It was close.

So I was at work and working on a project which needed a lot of focus and attention to detail. I look at my watch while receiving a phone call about my debit card making some purchases in Montreal. I'm already behind by 15 minutes for my daughters TB Test appointment for the daycare. So I cancel my card and run out the door.

I run uphill for about 5 minutes straight before reaching my car (Hawaii is hilly like that). Out of breath, I look at my gas tank and find that it's lit when I start the car. I don't have time.

I pick up Emma from the babysitters, and rush to the pediatrics clinic... There's absolutely no reasonable parking.

I go to the valet section.

"How much to use the valet service?" I asked.

"It's five dollars brah," the guy said. I checked my wallet and only had two, but I have a second debit card.

"I'm late, is there an ATM I can use inside? Are you ok with me paying after I come back?"

"No problem! Just come back before 4 o'clock because that's when we close."

He gives me the shaka and I run with Emma (I left the stroller) and look for the pediatrics clinic. Emma yells the sound of "Ah" as I'm bolting as fast as possible to pediatrics. She runs around in the pediatrics office, gets the TB test, and cries for a little while. I take my time in consoling her and walk to an ATM... only to find that my card was declined. I go to a shop for cash back, and the card was declined again.

So for thirty minutes, I'm trying to call the bank to see if they can fix my second Debit card, but we're in Hawaii and we're 6 hours behind so they're closed. I face the music and swallow my pride.

"Hey I'm not sure why, but my card is declined, I have five dollars at home but I have to drive there. I apologize."

"No worries bro!"

He hands me the keys and says he hopes he sees me soon. I look at my watch and I've got 15 minutes to go home and get the cash and drop Emma off.

I get home after dropping her off and look for cash. Lauren put it in her wallet so all I can find is 5 dollars in quarters, nickels and dimes.

I count it off and bolt back to the hospital. The guy looks at me like "Dude, what the hell is your problem" as I hand him a wad of coins. He reluctantly accepts it and looks at me and says "You gotta take it easy bro or you'll get a heart attack... remember, you're in Hawaii."

So I soak that in for a moment and he's right! Weather is never really above 75 to 80 degrees, mostly sunny and some nice island breeze going on here with some pretty decent reggae on the radio.

Thank you Hawaiian local valet guy for the reminder!

Then I ran out of gas... as I was heading into a gas station.

[Edited on July 7, 2011 at 2:56 AM. Reason : s]

7/7/2011 2:54:21 AM

the six P's...

7/7/2011 5:00:24 AM

I'm sorry... the six P's?

7/7/2011 5:30:22 AM

Proper Prior Planning Promotes Peak Performance

[Edited on July 7, 2011 at 5:49 AM. Reason : I thought most military folks knew this]

7/7/2011 5:48:21 AM

(Piss poor) but yes, that's the official version.

7/7/2011 8:37:24 AM

tl;dr.

TWW is not a blog.

Carl is one of the most uninteresting TWWers of all time.

7/7/2011 8:41:26 AM

NON-CONTIGUOUS

UNITED STATES

PROBLEMS

7/7/2011 8:44:04 AM

OCONUS PROBLEMS ITT

7/7/2011 8:52:55 AM

just think though, you could be having a day like this...

AND BE ON DIALYSIS TOO.

7/7/2011 8:55:27 AM

That's nowhere close to a "worst day ever."

You met a cool dude and your bank alerted you to card fraud, potentially saving you thousands and much more of a headache.

If that's close to the worst day ever for you, then you've got a very good life.

7/7/2011 8:57:29 AM

You aren't prepared for life.

7/7/2011 9:14:32 AM

plz send to chitchat so people can flame this thread

7/7/2011 9:23:49 AM

I wanna live in hawaii!

7/7/2011 9:49:44 AM

I almost accept a job in Hawaii but the pay wouldn't have been enough for the cost of living out there.

Quote :

"If that's close to the worst day ever for you, then you've got a very good life."

7/7/2011 9:58:45 AM

Quote :

"I wanna live in hawaii! "

lol i actually planned to attend university of hawaii and take classes on different campuses (on different islands) each semester, learn to surf, snorkel and live the bumlife!

7/7/2011 10:06:13 AM

Cool story, good ending

Is it bad that I read the first word in each line expecting a rick roll?

7/7/2011 10:39:19 AM

I was expecting Yo Holmes!

7/7/2011 10:48:12 AM

I learned the 6Ps as:

Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

[Edited on July 7, 2011 at 10:53 AM. Reason : :]

7/7/2011 10:52:47 AM

how could this happen to meee

7/7/2011 12:38:10 PM

Quote :

"I look at my gas tank and find that it's lit when I start the car"

took me a second to catch that this was the light and not the actual tank....i somehow thought the car exploded but he was all, "Meh - don't have time for that! Gotta get to a TB test!"

7/7/2011 6:33:36 PM

http://www.king5.com/news/125105599.html

7/7/2011 7:42:57 PM

so how did you pay for the gas?

7/7/2011 7:47:19 PM

Called Lauren, she was on her way home and 2 minutes away when I called... For some reason, that didn't seem like a big deal after she came and paid for the gas...

7/8/2011 12:17:19 AM