Cav's Place

On the morning of April 2, I got in bed at 4:15 AM and probably slept just over half an hour before waking up at 5:25 AM and getting up, the alarm being set to ring at 5:30 AM. Admittedly, that was after getting some eight and a half hours of sleep the previous morning and I’d say just about two more in the evening, put together, but that was because I was feeling sleepy and rather out of it, maybe after sleeping little and going out the day before that, which didn’t bode well for what was to come, or maybe also something having to do with my stomach, maybe what I cooked wasn’t that good, because I felt like I should be crapping but couldn’t, which was another reason for concern. I hadn’t shaved either, but I didn’t care about that and in fact I haven’t shaved since then either, only planning to do so tonight, which makes me wonder whether it may be a new record.
Back to that morning, I actually did the day’s squats after getting up, then tried to coerce Micky into eating a little more and had an apple, yogurt with cereals and almonds, and a slice of cozonac, with added jam, so what I’d otherwise normally have before a run, with the exception of the tea. Then I finished getting ready, did a partial backup, cleaned the litter box, brushed my teeth, added the hoodie before putting on the jacket, since otherwise I was going in the clothes I had been wearing inside and hadn’t changed to pajamas when going to bed, and left when it was close to 6:55 AM.
After coming back the week before, I had the impression that there was a hole in the bottom of my old shoes, apparently caused just by pushing on the shovel, and that was proven correct then, since it had been raining and some drops were still falling, so it was wet and I felt the moisture getting in through that spot right away. But there was nothing to do about it then, and I thought I was already running late, the e-mail having included the same instructions as two weeks earlier, to be at Opera Square at 7:30 AM, so I ran again and was at Dristor a little after 7:05 AM.
That proved to be a waste of energy, however, since I was at Opera Square a little after 7:20 AM… And didn’t see anybody else there, nor any buses on that side of the parking lot. One was just leaving from the other side, however, so I thought that they might be leaving early for some reason and meant to run across the road to get to it, but was relieved to see it return to the parking lot, stopping in the spot it should have been in, what remained confusing and concerning being that I still couldn’t see anyone else when I got there and looked around. But a moment later someone came to greet me and ask if I was there to volunteer to plant trees, and also whether I had been the one who had called a little earlier to ask why nobody else was there. So I said I hadn’t called, but we had been told to be there at 7:30 AM and when I had arrived at 7:20 AM two weeks earlier I had found most others already there and we had left at 7:45 AM, to which she said she had been instructed to leave at 8 AM, 8:05 AM at the latest, but people had been told to start arriving at 7:30 AM and, as usual, many will be late.
To me, it seemed clear that we had been told to be there by 7:30 AM, not to start arriving then, but when, after waiting outside for a while, until a few others also arrived, I eventually got on the bus and didn’t find myself on the list, I started wondering whether I had received the wrong e-mail, the coordinator saying that there were two buses, the other being on the other side of that park, not in the same place. But she added me to that list, and while the 47 names that were on it would have only left that one free seat, or two if hers was also among the 47, and some five more ended up being added to the list by the time we left, right at 8 AM, about a third of the seats were empty at that point, and I think I saw 29 names on the list she made. I think there could have been some more, but only one of them from the original list, since one guy came to say that he had brought five or six others and ask whether enough seats were left or they should go by car, and after the coordinator told him to wait and see I think they decided to just go by car. And at least, while we each had forms to fill and sign on the way, we didn’t have to pass that list around, so I didn’t have to wait after others and risk to not even receive it before getting there, as it had happened a week earlier.
Either way, we were dropped off just before 9 AM, at the entrance of the dirt road leading to the site, the bus driver saying he couldn’t use it, though those who drove there on their own were doing so, which meant that we had to keep standing aside to make room for them as we walked. And it was a bit of a walk, seeing as we only got there at 9:15 AM. And now, just writing this from memory, only having some times and the pictures I took, without notes written when this was fresher in my mind, I can’t quite remember the order of things, but logic would dictate that I first went to pee and wash my hands, and I seem to remember rushing to do so and then leaving the toilet quickly and retying my pants on the side of the road before having the apron, which I then put on after putting some things in my backpack, while waiting for the tea to cool a little. So, I guess after peeing and washing my hands, inasmuch as I could at that portable thing, I went to get a cup of tea and, though those who had been ahead of me hadn’t asked for any and I therefore couldn’t initially get myself to do so either, the person who was after me asked whether the sandwiches were for lunch, and when she was told that they were for breakfast and asked for one, I did so as well, quickly eating it, since it again was a small one, just in a bun. After asking whether those who had been on the bus still needed to do so, I also signed the list, then took one of the bottles that were handed out, since they looked different from those I already had, a bottle of water, an apron and gloves, deciding to use the ones that were handed out after all, since I had those latex ones to wear underneath them, even though I had also taken those received a week earlier, which I hadn’t returned then.
