Sandwiched

It's one of those days when I feel so overwhelmed and sandwiched between the young and the aged. I stayed home until noon so that I could send YK to school. He could make his own way there but I would rather he sit for his paper comfortably than feeling all sweaty and itchy after the long walk to the bus stop in the sweltering afternoon heat. In his 16-year-old mind, comfort is key.

When we got to the carpark, I saw a puddle of black oil below the bonnet. I remember the workshop telling me to monitor a leaking gasket or something during the last service. It had better not be from my car, I can't afford it to break down on me right now! Anyway, it's still working today, not sure about tomorrow.

SK has been bugging me about his mobile phone that had stopped working. When I came home yesterday, he rummaged through my bag to see if I had already purchased a new one. In his 14-year-old mind, not being able to communicate with his friends or listen to his favourite songs is intolerable. So I brought him to the store today to pick out one. Unfortunately we have to wait a day or two for new stock to arrive. I sent him home and promised to collect the phone once it arrives.

Mum has been urging me to get a referral letter from my dentist so she could go see a root canal specialist. In her 71-year-old mind, having to live with throbbing pain is suffering. I understand the torture and went to the dental clinic to ask for the letter and have already made an urgent appointment for her to see the specialist tomorrow afternoon.

Meanwhile, I felt wretched for being out of the office all morning, running errands instead of finding ways to improve sales. I stepped in at 2.30pm when almost 2/3 of the day is gone. Not that there's anything urgent in need of my attention but still, it feels good to be sitting at my desk, even if I'm having coffee and croissant or blogging instead of working. It's my little sanctuary.