– Random Writings: Column by Rebecca Lindquist – - Just your average day

– Random Writings: Column by Rebecca Lindquist –

I attended Mellen High School’s 114th commencement exercises over Memorial Day weekend. My best friend, Eva, watched as her last child, Tommy, walked the stage with 13 other students, to receive their diploma. For such a small graduating class, it had all the pomp and circumstances of a large city ceremony.

Tommy’s graduation party afterward was a huge affair, with well over 300 friends and family members attending. One thing I love about Mellen, is that everyone brings a dish or two, to add to the tables already containing an abundant amount of food.

My daughter, Hannah, and her boyfriend, Steve, and I ate, as we visited for a time, before leaving to go back to our respective hotels. I stayed at the Mellen Motel, since Eva had 12 people staying with her. The motel is what I consider rustic. It’s nothing fancy, but offers a comfortable bed, clean sheets and towels, air conditioning, a mini-fridge and a microwave.

I drove up to Ashland first, to buy a few necessities. As usual, any itinerary I plan, never goes accordingly. It’s just a fact that little wrinkles will pop up along the way. As I came out of Walmart, it started raining and poured for the entire half hour drive back to Mellen. By the time I reached the motel, it was completely dark, even though it was only 8:30.

There was no outside light, as I fumbled to unlock the door. It was a persnickety mechanism and took several attempts. Once I had the door open, I figured it would be a piece of cake from there. That was a gross miscalculation, on my part.

I lifted my left foot up over the threshold, and put my right hand between the space of the door hinges and the doorjamb, to have a hand hold to brace myself, as I stepped up into the room. It sounded good, in theory, until I realized my hand was wedged in the door. Perfect. Now what?

Picture, if you will, it’s pitch black out, pouring rain, my left arm is loaded with two Walmart bags, my left foot is up inside the room, while my right leg is outside on the sidewalk and my right hand is lodged in the door crack. Meanwhile, the mosquitoes are holding a convention in my room and have formed an impromptu conga line, and are circling around my dripping, wet head.

There were other guests staying there, too, so I bet they got an earful, as I uttered several dire threats to no one in particular. After giving a hearty yank, I dislodged my hand, minus a few layers of skin off my knuckles, but at least I was free.

I was contemplating if I would have to spend the night in my car, when I noticed a log bench near the right side of my door. It was sturdy, extremely heavy and made the worst scraping sound ever, as I was dragging it toward my door.

I pulled it over until it was sticking out about six inches in front of the entrance. It was just what I needed to balance myself, as I finally gained access to my room.

I wasn’t really surprised by any of that, because, for me, it was just another average day.