Flakamentals and Flakeries

I am a flake.

It is true.

In the space of two weeks, I have offered to do two favors for friends and completely, utterly, and blissfully (well, at least blissfully until I remembered) forgotten to do the favor.  It's kind of like that Seinfeld bit where he talks about the difference between taking and holding a reservation, with the holding being the most important part.  Anyone can offer to do a favor--it's the doing that counts.

Oh man.

The first was to pick up milk for a friend.  We buy milk from a dairy with a drop-off location near our house (cheaper than delivery).  The milk is really good, so we're willing to do it.  My friend has picked my milk up many, many times, so I offered to pick up hers for a change.

Nice of me, no? 

No---because I forgot I didn't need to order milk that week and so I didn't go.  And she had such a busy day, she figured I just had her milk in my fridge and didn't call me until the next morning.  So her milk had been sitting outside in a un-iced cooler for 24 hours.  And it was my fault!  Cringe.

But really, that was small potatoes compared to what I did yesterday.  At church on Sunday, I talked to a friend whose son is currently in the hospital.  I felt so bad for her that I immediately offered to bring her dinner.  Ironically, she is the head of the committee that usually organizes bringing meals to people after they have a baby or when a family member is in the hospital, etc.

Anyway, she graciously accepted my offer and said I could bring her something the following night.  Perfect.  Unless of course, you are flakier than a good croissant and completely forgot.  I even thought about their family a few times yesterday, sending up a little prayer for them each time--but my thick-headed memory was completely un-jogged.

This morning, however, I suddenly remembered that I had forgotten and felt like I would rather crawl in a dark hole somewhere than have to call my poor friend and admit that I forgot about her...

Really--am I that self-centered? 

I know I'm busy, but I don't think I'm busy enough to justify these two omissions in only one week.

I did take a casserole over today to make up for my lameness.  Maybe I need to make her some cookies, too.

I need to get a better calendaring system, clearly.  The embarrassed, pit-in-my stomach feeling is only now starting to subside.  Sheesh.

And tomorrow I have milk pick-up again.  Wish me luck!

Now I want to know (if only to make myself feel a little better): what have you forgotten recently that made you want to crawl into a hole?  Please tell me I'm not the only one experiencing early-onset senility when it comes to good intentions....