Yesterday, I almost ran an after-work errand to Salem. One hour away.
Today, I almost ran an after-work errand to Bend. Three hours away.
Circumstances changed and others were or are able to do these trips -- people who were going to do them anyway! -- but it's a reminder: for this job I need to be up for almost anything. At least anything legal.
When I told one co-worker what I almost did today, she said she would have laughed at that request. (She also said I should've finagled that into taking a couple of days off out in Bend, 'cause, hey! Resort country!)
By the way, for one of those errands, the person who'll do the errand in my stead is a friend of my boss. He lives in a niiiiiiiiice house in the West Hills (probably far nicer than the one Art Alexakis sang about in "I Will Buy You a New Life"). I entered the house and thought, This is how the other 0.005 percent live. I counted myself lucky I left without breaking anything that costs more than my annual salary.