I watch as the rain streaks slowly down my window.  It’s a dark, cloudy day, the rain is pouring down in sheets.  Inside the building, I can see shadowy figures moving about.  I check the clock, 5:10PM.  I’ve been sitting in my car for the past 20 minutes in the parking lot.  Earlier, I drove around to the ATM, but I couldn’t do it.

I look at the check that has my name in the “To” field.  Signed, Cupcakes Anonymous.  For 135 dollars.  In case you didn’t read that entry (click here for it), a few weeks ago I received a rebate check for 135 dollars.  I cashed it in, and not a week later I received another rebate check, for the same amount.  If I were to cash it in, I would practically be stealing the…cupcake from the company “Cupcakes Anonymous”.

I’ve been tapping the check on the steering wheel absentmindedly for the past 10 minutes.

I can’t do it.

I turn off my car, deciding I’ve looked like a bank robber long enough.  I flip open my phone, the contact info printed on the check; I call them up.

“Cupcakes Anonymous this is Michael, how may I help you?”  I hear a male’s voice answer.

I explain my situation to him.

“I’m sorry, you said that you received two checks for the same rebate amount?”

“That is correct.”

“I’m…going to have to get my manager for this,” He says, sighing.  “Can I put you on hold?”

“Of course.”

I’m on hold for about a minute, and another male’s voice answers.

“Yes this is Dan, I hear you received two rebate checks?”  He asks, as if hardly believing his ears.

“Yes,”  I say.

“Wow, well, thank you for calling, we will be cancelling that second check,”  Dan says happily.

“Of course,”  I say.

“Alright well, have a good day, and please tear up the check and put throw it away, we are going to cancel it,”  He says, about to hang up.

“Hey, can I get some sort of coupon or something?”  I ask, crunching the check in my hand.  “I’m starting to think I should’ve kept it.”

“You did the right thing by calling in,”  He says immediately, but I can hear something else behind his voice; maybe it is doubt in his own words?

“Right, of course,”  I say, not at all reassured.  I can hear typing in the background now.

“Well, here, let me send you a few things, coupons,”  He says, before adding, “You’ll get them in 1 to 2 weeks.”

“Thank you,”  I say.

“We appreciate your call here at Cupcakes Anonymous, is there anything else I can help you with today?”  He says, sounding suddenly like a robot.

“No, that’s it,”  I say.  He wishes me a good day, and we both hang up shortly afterwards.  I smooth out the check and tuck it in my pocket;  I decide I’ll shred it when I get home.

I’m starting to think I should’ve kept it.

Sorry, nothing stimulating has happened to me recently.  Well, nothing stimulating enough to write about I mean!  Sooooo last night I was playing around with my laptop/digital camera, and I was recording myself to see if I could play better.

What have I been doing with all of my free time?

Noooo not making meth, that’s illegal kiddies!  Memorizing Beethovens Fur Elise, naturally!  It’s only like saying I’m reading the encyclopedia in my free time.  Everyone just turns and walks away slowly, that’s it.

I actually learned this when I was in grade school after I first got a keyboard, annndd not surprisingly it is one of the first ones I started playing again.

Sorry about the video quality, again it was taken with my digital camera. I guess you can’t tell if it is me except for the blurry, hideous monster that shows up near the end of the video that kinda resembles me. Yeah, it was late at night last night and no, my hair doesn’t usually look like I stuck my finger in a light socket. I giggled at the end like a schoolgirl because it is only the FIVE MILLIONTH time I played/recorded it and I didn’t mess up finally. Okay, so it only took three tries. Did I mention it was late?!

I was just going to turn off the camera at the end, but I figured a shot of the empty music stand to boost my ego wouldn’t hurt. Ahhh, that’s better.  Yeah, I know that it is only the first half of the song.  At the end I just skip to the last chord of the music that I remembered.   I’m learning the second half along with The Entertainer.  Boy am I a wild animal or WHAT?!

Feel free to insert pandering words of praise here -