Day 16 (the thin veneer of patience wears through)

The Man with the Dogs just loooves to use the phone. Often, and mostly unnecessarily. As per the advice of my roommate, himself a former dogwalker, I made sure to lay down the law with MWTD immediately regarding last-minute walks by saying I could never do them. Ever. I mean, I thought I’d been clear on that the first week.
So when he called this morning as I was hastily drinking coffee, putting on my shoes and keeping an ear out for the Weather on the 1s segment (I’ve never been such a hawk for the weather reports before) I was annoyed, because it’s almost never anything new or important. On the contary, he’s more likely to forget to call when a walk has been cancelled.

I hurried into my room to pick up the phone, and sure enough, the caller was “Unknown”. I refuse to answer the phone by greeting him personally. I mean, he attempts to mask his identity by blocking his number, and on the one hand it’s no surprise who he is because “Unknown” is always him, but on the other there’s something equally weird about hiding behind the façade of “Unknown” and then saying “Good Morning” without identifying himself. And then pausing.
And waiting for me to recognize his voice, and say “Oh, hey.”
Like we’re pals.
Seriously. He does this. Never says “Hey, it’s the Man with the Dogs.” Just says Hello, or Good Morning, and then waits for me to recognize his voice.
Fucking wierdo.

So, the big deal and reason for the phone call this morning was a “favor”. I hate it when I am asked for a “favor”. First of all, it makes me think of the phrase ‘party favor’, and then I am resentful, because a party favor equals fun, and I immediately know that anytime someone is asking for a favor, the favor will not be fun. Plus it is usually accompanied by a wheedling tone and is overall a juvenile thing to ask for.

The favor was this: Could I walk Dog 3 twice today? And Dog 4, too, and also twice tomorrow?

I’ll tell you, I couldn’t help it. I know MWTD is my employer and all, and we’ve had this baroquely polite tone thus far, but I snapped on him. Without even thinking, I snarled:
“Look! I told you when I started I can’t EVER do last-minute walks! I can’t deal with this shit.” Then I felt bad. “Sorry. I mean, this stuff.” I said, more composed.

I have never, in my life, corrected myself when I curse or yell at someone. Partly because I always mean it if I do, and in the cases that I know I should be more delicate, I rephrase in my head before I speak.
But that is a testament to how annoying this man is.

I told him I could most likely do the second walk tomorrow, to soften the blow.
He said he’d find someone else for tonight.

Later that morning, I had another call from him, which I ignored. When I listened to the message, he actually sounded sheepish. I think I scared him.