The Boss chastised me today. He got on my case, not for failing to solve the banking problem, but for not telling him how stressed out I was by the situation. I kept trying to keep him from having to get involved, but finally this afternoon he went behind my back. (Not over my head, because he’s already there.) He called the bank branch nearest him and established a relationship with the manager there. That’s something he’s good at. It’s something I’m not good at.

Within ten minutes, we had a new bank account, and new checks on the way (no charge), and apologies all around for not solving the problem in a speedier manner. After two full days, it was over just like that. The anxiety had just about worn me down to a single frayed thread by this time. I knew there would be an end to it, and probably sooner than later, but it paralyzed me to the point that I couldn’t do anything to move toward that end.

So I’m in trouble. I’m never to allow things to get to that point again, without telling the Boss about it. He said, “The things that worry you are exactly the kinds of things I can do something about.” He also repeated the old line about how he couldn’t stay in business without me. “I’d try,” he said, “but I wouldn’t make it.”

At 4:30 this afternoon, I was on my way to the post office for the first time since Monday, and to my branch of the bank to pick up some temporary checks. The way was supposed to have been cleared by the people at the Boss’s branch, but when I got there my people seemed utterly confused. I waited and waited, and finally I got my checks and was on my way. It was such a relief I didn’t even mind driving in five o’clock traffic. Not much, anyway.