I keep getting new people and losing old people on my Meals on Wheels route and I realized today that I was still relying on street signs and house numbers which is not my normal M.O. So I spent the drive trying to memorize landmarks, like "turn left at the Long John Silver's" and "turn left at the Just For Brakes." And trying to remember houses with things like, "this one has two trees." I'm also terrible with names and faces and had an embarassing experience today. A truck pulled up at one man's house just as I pulled up, and a man got out. I thought, "Is this the man?" My brain works in context. In my mind, this man is inside this house and sitting in that chair in the corner so I can't picture him outside in daylight walking. But since he is walking with a cane I figure it probably IS him, so I try to act like I DO know it's him without totally assuming it's him. So I say, "Hi! Let me help you with that door." I figured I needed to let him go first in case it IS him. And it was. I need to start looking at people. I'm sure it stems from my whole social phobia thing. (But I always remember bartenders.) I'm always better when I've had people for a while, but practically everyone except Myriam is new. I think I've been to this man's house 5 times, whereas I've been to Myriam's house more than 300 times.
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One of the new ladies I got earlier this summer lives near a school zone and I didn't notice, because it was summer. So all of a sudden there's this flashing school zone sign telling me to go 20. I wasn't thrilled. I usually barrel down that road. The cool thing that happened was I went to a lady's house that I've been to maybe 4 times and noticed what I thought were gardenias. "What is this?" I thought. Gardenias are not Texas friendly. The bright white flowers SMELLED like gardenias but it didn't seem possible. And this was like a 4' x 4' bush. A lady answered the door and I asked, "What are these flowers?" She said, "Gardenias." I said, "But my Mom said you can't grow gardenias in Texas." That bush was TEN YEARS OLD! I'm going to study that sucker. I know it was facing north and against the house, but I'm going to check for shade and whatnot and try to see if I can find a spot here to plant one in April. Oh and they gave me one. I've been sniffing at that thing all day. Mmmmm.
9 comments:
I think it is just wonderful that you deliver Meals On Wheels. A good dear old friend of mine is the recipient of this service and she has only said good things about the food and the delivery people...And I don't know what she would do without it...BRAVO ro you for being a part of this very important and needed service.
The gardenia story reminded me of lilacs. I LOVE lilacs and I wanted a bush under my kitchen window, so I can smell them while I do dishes. But they tell me, "Lilacs don't grow in Florida!" I have to investigate it to see if it's true now.
By the way, I checked out Cyn's artwork. I love it, especially the 2004 painting of the woman with the bowl. I couldn't enlarge it because the link wouldn't work, but she is an extremely gifted artist. You're lucky to have such a friend.
BTW, do you paint? I didn't know you had a social phobia. I think what you do is fantastic! Inspiring, too!
I love that picture!
As for the school zone, maybe you could have them evacuate the kids before you come through in order that you can keep your speed up...
Like Jazz, I love the picture. The fragrance of gardenias reminds me of proms and pretty little girls with their corsages. Only trouble with gardenias, despite their fragrance, is that they turn brown if you touch them.
Naomi,
I really enjoy it. I've been doing it for 7 years now.
Scarlet,
Maybe the lilacs WILL work. No, I don't paint although I've worked on some simple cartoon murals. I showed Cyn's painting of my Dad and my door mural here:
http://geewits.blogspot.com/2007/05/art-envy.html
Jazz,
I laughed and laughed and am still laughing!
As for the picture, I found it on a site that sells pictures and they have them set up like a movie so you can't save or copy so I just snapped a picture of my whole desktop (press alt and print screen at the same time) and cropped it out. Hee Hee
Ian,
My husband says they use them to make leis in Hawaii. Maybe they soak them in Hawaiian magic first?
Geewits, you know, my daughter and I once drove all the way from Vancouver to Calgary to visit my niece, just using landmarks. It was winter, we drove through the Rocky Mountains, in a Firefly. And we didn't look at one street sign. When we finally got to Calgary, I told my daughter that my niece lives at the end of the main thoroughfare through the city, and when you get near the end, you turn right at the video store. We got all the way there without getting lost once. Of course, on the way back, we got caught in an avalanche, but that's another story. Heh.
You know, maybe that lady will let you take a cutting of her Gardenia. It's obviously very hardy. That's a gorgeous photo.
My wfie will tell me about something happening on such and such street and I'll ask, "Where in the hell's that?" Her response, "The next street over." But if she refers to a physical structure or landmark, then I know exactly where she's talking about. I certainly can relate.
Josie,
An avalanche?!?
JR,
I'm more comfortable with landmarks. I hate having to read the street signs. And they are BAD in Texas.
Oftentimes generalized fear will turn into a full on social phobia which is a much more severe form of the condition that has now become a psychiatric disorder. The signs here in addition to the extreme self consciousness are severe fear and anxiety to go with it. http://www.xanax-effects.com/
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