One of the weirdest days of my life. I went to NAATI to cancel my test. I couldn’t cope with the note-taking. It would cost me money so I was trying to see if there was another way. I came in the morning but the PIC wasn’t available. Another staff talked to me and she was very friendly and she was positive they could work something out. When I returned in the afternoon, the PIC greeted me with a kungfu stance. Before she opened her mouth I could tell that she was just looking for somebody to vent her anger and frustration, whatever and whoever had originally caused it. So needless to say, my effort failed and I had to pay the penalty, and had to endure some very illogical rant from the PIC about the admin trouble that she had to go through because of me. Yeah, right. I was an administrator in a language school. Been there, done that.

I took the lift on my way out and met the kungfu lady again just outside the lift. She smiled a little. Maybe she regretted being so mean to a customer. Maybe she was afraid I would file a complaint. Anyway, NAATI, your staff sucks. Let me make that clearer, NAATI, YOUR STAFF SUCKS!!!

From there I went to the org to pick up some documents to be proofread. Surprise, surprise... It wasn’t there. Somebody had sent it to the wrong address. It took them half an hour to get to that conclusion. I left thinking, what a shitty day and started the long walk to my computer class in Central. But outside the org the wind was fresh and I felt a sense of well-being (???). I was alternately happy and upset, like a traffic light. Here was my train of thought: What a wonderful weather! Nasty bitch. I love the feel of the wind against my face and body. Stupid test. I feel great! They’d better deliver the file to me. Etc...etc...

There was another surprise when I arrived at the school. A friend returned to the class. He had been absent for over a month. His brother passed away and he went back to his home country to attend the funeral and stuff. I informed the teacher about this in writing, but apparently she forgot. She greeted my friend with,”Hello, where have you been? You went on a holiday, did you?”............long uncomfortable silence...................as us students looked at each other, not knowing what to say. We’ll just have to explain that later to her.

During the class, a person from the org called and said she would deliver the missing file to Central station. I had never met her. She told me she was Japanese, very tall, and she was wearing a white shirt and trousers. Her name is Hiroko. After class I rushed to the station to meet her. Just outside the station an Asian girl in white shirt and trousers smiled at me and said, “Excuse me...” Without thinking, I blurted out, “Hiroko?” She looked really surprised. “Yes!” and “Would you like to buy a chocolate bar? The money would be used to build a school in the Solomon Island.” Now I am surprised. I looked at her badge. Yes, her name was indeed Hiroko, but not the Hiroko I was looking for. I apologised and said I was in a hurry, and maybe next time. What are the odds that something like that could happen?

Anyway, in the end I found the right Hiroko, got the file, and went home. Yeeeah, some days are like this.