The Construction Project

You know it's going to be a great day when you end up getting ready for work in the public restroom at the Dunkin' Donuts down the street. Granted, this isn't the first time I had to resort to this particular DD restroom, as you may recall the time a few years ago when my pipes froze (thank you, Cleveland). Although back then I soon developed an at-home contraption involving (read: consisting entirely of) a plastic grocery bag draped under my toilet lid. There was surely a nice surprise that week for the shady female character who rummages through everyone's garbage cans on trash day. (Again, thank you, Cleveland.)

Today's brouhaha centered around the construction project that has my entire street in complete disarray. I knew it was bad when they said this project won't be completed until December, but I resorted to utter depression when the first thing they did was cut down all the trees. And my street was full of them. My current issue though, and the one that had me at DD to dry my hair this morning, is that the construction guys start at 6:30 in the morning. Meaning if you aren't out the door by the time they start, you might not get out. Having verified with the notification I received in the mail regarding the project, they aren't actually supposed to start working until 7:00. While it would still take a serious miracle to get me out of the house by 7:00 for the next 6 months, I wanted the workers to follow the rules. So this morning I told myself I wasn't budging until 7:00. A resolve that held until I got out of the shower and saw that the big machines were only a few feet away from destroying the pavement directly in front of my driveway.

And so that is how I came to be running down my driveway this morning, bathrobe and dripping wet hair, flagging down the workers. They agreed to give me a few minutes, so I threw on some clothes, grabbed my things, and headed to DD where I finished getting ready. All I have to say is this: expecting me to leave my house every morning at 6:30 is not acceptable. Not even realistic. Unless they build a small parking lot and install some sort of ski-lift mechanism that brings people in and out, I don't see how I'll survive this. But I suspect such additions will take the project over the $1.7 Million the city is springing for. Once more, thank you, Cleveland.

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