My Party With Alexander

It was one of those days
At the end I declared, "I'm having a party with Alexander!"
Alexander, a rather grouchy and discombobulated young man.
You know the story.
Alexander's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
by Judith Viorst
Today it became my own.
Won't you now join me and commiserate just a little?

It started with my silver hoop earring getting caught in my brush.
Somehow it slipped out.
I was brushing my hair of course.
What else?
It hit the floor.
Then clunk.
I searched with all my might on both hands and knees.
Five minutes later, I resigned myself.
Time to choose something different.
I would resume my search later.
Later after work.
I resumed to no avail.
My earring had vanished.
Simply vanished into thin air.

By nine o'clock the first class entered.
Chattering and rambunctious as ever.
Coughing and sniffling.
All while elaborating on every detail of their current condition.
They did not finish their work.
They were to come in for recess.
Two never showed up.
More work for them to do later.

On break,the copier was most temperamental.
It wanted nothing to print.
Nothing at all.
It must not have liked my anxious fingertips.
I typed in the code.
Anything EXCEPT what I pushed seemed to light up.
"Aagh! What's the problem?" I vented.
Of course the Konica was silent.
I felt like yelling and punching.
Thank goodness for our friendly librarian.
Most kind and gracious, she was happy to help me.

By afternoon, the kids were wild and zany.
I'm so glad there were no chandeliers or vines for them.
They'd be swinging like monkeys.
Boys bursting with energy and loud as elephants.
Most wanted to play puppets.
I wondered who or what had their strings so wound up.

By evening it was time to commence the day with a meal.
Mmmm, chili I thought.
Warm, comforting and most appealing.
One slight complication.
Only crushed tomatoes with Italian herbs to mix with the meat.
Upon its completion, I set it down way too abruptly.
Before I knew it my Italian herbed chili splattered all over my pant leg.

Exhausted and depressed.
Fed up if you will.
It was one of those days when I just couldn't win.
So a declaration I made as I called a dear friend.
"Today, I'm partying with Alexander," I informed her.
She's a teacher, too.
She knows how it is.
She laughed and then listened.

By the end of our talk I felt so much better.
And then I remembered.
I thought about my miserable friend, Alexander.

His mommy pointed out, "Some days are like that even in Australia."

Yes, indeed.
Some days are like that.
No matter where we are.
Life can be that way.
Tiresome and irritating as ever.
Thank God, it never lasts!

It comes.
It passes.
Then it moves on.

I appreciate that.
We all can.
I'm sure.
Like sweet chocolate kisses wrapped in shiny tin foil.

So, rejoice and be glad.
Open up your hard heart.
Say so long to the pity.
So long, Alexander.
So long to the mishaps.
Put it behind you.
That horrible, rotten, no good, stinky day is now done.