School is out of session until September 27th.  Absolutely insane, but the schools suffered more damage than initially thought.  And while public school stops, college does not.

Earth Science last night.  Fun as usual, I have a test next monday that I will have to seriously study for.  But this isn't the stuff that makes for good reading.

So what does exactly?  Oh I don't know- the ride over to IRCC?

Allow me to explain.

The rain was coming down in sheets all day- and through the amazing services that we call the news, we learned that this rain was, in fact, the remnants of Ivan.  Who knew?

Well, the news knew... but that's beside the point.  This was at 3pm- surely by 5:30 (the time I have to go over to the college for class) the rain will have let up, right?

Wrong.  It got worse, as a matter of fact.  I listen to the lectures on safe driving in the rain from both parents and then quickly slip away, they're making me late.  I run to the car, the umbrella's in it, after all.  Sure I'm a bit wet (understatement!) but it's ok, nothing major.

Oy vey, how does someone drive in this?  I'm so tempted to get a notepad and go back in and let them lecture me again. 

But no- I have to make it to school on time like any good student. 

I'm driving, slowly and pretty much without sight- the rain is just pounding and my windshield wipers are doing everything they can, in vain, to improve my view of the road.  If I could see more than two feet in front of me at any given time, it was a blessing.

Around halfway there I notice my car is pulling to the right.  Well that can't be good!  But, knowing nothing about cars and being already close to late to class, I decide to drive it out.  Again it pulls, sometimes it takes me by surprise- but all in all, it's nothing earth-shattering.

At the next intersection, a woman honks her horn at me before pulling up along side of me.  Wondering what she wants, I roll down my window. 

"Your front tire is really low.  I mean REALLY low."  I wave to her as a thank you and by this time the light has changed... so I trek on, going a bit more slowly now that I know where the pulling is coming from.  My street is coming up soon, thank goodness.  Suddenly I feel some sort of turbulance under the car... not one to take chances I put on both directionals and drive it to school around 20mph.  I consider reducing the speed a little more.

Just then, an ancient lady in her junky old station wagon circa 1956 passes me... this is bad.  No reason to reduce the speed, I tell myself.

Pulling into the school I find a parking spot close by and turn the car off.  I have to call my dad- he'll help me out here.  Just need to get my cell phone...

That wouldn't be so hard, except I left it at home.  WHY ME? 

At least I have an umbrella, right?  I'll just walk up to the main office and use their phone.  I mean, sure- it's a long walk... but hey!  I have protection, right?  Come on people, in situations like these, you grasp for any little straws that could potentially make the situation easier!

Just like it always is, my little black umbrella is sitting under the passenger seat.  Alright!  Maybe this won't be so bad after all.  I undo the tie and reach under to push up the metal-umbrella-thingy.

Only there is no metal-umbrella-thingy.  NO UMBRELLA-THINGY?!  That can't be.  There's ALWAYS an umbrella-thingy.  How else do you open it?  No no no, I'm missing something!  I search the umbrella to see if maybe it's just in a different position until thankfully I spot the metal-umbrella-thingy.

'So where on the umbrella was it?' I hear all of you ask.  Wait for the answer with bated breath, my friends.

It was on the floor of my damn car, and not on the umbrella where it belongs.  Just freaking great.  What the hell do I do now?  I have no raincoat, and now I have no umbrella.  Well I have an umbrella, but a lot of good it does me broken!  

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I think that about conveys my feelings, don't you?  So what now?  I have a car that I really shouldn't drive, an umbrella that won't work, and no cell phone.  I am going to have to make a run for the building- that's about it. 

I get out of the car and take off my shoes- because running in backless shoes, especially backless shoes with a bit of a platform, is difficult to say the least.  Shoes and bag in arm, I make a run for it.  I'm sure I was a funny sight... I needed my own theme music really. 

The rain is just thick and completely drenching- my poor clothes, my poor body!  But with persistance and a bit of celerity I make it to the building... oh thank God.  I reach for the door...

locked.  No... no no no no!  Not locked- please don't be locked!  DAMN IT!

I bang on the door, half crying- I'm soaked to the bone, thoroughly chilled and just frustrated beyond reason.  It's no use.  Not only is it locked, there isn't a soul in the building. 

I sink to the wet ground and just gather myself.  Where else is there a phone?  Come on Jess, think!  Phone... phone... in the library!!

The library?  Grrrr- the campus library is like, all the way down in the boonies... I'm going to die of exhaustion and saturation before I even get halfway there.

And yet, what else is there to do?  Collecting myself- mainly my sanity, I get up and begin to run again.

Don't you think I should have theme music?!  I'm telling you!  Go on, mission impossible!  Or even something lovely at the end of a romantic comedy- ooooh Breakfast at Tiffany's anyone?

Anyway- I am running, I'm making my way... no one's outside, and the few that are hanging around are wearing multiple raincoats AND carrying an umbrella.  I'm so jealous, it's disgusting.

It's the most beautiful sight- the sign that says Campus Library.  Tired and cold, I open the door... so not locked!  There is a God!

Now comes the tricky part, walking across the freshly pollished tile floors to get to the phone.  But with some luck and patience, and a lot of apologies to disapproving janitors, I reach the phone.

I call my dad, I explain the situation... he tells me to call him back after class and he'll walk me through the process of fixing the tire.  Um... how do I tell him??

"Dad I can't call you after class."

"What?  Why not?"

"Cause I..."  get it out quickly...  "didn't brffff mydfghhh pphhne."

"I can't hear you- you didn't what?"

"I said I didn't bring my... *cough* phone *cough*."

"Jess... speak up?"

"I DIDN'T BRING MY PHONE- MY PHONE- IT'S SITTING AT HOME, I CANNOT CALL YOU ON IT."  Oy, glad I got that out.

"YOU DID WHAT?!  What the hell did we get you the damn thing for?"  And so on... and so on...

To make a long story short- although it is too late , my dad had to drive over and fix my car for me so I could drive it back home.  That's not to say he didn't stick around waiting for me to come out of class so he could have a chat with me about it... *sigh*.

But in the meantime I hung up the phone and proceeded to walk outside and journey all the way back to my class (which I was a bit late for).

That's when it started to hail.