I didn’t waste my time looking for them. I sighed, defeated.
Baljeet: What’s wrong?
Me: Nothing really. I just remembered I left the bag with light bulbs at the express checkout.
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