A prompt a week - 2. The Daily Horoscope - Prompt 292

The Daily Horoscope

The day had been one of massive upheavals and changes so far. It was the sort of day you just want to end, hopefully with a hot bath, a glass of wine, and a nice meal so you can forget it all. However, my day was only really getting going and it wasn’t even lunch time yet.

“Randy, Christ, you look like hell.”

“Thank you, Tina. You always know exactly what to say.”

I barely put my bag down before Tina was all over me.

“What is wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit. Rand, you never show up here looking less than perfect. Hell, there are some of the secretaries that joke your hair is shellacked in place.” She sat on the edge of my desk and looked rather smug. “I’ve even heard it suggested that you wear a wig. Today your hair is a mess and you look like you just crawled out of bed.”

I ran my hair through my mass of dark brown curls. Usually I got up early and then put enough hair gel into it to finally tame the mess. Of course this morning that wasn’t possible. As I had climbed into the shower the water stopped partway through and then came back in a blast so hard it literally tore the shower head right off. Luckily I had stepped out of the shower before it happened. Seems there was an accident where someone hit the hydrant on the end of the block. I got a last burst of water before all the pressure dropped completely. I had called for a plumber and asked my neighbor to let him in and check on him for me. Thank God for Mrs. Wesley, she always was willing to lend a hand. At most she occasionally asked me to pick up a few things for her when I ran to the grocery store.

Then there was obnoxious woman at Major Coffee, who was so busy screaming at the poor counter girl about not getting enough whipped cream in her mocha latte that she wasn’t watching what she was doing. She whipped the cup around her and ended up spilling her coffee all over me and this little old man with a cane. He nearly slipped in the coffee and she tried to blame the woman behind the counter. I managed to get the poor gentleman seated and a few napkins to dry up with. The only thing I can say I am grateful for was keeping a spare shirt in the car. At least I wouldn’t smell like a chocolate coffee all day. Anyway, I explained this all to Tina as she followed me around the office, shaking her head the whole time.

“Damn, boy. Sounds like the morning from hell.”

“It could have been worse. At least no one was burned from the coffee. And I will be able to face the Thompson family when they come in for the pitch on their new restaurant later.”

“Hold on a minute. You’re a Sagittarius aren’t you?”

Of all the things she could have asked me that wasn’t one that came to mind.

“Yes.” I answered her rather tentatively. “Why on earth are you asking me that?”

“I thought so.”

A moment later she slipped off the desk and sashayed out of my office.

I shook my head and sat down to work. I pulled out my bag, dug out my computer and the file I had printed up for the meeting later that morning. I was letting the computer load when Tina barged right back in.

“Here, take a look at this.”

She slapped down the newspaper in front of me.

“Um, what the hell am I supposed to be looking at?”

“The horoscopes!” She leaned back looking supremely proud of herself.

“Now why would I read that drivel?”

“You hush now. Go read the horoscope, namely your horoscope.”

One look at her and I knew she wouldn’t ever leave me alone to finish my work until she got what she wanted. Tina might have been a force to reckon with in the business world, but whenever she decided to poke her nose into anyone’s personal life, well you just knew it was going to be a rough ride. She might have a heart of gold, but sometimes you just wished she would leave well enough alone.

I rolled my eyes at her, which got me a swat to the arm. Knowing she would stand there till I did what she wanted, I turned and scanned the page till I found the horoscope for Sagittarius. I’d never seen one like that before.

Sagittarius – (Nov 22 – Dec 22) Sagittarius this morning will not go well. Expect problems to keep popping up around water. Everything from bathing to accidents will deal with water in the early part of your day. Watch out for flying water too! You know you can count on a Cancer today. Meetings in your afternoon will go well. Your evening will lead to surprises and possible romance, but only if do what you want and not what others tell you to. Stay away from Virgos and don’t take advice from Leo’s today.

“Okay? And what is that supposed to mean to me?”

Tina looked at me a moment, reached down and picked up the newspaper, and promptly smacked me over the head with it.

“You are an idiot. You had problems with water and it dealt with both you bathing and an accident. And flying water to boot! I mean, you had that woman throw coffee all over you.”

“I think you are reading too much into it.”

Tina frowned.

“We’ll see.”

Tina left me alone to prepare for the afternoon meeting. It seemed like no time at all till the Thompson’s filed in and sat down. They were opening a new restaurant and taking it in a completely different direction from JT’s Italian Place. The new place was to cater to American diner and family style cooking, only more sophisticated. Joseph Thompson, who was married to Maria Giovanni, had opened the first place using his wife’s recipes and his know how. Their son Georgio, had completed his schooling and this was how they planned to expand their business, by letting him open his own place. They just wanted a good advertising strategy to help get the place known. While they had created the menu, the building itself was still being completed and we had not only suggested a designer to help create a special feel for the place but then using that template had created an ad campaign, menus, and other suggestions to help get the place noticed. The family loved everything we came up with and were grateful for the help we had given them in finding Norman Slewster. Slewster was well known for his take on American Kitsch, combining artwork and what most considered Americana to create something that seemed timeless and fresh all at once.

“Promise you will come to the grand opening,” Georgio stated as he grasped my hand again.

“I’ll be there. I promise.”

“Why don’t you come to our place tonight?” Joseph grasped my hand as he looked at his wife and son. “Dinner would be on us.”

