Frustration Dream

I just had a dream where I blew a gasket at a restaurant.

I was eating lunch at a Robson Street restaurant that shall remain nameless. But they're a real restaurant, somewhat upscale, where I did actually often have lunch. My server, it happens, was a friend of mine (he was not actually someone who really worked at this restaurant; he was, in fact, Joe, former owner of Haney Books. Hi, Joe!).

I ordered several items, but had an emergency phone call that required my immediate attention. I gave my server two easy instructions: I have to run off. I will come back in fifteen minutes. Make the last two items to go, and I'll deal with the bill when I get back.

I ran off. I went to another building, saw some students of mine, noticed a very sick crow on a ledge, and did whatever it was I had to do. (I don't recall this part, the emergency mission).

I ran back to the restaurant, saw my friend the server, getting off shift. He reminded me to pick up a shopping bag I'd left, which I'd forgotten about entirely.  I thanked him, went back inside, got my bag, paid the bill, which came to $63, and left a $12 tip - larger than I might have otherwise, since I'd had to run off.

Then I remembered that I had two items coming that I had paid for and never received. I told the waitress and she began to prevaricate - we didn't prepare them, since you weren't here, but you can come back at the end of the day and pick them up.

No, no, that's not what I want. I have to be at work in five minutes, then I have to catch a train home... I was going to give the food to my mother, who I take care of in Maple Ridge... I can't come back after work...

Well, sorry, the dishes aren't ready and we have other customers to think of...

Arrgh! I just tipped you over $10! Wait, there's the solution: just refund me the cost of the two dishes; I'll figure something else out for Mom.

The waitress agreed that that would solve everything, but for reasons unclear to me, since both items - a soup and a salad, apparently - had prices on the menu - began to weigh a glass of water to determine what to charge me. Somewhere in there, she also drank a shot of milk in front of me and then opened her mouth to reveal VAMPIRE FANGS. What?

I began to explain in increasing panic that I had to be at work (my old job as an ESL teacher, which I apparently was still doing). A second server stepped in and began to try to help but for some reason was having just as much difficulty with calculating the bill. I began to raise my voice - just use the prices in the menu!

The manager stepped over and asked if something was wrong.

I exploded in frustration. I spent the last five minutes of my sleep screaming at the top of my lungs (in my head) about my refund, the lack of need to weigh anything to calculate it, and my urgent need to get to work. I basically screamed myself awake, internally.

I have no idea why this dream visits me now. What is frustrating me? Money I have been counting on and have been told is coming has not yet arrived, and I am once again over-extended on my credit card to get me through the weekend (which I did reluctantly on the belief that said $$$ would arrive yesterday). My carpet got wet due to a shower mishap last Friday and a patch of it, I discover on returning home, seems to be rotten and stinky. No idea what to do or how expensive that will be to fix. My girlfriend is sick and has a sore foot; my Mom needs my time and company; and my father is gone. I have eczema on my fingers. I live in a town I kind of hate, I haven't had a "real" job since 2010, and I have writing work I am falling behind on, some of which I will be only barely paid for (or have already been paid for and spent the money). My cellphone is malfunctioning terminally, doing all sorts of spastic things, but at the moment I can't afford to replace it. I also cannot find the blue squeezy thing for my Aircast moonboot (see below), can't find my BCID to boot, and have a big pile of junk paper on my floor that I have to sort out from where I was searching for both, which I haven't made time to deal with (I could have done it last night, but chose to complete my first Sudoku instead, which was interesting, but took two hours). Meantime, that re-habilitated pair of Blundstones I mentioned? There's a hole in one, it turns out, which I didn't realize until walking through a puddle yesterday. 

I want a refund! I want my fucking refund!