I believe I was just putting on the gloves when first the employees of the participating companies and then the Scouts were asked to gather for pictures, and since I stepped back from that area at that point, I ended up next to the crates of sandwiches and saw a few other volunteers, and also the bus driver, just grabbing some, without asking, and the sandwiches were behind the two who were manning that part of the tent and they were busy with the tea and coffee anyway, so after hovering around for a while I worked up the courage to just grab one more, quickly eating it as the brief speech started, just after 10 AM. Then we were also given the usual instructions and before 10:15 AM, or maybe even closer to 10:10 AM, we could start planting… The problem being that there were many plots and some of the colors were similar, so I ended up among those walking back and forth and trying to compare the color of their bracelet to that of the signs. Considering the flags with the names of those companies that were on the plots that were behind the tent, it seemed quite clear to me that, since I wasn’t an employee, I shouldn’t go there, which left the first plot from the other area, so again the one starting right behind the speakers, as the only one with a color that seemed to match my bracelet, but the similar colors made me walk to the end of the area and back, to check all the signs, and still hesitate when I got back there and only saw two people. One of them looked at my bracelet and confirmed that I was in the right place, however, and she was also trying to call the others who had been assigned to that color, even picking up the sign and waving it while shouting that color’s name, which by now I actually forgot, and I remember that at that time I muttered that I didn’t even know what that was, which prompted her to also mutter something about men and colors.
Deciding that her word was good enough, I then got to work, again ignoring the fact that we had been told to work in pairs. But, even though it had rained there as well, so the ground itself was soft, there was grass and there were roots, so it wasn’t easy to dig and I immediately realized that a realistic goal for the day was just 15 trees, which at least allowed me to have an average of 20, after the 25 planted a week before. It did seem that it was worse right there at the bottom, where we had been told to start, so after struggling to plant one tree at the start of a row, I picked another and started a few steps higher, hoping I’ll get a little more used to it while going down from there. And I think I started four spots from the bottom of that row, meaning to have five trees planted before moving on to another spot, but just after I did move and started to struggle to dig in another spot which had been left by others right at the bottom, some guy came and asked whether I wanted help, and even though I muttered that I didn’t, he just dug that hole in a few seconds, asked whether the sapling I had placed there was the one I wanted to plant and also planted it, which left me awkwardly mumbling that in that case there’s nothing for me to do and walking away, somewhat angry, somewhat embarrassed, but mainly shocked and scared, that unplanned interaction causing my brain to pretty much unplug… Which also meant that I completely forgot how many trees I had actually planted, so after taking a little time to try to recover to some extent, I kept trying to remember, or to see whether I could accurately identify the trees I had planted and count them, but everything related to that which had happened before that guy stepped in seemed to have just been erased from my mind.
Still, I did remember planning to have five before moving, so I eventually gave up on trying to remember and assumed that I had respected that plan, taking five more saplings and going a little higher. I still had problems with some of the holes, however, and eventually had to go back to look for a sapling with a smaller root in order to have a fifth, the one I had left being too large for the fifth hole I was able to dig in that second series. And I can’t quite recall whether I then planted that larger one while staying around that same area or I took it with me when I moved higher, but the 12th and 13th, assuming I had five before that guy stepped in, were definitely planted after I walked to the top of the hill, where it was easier to dig… But hard to even stand, the wind being a far bigger problem than the slippery ground and the slope. In fact, I had to lean quite heavily on the shovel while making my way up, the wind threatening to knock me down several times, and I also almost fell multiple times while digging, when I had a leg in the air or on the shovel.
I couldn’t exactly take it easy, however, having heard before starting to make my way up that the organizers were preparing for lunch. Or, I could have taken it easy if I’d have stopped after 12 trees, as I initially had in mind, but it was indeed easier to dig up there, assuming I managed to stay on my feet, and I also didn’t want to risk to be left with only those 12, in case we won’t get back to work after lunch, plus that just going right back down struck me as a waste of the effort made to climb there. So I first also planted that 13th tree and then decided to hurry and get to 15 before stopping for lunch. And I was digging those last two holes at 12:35 PM, when someone came up to shout that lunch was being served. I have no idea when the call actually came, the sound system not being powerful enough to carry over that distance and beat the howl of the wind, but that had clearly happened even earlier, so I just rushed to finish those holes, then looked around for a pile of saplings and asked those who were around them whether I could take two, picking a larger one and a smaller one… And finding that both of the holes were too small, or more exactly that the larger hole would have been enough for the smaller sapling, so I had to enlarge both before finally planting those last two trees, finishing just before 12:45 PM.
