His name was Paul, but I can't recall how I came to know his name. Maybe he wrote it on my order pad. Years after we met I learned his last name when I saw his picture in the paper. "Paul Whitesides", it said above his obituary. Sadness swept over me as I remembered many wordless conversations between Paul and myself. The only time actual words were involved was when one of us wrote something down on paper for the other one to read or when he pointed to whatever menu item he wanted.
Looking back on my conversations with Paul, I have to wonder just how ridiculous my awkward hand gestures must have seemed to him. I couldn't sign. Maybe he got the same feeling I get when I'm talking to someone who is just learning to speak English. He probably felt like I was butchering his native tongue.
Quite often I would flail my arms and pretend to be very irritated with him, which always produced a big grin. No telling what the other customers thought when I behaved that way.
Meeting Paul taught me that you don't need to verbalize to let people know that you like them and that you're genuinely happy to see them. Words are just words, sometimes empty and meaningless. Only our actions truly speak to other human beings, a language of their own.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Follow Your Mommy...Or Else!
Dear Son Computer Guru,
It pains me greatly that you seem unable to follow my blog, like your sister (AKA: Favorite Child) does. Yet you wonder why she is the favorite. Believe me when I tell you that this hurts me more than it hurts you... consider this formal notice of your removal from my will. Favorite Child should be very happy to know that instead of half of my estate, she now will get EVERYTHING! This brings her total inheritance to approximately $375.92. (before funeral expenses)
Should you decide to mend the error of your ways, and your little silhouette once again appears on my follower list, I may reinstate you as a beneficiary along with Favorite Child.
Sincerely Yours,
Mom
It pains me greatly that you seem unable to follow my blog, like your sister (AKA: Favorite Child) does. Yet you wonder why she is the favorite. Believe me when I tell you that this hurts me more than it hurts you... consider this formal notice of your removal from my will. Favorite Child should be very happy to know that instead of half of my estate, she now will get EVERYTHING! This brings her total inheritance to approximately $375.92. (before funeral expenses)
Should you decide to mend the error of your ways, and your little silhouette once again appears on my follower list, I may reinstate you as a beneficiary along with Favorite Child.
Sincerely Yours,
Mom
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
No "Me" Time!
This is the PITS! I have no time to blog right now...and haven't for a week straight. We're extending our barn, adding one stall and a covered outside area. As usual we're trying to make chicken salad out of....well lets just say...something less desirable than chicken breast. That's how we roll here at the Half-Assed Acres Ranch. Then again, that's how we built our rather large two stall existing barn for less that $3000.00.
Don't give up on me. Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day.
Don't give up on me. Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Snow Day!!!
In this part of the south our snows are few and far between. So, I was looking forward, with child-like anticipation, to last nights "winter blast." (that's what they keep calling it on the news, but being from Michigan I don't consider 4 to 6 inches of snow a winter blast) There was no point in setting the alarm for my normal 4:30 AM, because I knew (at the very least) we would be on a two hour delay.
Six 0'clock came and I rolled out of bed to turn on the news. There it was at the bottom of the screen, no school for students or staff, but that's still a gray area for us "Central Office" employees. We're normally expected to work even when teachers and other school personal have the day off due to inclement weather. At this point I'm not sure whether I should get ready for work or blow it off and build a snowman, which is what I really want to do.
When it got to be 7:00 and there was no recorded call from our superintendent, I was thinking I should just get ready for work, but the idea of a snowman in my front yard beckoned. What a dilemma. Work. Snowman. Work. Snowman. Then I had the bright idea of checking the phone for messages just in case T.H. had turned off the phone when I fell asleep on the couch last night. BINGO! There were two messages. First was one from Dr. M. in which he said that the central office would be closed today. Second message was sweet friend Renee telling me to stay home. Renee has somehow inherited the job of looking out for me and I'd like to know what she did to deserve that job. (must have been something pretty awful)
Snowman, here I come! After gathering up proper snowman attire, partially consisting of a red cowboy hat, red bandanna, red mittens and large blue buttons for eyes, (Who can resist a blue-eyed cowboy?) I headed to the barn to feed horses. On the way back to the house I reached my glove-clad hands down and scooped up some of that wonderful snowman material. WOE IS ME!!! Major disappointment! Too cold to pack! For a moment I contemplated doing what I used to do as a child, which was throwing myself to the ground in a temper tantrum, kicking and screaming. I somehow managed to squelch that urge.
At the moment I'm sitting here at the computer, behaving like an adult, anxiously waiting for the sun to warm the snow enough to become snowman friendly. However, if that does not happen, I can only hope that my neighbors are not watching when the temper tantrum occurs.
Six 0'clock came and I rolled out of bed to turn on the news. There it was at the bottom of the screen, no school for students or staff, but that's still a gray area for us "Central Office" employees. We're normally expected to work even when teachers and other school personal have the day off due to inclement weather. At this point I'm not sure whether I should get ready for work or blow it off and build a snowman, which is what I really want to do.
When it got to be 7:00 and there was no recorded call from our superintendent, I was thinking I should just get ready for work, but the idea of a snowman in my front yard beckoned. What a dilemma. Work. Snowman. Work. Snowman. Then I had the bright idea of checking the phone for messages just in case T.H. had turned off the phone when I fell asleep on the couch last night. BINGO! There were two messages. First was one from Dr. M. in which he said that the central office would be closed today. Second message was sweet friend Renee telling me to stay home. Renee has somehow inherited the job of looking out for me and I'd like to know what she did to deserve that job. (must have been something pretty awful)
Snowman, here I come! After gathering up proper snowman attire, partially consisting of a red cowboy hat, red bandanna, red mittens and large blue buttons for eyes, (Who can resist a blue-eyed cowboy?) I headed to the barn to feed horses. On the way back to the house I reached my glove-clad hands down and scooped up some of that wonderful snowman material. WOE IS ME!!! Major disappointment! Too cold to pack! For a moment I contemplated doing what I used to do as a child, which was throwing myself to the ground in a temper tantrum, kicking and screaming. I somehow managed to squelch that urge.
At the moment I'm sitting here at the computer, behaving like an adult, anxiously waiting for the sun to warm the snow enough to become snowman friendly. However, if that does not happen, I can only hope that my neighbors are not watching when the temper tantrum occurs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)