Brain Matter Scatter

When I have a lot on my mind (stress is a word I don't like to apply to myself), I get a little quirky.  Usually I bake, which calms me, or I walk, alot.  Sometimes I have a lot on my mind, and a lot of "have-to's" on my list.  So I really only have time to do what needs to be done, and there is no room in my head for extraneous details.  When I get to this point, I appear calm, but things fall out of my head.  These are the days I wander around the office looking for that bottle of oil that I just had in my hand, or the pen I'm holding, or whatever.

Yesterday was one of those days.  I got to my first patient, bright and early.  Went to see someone in my office, realized after I got settled that I had a little time, had forgotten breakfast, and I could go out to the car and get my lunch.  Except I didn't have car keys.  I had keys, but the ones for the car had dropped onto the seat.  Darling Man to the rescue ta-ta-ta-taaa! He brought the keys, went swirling off in his cape, and I finished my patient in time to run out to the next home visit.

Hadn't even gotten into the house before I realized that I'd locked the keys in the car.  No Darling Man this time.  I left a message and went inside.  There were issues with the patient, I called the nurse, the home office, and the doctor's office, worked with the patient.  Still no call from the DM, tried again.  It was a beautiful day, so I sat on this beautiful little porch, on a beautiful little porch swing, in a beautiful little neighborhood, with beautiful birds singing, cats prowling and neighbors yelling for  1 1/2 HOURS waiting for triple A.

I am a habitual offender.  Some people have AAA for the comfort if offers "just in case", depend on the occasional tow or tire change for things you can't avoid.  I know that several times a year, I'm going to need a locksmith.  I know from experience, that there is a limit to the number of times AAA will unlock your door for free (it's ALOT of times, I don't remember the exact number).  I even had one guy at my old office that as soon as he would get the call, would call the office to make sure he got me out in time for lunch or leaving for the afternoon - I bought him a Christmas present that year.

Now, this guy was a piece of work.  He called, to reprimand me for leaving and not canceling the call.  He was on the wrong street.  He finally showed up in a car with absolutely no identifying labels or decals, and jumped out with what could only be described as a thickened coat hangar.  He looked, like, well any TV sitcom working class dude.  Focus on the TV sitcom part.  He didn't look like a working class dude, more like a charicture of one.  Large, soft around the middle, pink faced and sweaty - it was cold outside.  Plumbers crack, unkempt hair, talking to me and cursing under his breathe the whole time he worked at my door.  It took a very long time, at one point he accused me of having one of them "complicated locks."   When he finally got inside, he kind of hung out, sort of awkwardly continuing the conversation he had been having.  Held out his hand, I shook it.  Then went on to tell me that AAA was canceling the contract with his employer, this was his last day, and AAA was going to start using their own locksmiths.  He had no idea what he was going to do.  I suggested maybe applying for a job with AAA.  He said he had been thinking about it, might even do that.  And he hovered.  

I told him good-bye, backed away (so as not to run over him) and left.  Then I realized he had been hinting toward a tip.  
Are you supposed to tip the locksmith?  I never have.  Never felt any pressure to.  I probably have more experience than anyone with locksmiths.  I admit my social graces are not that advanced - but the locksmith?  The 1 hour late, got lost, slightly angry locksmith?


Times are tough.  People everywhere are losing jobs, or getting jobs, or worried about losing a job or paying a mortgage -lucky for me I'm in the "getting a job" category.  I will soon be in a position that will allow me to put effort, maybe even some money toward helping people.  But, I'm pretty sure I would not have tipped this guy, regardless of my financial situation.  I'm sort of a "help those that help themselves" kind of girl.  I know, not very Taoist of me, maybe a little judgmental.  Probably why I hate our welfare system.  When things are given by the government, people get a sense of entitlement.  I would prefer some sort of "work-fare."  Everybody can do something, even if it is stuffing envelopes.  I realize that all of my high ideals can be shoved out the window in the face of things like mental illness, and serious addiction.  I like that our country is strong enough to help all of its people.  In general the concept of welfare is an important part of our society.  I just think it needs to be re-worked.  Getting basic services should not be so hard that it becomes a full time job to wade through the paperwork.  And, people should not be rewarded for "working the system."  

Like so many - I have no answers, only questions.  And how did I get on this soap-box?  I started out with a funny little story about my keys.