While I was deeply flattered, I just wanted to get home and relax tonight. I was also going to have to check to make sure the plumber had fixed my shower.

“Unfortunately, this evening I have plans.”

Their faces fell a bit and I knew Tina liked us to keep the customer’s happy, but I also didn’t like to take advantage either.

“Perhaps some other time?” I watched as Maria nodded and finally smiled. “I will let my boss know you liked the ideas.”

“Liked them? Hell, we loved them!” Georgio shook my hand and followed his parents out of my office.

“Have a good afternoon.”

I stood watching as they walked away, only to feel a tap on my shoulder. I realized immediately that Tina would want a run down.

“So?”

“So?” I repeated and tried not to laugh at her exasperated look.

She quickly changed position. Hand on hip, one hip thrown forward, eyebrow arched, and her mouth was drawn up into a little smirk. I knew if I didn’t answer her quick I would be spending my evening making up to her, because she would rip me a new one and then feel totally guilty about it. I sure as hell didn’t want to spend my evening with Tina either.

“Look, it went fine. They loved the suggestions, the idea for the menu design, it being repeated on the sign outside, and even the tee shirts. The whole thing was success. They even invited me to both the opening of the new place and for dinner tonight at their Italian restaurant.”

“Better. You know not to upset me.”

“Yes, Tina. I know.” I couldn’t help the laugh that slipped out, but she simply rolled her eyes again and turned to go check on someone else, while I nearly ran back to my office.

With my meeting done, I was free to begin working on the next project which was an advertisement for the local Aids Fund Raiser that would be taking place in six months. We had taken on the project pro bono for the local outreach center. They were planning a few events during the summer from a march, to a carnival, and concert. All of it to raise money for free testing, sponsoring talks in schools, and getting the word out that while there were drugs to help slow the spread there still wasn’t a cure.

I’d gotten so wrapped up in it that I never noticed the time, till Robert poked his head in to my office.

“Randy, the wife and I are having a few people over tonight from the office. Wanna come?”

“I wish I could, but I had plumbing issues and have to get home to see how he made out. What time is it anyway?”

Robert looked at his watch before answering. “Three to five. Sure I can’t convince you to come with us?”

“Postive. I want to make sure I can take a shower come morning and that there was no other damage to my pipes.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Well, there was an accident on the block and the pressure blew the shower head off in my tub.”

Robert shook his head.

“I thought city water solved issues, not created more. Never mind. Go home and make sure your place is still standing.”

I waved and then packed up as quickly as I could.

The drive home was uneventful and I seemed to be at home before I realized it.

“Randy!”

I turned to find Mrs. Wesley standing on the end of the driveway. It was then that I noticed the plumbing truck had parked between her and my yard as well.

“The boy got here a little while ago. I let him in with the key you gave me. I know you asked me to check on him, but he hasn’t been here for more than maybe an hour, and my arthritis has been acting up.”

I looked up to see the rain clouds coming and knew, from my parents who had the same issue, that her pain would be because of it.

“Well it looks like rain. Don’t worry, Mrs. Wesley, I’m home now. I’ll take care him. Thank you, for letting him though.”

“No problem, Randy.” She waved and slowly made her way back home.

I headed into the house and could hear the noise from my bathroom. I walked passed the door and seen a well muscled arm dive into a tool box and then back into the stall. I continued on to my bedroom, closed the door and quickly changed into a pair of sweats and a tee shirt.

I was heading back down the hall when I was nearly plowed into by my hired help.

“Oops. Sorry, didn’t know anyone was here.” The deep voice stopped me cold.

I turned to face my plumber. He was taller than I was, about six foot with dark blond hair that hung nearly in his green eyes.

“I got home a few minutes ago. I heard you working in the bathroom and didn’t want to get in your way.”

“Derrick.”

I stood there dumbfounded for a moment.

Then I spotted his hand out and the same name stitched onto his shirt.

“Randy. Hope I haven’t put a crimp in your work schedule.”

“No, but I am glad to see you weren’t in the tub when it blew. The pressure from the air suddenly in the tank could have killed you.”

I blushed.

“I’ve already checked the pipes in your basement. I did have to do a little reworking of some things down there. Older homes aren’t always brought up to today’s specs.”

“Thanks. I hope this isn’t going to cost a lot.”

“Actually, I called the city. Explained how it had happened and filled out some paperwork. You won’t have to pay much if anything. Helps of course that I have family that works for the city and was able to tell me what I needed to do to in order to get you to qualify. Saves the city a lawsuit as well.”

He winked at me and I found myself checking him out.

“Wow, sure wasn’t expecting that.” I stood there feeling totally out of my element.

Derrick smiled.

“Are you almost done?”

Before he could say a word his stomach growled and he blushed.

“Sorry. Sort of skipped lunch. I should be done in a half hour at most.”

“Good. I plan on ordering dinner, care to stay? Just getting a pizza.”

Derrick smiled again. “Dinner? Already?”

“Well, your stomach said it was hungry,” I joked, “and you’ve already been in my shower.”

Derrick laughed.

“Sounds good. And thank you.”

“No thank you. Means I won’t be eating alone tonight.”

Derrick paused and looked at me, and then winked before he slipped past.

“Just don’t add anchovies. Not a fan of fish.”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I wandered over to order from Franco’s. Seems my evening was going to be much better than my morning.