barb dwyer

Today the Liberal Studies Club
(Tech doesn't have fraternities - just 'clubs')
set up a table right outside the food area - the 'SUB'
to sell valentines to raise money
for the yearly club 'trip'.

I was assigned noon - 1:00pm.

It was going to be a real pain for me
because it's my 'big' day for classes
and I've got this paper coming up

and I *do* still deal daily
with the exaustion from the thyroid stuff
and constant pain
that sitting in those school chairs
exacerbates every single day.

But I'd made the commitment.

So I show up after my first two classes and
as with all clubs
the others who'd volunteered....backed out.
the person who was to relieve me at 1:00pm
cancelled.
'Could you PLEEZE stay, Barb?"
the person who was supposed to show up
to do this WITH me...no show.
of COURSE, right?

So there I was
at this lunchroom kind of table
with every student staring at me
as they went into the commons to get their lunches.

lovely.

I was POSITIVE I would die of old age
before my (suddenly) TWO hours were up.
I got out a sheet of notebook paper and
using their sharpie
wrote -

"KEEP YOUR FRIENEMY(S) CLOSE!"

twenty minutes - TWENTY MINUTES LATER -

this guy walks up
the first person to even look twice at the stuff on the table

and bought the entire stock!
Everything!!!

Ka-BAMMM!


Even the box of extras under the table!

Hand me a hunner dollar bill and that's that, ya know?

See-
I spent the evening last night just dreading this thing
in the back of my mind.
It kept rolling around in my head
like a tennis shoe in a dryer...

along with the energy-wasting 'extras' -
you know the head games we do to ourselves:
"I've got too much to do right now"
"Why does it have to be me? It's their club, too"
"That's the only time I"m going to have for lunch"
"I bet nobody shows up and I'll get stuck there"
"I've got a paper due on Friday"
yadda yadda, right?

When it'd come up, I'd try and 'catch' it
an tell myself (sometimes outloud)

"That's not here - homework is here. That's tomorrow."
"It will be whatever it is going to be."


so getting assigned an EXTRA hour....
was no surprise at all, you know?
this *is* the woman with the pigeon on the couch...
no surprise.

I just relaxed and didn't waste any more energy over it.
ba dah boom ba dah bing-
and the whole thing wound up taking twenty five minutes.

I was home by 12:35.

Thought it might be an illustration about
staying in the moment
and just letting the Universe....

...unfold.

Learn2Live

You have the coolest stories Barb Dwyer. Thanks for sharing

barb dwyer

Awwww.... (((thank you))))

I actually have a very cool life.

The thing that got me today though -
was the whole 'codie' thing slapping me in the face-

here I've been looking at the codependent nature of all my relationships

and there it was again -
in the dang club.

they knew they didn't have to show up
long as Barb was going to.

That's the kind of stuff I've got to manage.

But that's my ONE volunteer thing.
It's everyone else's turn now.
I *am* getting better.

I'm not healed.
I'm not fixed.
I'm not well. (lol)

But I AM better.

brokenheartfool

You're a natural storyteller, Barb.

chicory

a good lesson and a good laugh (or two)

thank you Barb- I am still laughing at the thought of you nearly dying of old age!!
i would have felt the same, but you took it a lot better than me. i am a whiner, but i am getting better too.

and good going on the sales! what a nice guy too. do you think he was feeling sorry for you? i can just see you there, trying to look like you were enjoying yourself. hahaha, i am making myself laugh now. haven't we all been there?!
hugs
chicory