|
During the recent crisis family and friends (and the Boss) have been tremendously helpful and supportive, but I’ve spent a lot of time alone. More than once, when I didn’t think I could make it on my own, Suzanne drove me to doctor appointments, and I got out a few other times to run errands and try to keep life as close to normal as possible. But mostly, I was on my own. Trust me, it was better that way.
And yet... And yet, I almost always (but not always always) felt better when I broke the pattern of staying in and nursing my symptoms hour after hour and day after day. Fortunately, I didn’t have to work very hard for the pattern to change by itself, just about enough to keep me from going completely insane.
Ahem. For example. On two occasions I found different UPS drivers asleep in their trucks in my driveway. Both were cool guys who were a bit sheepish in their apologies, and both explained that this was the only place on the route where they could find a bit of shade. One I had to ask to move so I could get out of my driveway, and the other had to move so I could get in. I told them both the same thing, that they were welcome to use my shade any time.
The only problem with sharing my shade is that I can’t see the big brown truck until I’m on top of it. It’s invisible when I pull my car out of the garage, and it also can’t be seen from the street until I turn into the drive. And although I could tap on my horn and get the driver’s attention, I don’t do that. So they don’t know there’s anyone wanting to get through until I rap on their window and wake them up. That gets a conversation started, which has been a nice change from all those days alone. And the conversation doesn’t last long, which is also nice. |