After taking a few more pictures, I made my way down, peed and washed my hands again, then took another tea and lunch… And again had to search for a free spot at a table, most others already eating by then. But after a moment I spotted two kids getting up and leaving, so I asked the man who had been sitting across from them whether I could sit there and he gestured that I could, so I could start eating. The wind remained a problem, however, so I had to find ways to keep everything from being blown away… And then someone asked whether we were done. Since it sounded like a kid, I just muttered that I had only started some five minutes earlier and didn’t pay that much attention at first, and after the leader of the organizers took the microphone to explain that the question had been for the Scouts I initially wanted to dismiss the moment entirely. When those calls were soon repeated, however, the Scouts being told to clean up and gather in three minutes, and others also started getting up and leaving, I realized that I also had to hurry, again ending up eating with my hands and first failing to stop a napkin from flying away and then even having my fork blown off the tray and onto the table, so even though I had managed to prevent it from breaking again, I no longer wanted to use it from then on, making do with my hands and the knife. And it wasn’t even 1:20 PM when those of us who had been on the bus which had left from Opera Square were also called to get ready to leave, so I had to give up on my plan to also help clean up the area a little, rushing to finish eating and then just picking up a couple of things which had been blown off tables and throwing them away along with what I had used.
So, even though I had been told, when I had asked in the morning, that the plan was indeed to work until around 3 PM, assuming we won’t finish sooner, and we were clearly far from finishing, it was a good thing that I had decided to get to 15 trees planted before lunch, since I wasn’t able to continue after that at all. But what made it worse was that, just as I was about to hesitantly start walking to the bus, there was another call, asking us to gather at the tent, yet after I turned around, got there and made eye contact with the coordinator for our bus, she told me to try to gather any others I knew and then walked away, leaving me quite confused, since it seemed that people were clearing away instead of gathering. I’m not sure whether I had already left the gloves and apron and taken another bottle of water before first trying to leave or I only did that then, but what’s clear is that I ended up standing uncertainly around for a few minutes, until it really seemed that I was going to be left alone, so I went to the leader of the coordinators, after spotting her behind the tent, and asked what should those from the Opera Square bus do… And was told that they had already left and to run after them, though she then added that they won’t leave without me and will call her colleague to make sure they’ll wait, probably after seeing the expression on my face… Or at least in my eyes, since I was probably the only one who had kept the mask on, obviously except while eating and drinking, the few others who had worn one on the bus having taken it off when they got there and, at least from what I saw, not even putting it back on when we got back on the bus, and I don’t recall seeing anyone else working with one on.
I did check the time, seeing that it was 1:30 PM at that point, but after that I actually started to jog after the others, until I spotted the coordinator answering her phone somewhere ahead and took it easier, and after I started catching others I even briefly stopped a few times, to try to wipe some of the mud off my shoes and to arrange some things I had just quickly stuffed in my pockets. And when I finally did catch up to the coordinator, she asked whether I had been left behind and reminded me that the Scouts managed to get ready in three minutes, but I also reminded her that she had called us to gather at the tent and then just walked away, and she said that most had already left by then, but there was no risk of leaving anyone behind, her colleagues staying for another half an hour or so, to clean up, and having some free seats in their cars in case of need. And then, when I also reminded her that she had said that we’ll likely work until 3 PM, she asked whether I still had energy for that and said that I could go back if I really wanted to work a little more, until her colleagues will be ready to leave. I’m not sure whether she was serious, but we were almost at the bus by then, and getting there and back would have taken just about half an hour anyway, and in fact it was 1:45 PM when I got on the bus, so exactly 15 minutes after leaving. And the guy who had sat next to me on the way there asked whether I wanted the same seat and got up to let me through, but then instead of sitting back down moved to the seat that was behind the one he had sat on, which made me feel a little awkward, until he said that the person who had sat there won’t get back on that bus. Either way, the bus left at 1:50 PM and dropped us off back at Opera Square at 2:55 PM.

That day I definitely wanted to go to Hornbach and buy that plant, but since I had to switch at Unirii anyway, I got off there and first checked that Carrefour, finding a pack of expiring pancakes and buying it… And when I walked out, at 3:35 PM, it was drizzling. And it continued to drizzle a little after I got back out of the metro, but it was also sunny, so it wasn’t much of a problem as I walked first to that mall from that area and then to Hornbach. And I also managed to get there without getting confused on the way, at least until I actually got to that mall and didn’t know where the entrance was, ending up making a little unnecessary detour. Then I first had a quick look in another store, since dad had told me to look for cheap jeans for him, then peed and washed my hands, and then went to that Carrefour as well, after meaning to put my backpack in the first cabinets I saw only for the guard to ask where I was going and point me in the other direction, to those that were near the information desk. But at least I could use one of those, and after exploring that Carrefour I bought two expiring plain focaccias, which I just managed to stuff in the backpack, along with the pancakes, after retrieving it from the cabinet. Then I finally got to Hornbach and managed to identify the plant I was looking for as soon as I reached the area where the indoor plants were, but the first ones were the larger and much more expensive ones, so I searched a little longer before finding the smaller and cheaper ones, then checked all of them and selected one… Only noticing after purchasing it that quite a few of the leaves looked a little eaten through or burned or had dark areas. But what was done was done, so I took some time to figure out how to place the pot in the sturdier bag I had in order to carry it better and then walked away.
