I am entitled to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

I woke up this morning to the sun streaming in the window and my first thought was, "Oh, shit, I fell asleep on the couch last night and forgot to set the alarm when I went to bed!" I looked frantically over at the clock only to see that I had just woken up at my normal time, so there was no need to panic. Bonus: I didn't hear the annoying alarm clock noise. I looked in the mirror and was pleasantly surprised that there were no traces of mascara making me look racoonish and the zit that I put cream last night had disappeared completely. Thanks to a coffee pot with an automatic start option, I had a freshly brewed cup waiting for me as well as a blueberry muffin that Richard brought me last night for breakfast. I got out to the car with ten minutes to drive a mile and a half, meaning I could sit and start to eat my muffin in the car without having to rush myself in the slightest.

When I got to work *on time with no rushing* I grabbed my mug and walked up to the outside door to my office building. The door was locked. Oh, glory hallelujah. I had an excuse to go right back home. No one was inside and I didn't have my boss's home or cell phone number any place except for inside that building I couldn't enter. My boss sometimes didn't get in until after lunch. So I would have no responsibility whatsoever to be working inside of a building I was locked out of and I would have no other place to leave a message about said problem except for on a phone inside of said locked building. It seemed like the time when I was able to skip out on class because Public Safety forgot to open Blanchard in time for 8:00 classes. Well, just to be sure, I'd better try all the bajillion keys I was given and don't know what they're for to make sure I don't have one to the front door. First key doesn't work, second key doesn't work...of course they don't work...there's a bank inside...they can't give keys to the building to just any yahoo like me who works inside...fourth key works...damn. *just a little "damn", though, because it's just so darn sunny outside I can't help but be in a good mood.

I sit at my desk and find my paycheck staring me in the face. One more good thing.

I cheerily go about alphabetizing the bills, and transcribing dictation until the attorney who is not my boss walks into the office and says, "Oh, I'm surprised you're here."

"Oh? Why?"

"It's a holiday. I just thought you'd have the day off."

I was cheery until I was notified that I was being jipped of something that every American is entitled to: a day off of work in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Then the beautiful day turned into something that I was missing out on - not something that cheered me. I felt lucky to have so much going right for me until I found out I was entitled to just a little bit more.

What a greedy attitude I have. After about 5 minutes I was in a good mood again. I give credit for that to the sun.