Last Year's News ... This Year's Views

Hi.

Hope you are well.

Haven't blogged in a long time. Perhaps you've noticed. Probably not.

That's OK.
Please remember the rules: I need to write, but you don't need to read it.

***

Was Gonna Write About

The Left-Handed Lady

Met her while hawking my wares.

Nice lady. Kinda sauntered up to where I was. Didn't see her come into the room where I was pitching.

We chatted.
Mother. Couple of kids.

Noticed that she was left-handed. I think that's kinda cool, personally. Probably a real pain to BE left-handed, but I find such differences appealing.

Told her that I thought her handwriting was pretty good, as she filled out a form for me.

She said she wasn't always a leftie. Grew up right-handed.

Thought that was interesting. I've heard of people who were forced/coerced into being right-handed, even if their primary proclivity was left-handedness.

Asked her.

Said she'd had a stroke.

This was a pretty lady. Petite-ish. Didn't look handicapped at all.

Said she had to learn to talk all over again.
Said she had to learn to walk all over again.
Said she had to learn to write all over again ... but her right hand was too skronked to use it to write.
So she adapted.

As she left, I could see that her gait was skronked.

Wondered how people recover from stuff like that.
And thanked God for her inspiration.


The Grungy Couple

Met them while I was pitching.

No, that's wrong. Never really met them. Just watched them as they walked down a long parking lot into a Wally World.

She was gross. Not unattractive, but her hair looked worse than if she lived in the woods. (Trust me, I know.) Fifty-cent flip-flops. Dirty, baggy, oversized sweat pants. Mismatched top.

He didn't appear to be quite as homeless. T-shirt he'd been wearing for a day or two. Goofy-huge basketball shorts.  Needed a shower. But oddly enough, he didn't look as if he lived under a bridge.

They went directly to the rest rooms.
Came out.
Met up.
Bought a couple of things.
Walked out.
Up the parking lot ... to ... I wondered where.
Watched.

Thought of my car with 300,000 miles on it and felt rich by comparison.

Wondered which of the broken-down cars they were going to drive away in. Watched as they approached a car.
Opened the rear door. Took something out.
And kept walking. Wasn't surprised, really.

Until they walked in front of the car, toward the front of one of those really fancy Greyhound bus-type recreational vehicles. You've seen them. Kinda grey and brownish with swoopy decals on them? Expensive looking.

Yup. They walked right into the RV.

And drove off.
Towing a car that didn't have anywhere NEAR 300,000 miles on it.

Campers? Travellers? Going from one home to the other?
In a vee-hickle worth more than my home.

I am the world's worst judge of people.


The Creepy Guy at Wally World

Watched as a very creepy guy walked into a Wally World. Foreigner. Not that that's bad, mind you. Nicole Kidman is a foreigner too.

The guy just looked like a nomadic weirdo ... the sort of person you'd see on the news wanted for some international crime.

The pitchee next to me looked him in the eye as he walked toward us. Now *she* had a strange look on her face.
Guilty-ish.

Then she nodded at The Creep and said hello.

Floored me.

As he walked away she said, "Isn't that terrible?"

Yup, I *totally* knew what she meant. Sort of.

Then she said, "He's my doctor ... and I forgot his name."

I am the world's worst judger of people.


Buggy Woman

Saw a lady in Wally World.
(Yes, I spend a lot of time there.)

Had a kid in her buggy.

(Dear Yankees, deal with it. I've learned to call shopping carts "buggies." Yes ... I mean ... no, it doesn't make sense to me either.)

Kid seemed quiet and content.
Lady seemed quiet and pleasantly reserved.

Watched as they strode out the door, down the lane in the parking lot toward their car.

Lady puts her left foot on the rear rail of the buggy and gives a bunch of quick pushes with her right foot ... and SAILS down the lane.

Slows down and gives herself a few more foot flicks and SAILS the rest of the way. Couldn't hear her, but I *knew* she was giggling.

I want a woman like that.


***

The Dearly Departed

Went to a funeral.
Loved one passed away in her sleep.
Don's beloved wife.
Saw a bunch of old friends and colleagues.

Brusque lady blew by me.
I made a lame attempt at a courteous remark.
Zee-row response.
But she wasn't there to see me.
At all.
Just a caring mourner with her focus on the family left behind.
Motivated by love and a caring heart.

Left her alone to mourn.
Didn't see her afterward.

She will now be known as "The Lady Formerly Known as My Favorite Wife."

More distant than a stranger.

Did me a world of good.
Needed that to happen.
Not a problem.
Seriously.

We were there to care for others, not one another.

Seven years apart doesn't bring people closer.
And memories can be far more fond than what reality is/was.

Fare thee well.
To both of the dearly departed.
You were loved.

Happy trails.
Adieu.
Adios.


***


New Year's Day 2011

As I apply my ineptitude at judging people to prognosticate what's before me in 2011, I think:

* I won't be in my house by the end of the year. That's OK. I've lived on sofas, in the woods, in apartments and small homes. I do not need nine rooms to exist.

* I won't be without a date for the next New Year's Eve. Not that it was so awful or lonely not being with someone special this year. It's simply that "mourning has broken." Might even snag a kiss this year.

* I won't be driving Donna the Honda, probably. Got 320k miles on it now. Not gonna last forever. But I'm thankful for it. An amazing gift from God.

* I will be OK, no matter what, because houses, jobs, dates and cars cannot fill the void in our souls. Life is good. God is great.

* I'm looking forward to meeting my next grandchild in June, by God's grace. Praying for him/her and for my daughter.

* I'm looking forward to riding The Bike across the Cherohala Skyway again.

* I'm looking forward to fishing with Don.
* I'm looking forward to spending time with my daughters and my dad.
* I'm looking forward to attending my church.
* I'm looking forward to learning more about God's love and provision.

* I'm hoping I'll learn something about how to judge people correctly.
* I'm hoping I'll finally learn something about how to be judged by people correctly.

Time will tell.

At the very least, the Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
That's all that really matters.

Bring on 2011!