It was 5:50 PM at that point, and it wasn’t raining anymore… But I somehow did get a little confused as I was about to leave that area, wanting to use the sidewalk instead of passing in front of that mall again and finding that it was closed, some work being carried out there, so I again ended up making a little detour, albeit smaller than that first one. And then I hesitated for just a moment after getting back to the metro station, seeing a farmers’ market and briefly considering having a look before deciding against it, and that moment meant that I just missed the metro, being on the stairs as the doors closed… And then the same thing happened when I switched again at Unirii! For some reason I didn’t look to see when the next metro was going to come and had a delayed reaction to noticing a couple of other guys running past me, and the fact that I had that plant also meant that I didn’t really want to run, so I hurried as much as I could but the effort was wasted, since I again saw the doors closing as I was going down the stairs.
Either way, after finally reaching Dristor, I decided to first check the price of red cabbage at that Supeco, so I made that detour, put my backpack in one of those cabinets that don’t lock, just walking in with the plant, which obviously wouldn’t fit… Only to find that there was no price label for the red cabbage, so after searching for it for a while I went to the cashier and asked, which made the guard walk up behind me and ask her what I wanted, and when she told her she asked me why hadn’t I asked her. But she had been on the phone until then, and when I said that out loud she quickly tried to make excuses, probably for anyone who might be listening, and I just had another look at the cabbage, then told her that I might return if I won’t find something better, then retrieved my backpack and made my way to the Carrefour from the park. The thing was that fresh vegetables were among the products that customers received those vouchers with 20% of the value for that weekend, and I had seen red cabbage, listed as being from Romania, for slightly less in that location, and in other locations it was also listed as being imported, but most of the time I had actually only seen the label, no red cabbage actually being available, the reason for that detour to Supeco being that I was worried that the same thing was going to happen then as well. But fortunately that wasn’t the case, and after managing to stuff everything, including the plant, in one of the largest cabinets, I did find two red cabbages to buy, and also grabbed some slightly nicer corn puffs. Also sent dad a beep while I was there, and when he called I asked whether he wanted some expiring sausages I had seen, but he didn’t.
Then I retrieved my things from the cabinet and made my way to the newer Kaufland. I meant to get some things from that Penny first, but with no way to stuff the plant in one of their cabinets, I first went to Kaufland in order to leave my things there… Only to find that the only three remaining large cabinets were occupied, so I had to somehow, carefully, stuff the plant, along with everything else, in one of the regular ones, which at least were just large enough to allow me to do so without bending it in a truly dangerous manner. Then I rushed back to Penny and got what I wanted and also a chocolate bar from that Ukrainian band, and when I got back to Kaufland I saw that one of the large cabinets was empty, so I moved my things there, then peed and washed my hands again, and then went in and got a number of things, some of them on evening discounts. I somehow ended up miscalculating the total, however, realizing at the self-checkout that it was actually higher than what I had left, so I had to call an employee and ask her to remove one of the jars of zacusca I had initially meant to purchase for dad, which was rather embarrassing. But at least there were no other problems and I could then retrieve my things from the cabinet and then spend quite some time arranging everything in the bags and backpack, again ending up walking away a little after the store had closed, though I had checked out a few minutes before 10 PM.
I finally got back here at 10:50 PM, after talking to dad for a couple of minutes, being surprised to see him just about to walk out of the building when I reached the entrance, his ride apparently being very late. Then I put things away, ate one of those bags of somewhat nicer corn puffs and drank the second of those bottles of Pepsi Max bought two weeks earlier while spending some time on-line, had three of those pancakes, with jam, did a few more things, and finally went to shower at 12:30 AM. It was past 1:20 AM when I got back in the kitchen and still had to wash what dad had left and a few more things to sort out, including snapping off what leaves I thought had problems on that plant and taking it to my room, after realizing with some alarm that I had left it on the kitchen floor, where the cats could easily get to it, despite having read that it was poisonous. So, while I also ate a banana then, I only finally started eating dinner at 3:45 AM, later than I now mean to finish, and only finished at 4:35 AM…