How quickly things can change
Judy Conlin
How quickly things can change
I had a bad day this week. I need to correct myself. I’ve had several bad weeks in a row; I have been run ragged with appointments every single day. I’ve had too much to do and too little time. I hate to say it, but sweet Judy has gotten a little bit grumpy ( and her always grumpy alter ego, Nurse Judy, even grumpier.). I missed my PT appointment because of too many other appointments, and I haven’t had time to rebook yet. Instead of canes, walkers, and wheelchairs designated for us golden agers, we should be given motorcycles or racecars to try and keep up with all we are trying to do. A little brain serum would be helpful also.
One day this week was especially bad, I had to take my car in for an oil change, and I hate waiting so long for that to get done. After 2 and one half hours they gave me a long list of things that should be done to my car. I looked at the over $1000 list and almost wept. Money has been flying out of my house for the past several years and is still doing so. I told them I could not have all that work that day as I was not prepared for the cost and I had to get home and make a salad for the salad supper in Quincy that night.
As I drove away in my worried grumpy state, I decided I should stop at the dealers and maybe buy a new car and not have to worry about these maintenance problems for a few more years. After all, I had always traded up every 3 years and it was time. I saw some nice cars, but when I saw their prices, I thought I must be insane to think I should be buying a new car at this time. I didn’t tell them I was feeling faint and agreed to take their call after they had crunched the numbers the following Monday.
I hurried home taking off my worried car persona and putting on my worried salad chef persona. I was right to be worried. As much planning as I had done, I did not have enough of certain ingredients and had to dash to the store. I finally got the huge concoction ready and packed and congratulated myself on my efficiency.
I drove over to Quincy arriving at exactly 6 PM. I was so proud. I looked around. There was no one there. I panicked. Did I have the wrong time? I grabbed my phone to check. No, I had the correct time. I just had the wrong day. I was devastated. At least there was no one there to see me. They might have had me locked me up as insane.
Now grumpier than ever, I decided I had lemons, and it was time to make lemonade. I would go over to the new store ALDIs and enjoy browsing through it. Proud of myself, I went in and bought way too much (so much for being able to buy or even repair a car), got it stuffed in one big bag and took it to my car. There, I was trying to separate some of the stuff into another bag I had in the car so they would be light enough for me to carry into the house.
As I was struggling with my purchases, a man walked up and said, :”Are you famous?”
I was petrified. I am not famous, but somehow the paparazzi were on me already. I would be on the front pages of newspapers as the journalist who had lost her mind and didn’t know one day from another. Well actually the only newspaper this could possibly involve was The Havana Herald, but that was enough to scare me.
Before I could run for cover, he continued. “You’re Nurse Judy. I read your column every week. I’m so glad to meet you. You look so much younger than I thought you’d be.”
He helped me load my groceries before shaking my hand and going on his way. He left behind a changed creature. I was no longer grumpy. I was flying high. I had at least one fan in the area, and he thought I looked younger than expected. What more can an old woman ask for?
More later,
P.S. I’m thinking of taking something besides salad to supper next week. I’ve been eating this huge concoction for days. I’m a little tired of salad.
