Not much is going well (except rude good health), but I got a lucky break today and feel pretty chuffed about it.
Following the morning’s customary ride, I got home and discovered the kangaroo badge I had velcroed to my bike saddle bag just two days ago was gone.
I kicked myself with the reminder of my incredible propensity for breaking, losing, damaging or otherwise rendering unusable just about anything I ever get my hands on.
Then, I happened to look at Strava and noticed that a follower had posted a photo of the lost badge!
“You bloody ripper,” I thought, believing that I’d be able to pick it up off him. Then I read his post and found out that he’d left the badge where he found it….about 15 km from my home.
I didn’t have enough time to make it to the spot and back before work started, so decided I would go during my lunch break. I figured if I rode fast enough, I’d make it there and back on time.
Unfortunately, the wind was pretty strong, and I feared that the badge would be blown away long before I got to the Chuo Line rail bridge across the Tama River where my mate had left it.
Lunchtime came and I got to the spot without any hassle. But nothing was to be found. I slowly searched the grass in the area, then went up and down the stairs where the badge had been found. Nothing.
Then, just as I was about to give up, I spotted it! Somebody had put a pebble on top of the badge to stop it blowing away. And I had my kangaroo back!
I took a couple of shots and re-attached it with the velcro and rode off. Less than 100 meters later, the badge fell to the ground again.
Finally learning my lesson, I shoved the badge in my pocket and raced home, just making it back in time to avoid being bollocked for being out too long.
That was where my luck ran out, though: the boss determined to find at least one fault in my activities every day rang to blast me for not acknowledging one of her micromanaging messages on Telegram. She was right, and I had acknowledged my error, but she still felt compelled to call and blast me to assert her authority. Fuck her, and fuck my company for condoning her abuse.
