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Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Opossum, Old Men, and the Witches Costume

This morning I woke to the sound of my son yelling out, "Mom...ma, Mom....ma, I want some milk". I rolled over to grab my cell phone off the night stand and realized I was closer to the edge of the bed than I originally thought. I would say that falling out of the bed isn't the best way to start off the day but I seemed to be in fairly good spirits so I just rolled with it... Literally. I fell and rolled. Once I was finally standing, I grabbed my cell, squinting my eyes to get a clear glance of the time. Five am comes way too early.

After getting the boy his sippy cup of milk and my daughter ready for school, we headed down to the barn so I could let the goats out. On the way to the barn I was quickly reminded that I had set the live trap in the garden yesterday. I noticed the door was tripped. We were hoping to catch a raccoon but as I got closer I noticed that we had caught a small opossum... I hope my husband doesn't read this but... aye, what the heck, I'm a sucker. I let it go... again. But at least I didn't release it in the barn, again. ;)

I have to say that with the mood I have been in lately if nothing else, watching that little opossum scamper off through the field... Well it did my heart a lot of good.  But I couldn't help but  to pondered the hypocrisy. I can kill a chick that I raised myself but to cant bare the thought of a wild opossum being harmed? That's nuts. My only defense in the matter, perhaps the opossum and I are kindred spirits, link from a past life? Or perhaps I just have a major set of double standards.. I shrugged off those thoughts as I only entertained them for a moment. Ultimately I really didn't care. I wanted to let it go and so I did.

After feeding Milo and letting the goats out, we headed down the quiet country road to drop Sissy off at school. After Sis shuts the door, my son, (We will just call him Aubs from now on because the fake nick names are too hard to remember)  Aubs, said "Whats next". "Well Aubs, we are going to go to the store and look for Momma a pair of running shoes". He said "Ok, but I don't want to look at girl shoes, you can... Ill just close my eyes". "Ok Aubs, sounds good to me", I smiled.

Now would be a good time to point out that I have recently been trying to quit smoking... I know, everyone gasp all at once. Yes I was a feakin' smoker. Point, and start the crucifying but hurry up with it cause I got a story to tell here... Anyways so in my attempt to quit smoking I have noticed that... well, I am getting a little thick. So I decided to eat better and increase exercise time. Hence why I was going to get the running shoes.

On the way to Hendersonville (to get the shoes), we passed an elderly man pushing his bicycle. My heart started to tug a bit. I really wanted to stop and give him a ride but I have a strict policy about giving strangers rides. For safety reasons, I only pick up women. I have a better chance of kicking a woman's ass if she tries anything weird.  I never give men rides. Of course if my husband is with me that's a different story. Lee is a big guy and if some guy tries anything weird with him... Well, I have very little to worry about. But the qualm I was in today, this was an old man! I debated a bit if I should go back and get him.

My dilemma, reminded me of when I was 16. I was driving home from work one afternoon. I decided to take a short cut through a rough neighborhood. A man in his late 40's was broke down on the side of the road. I drove past him until the guilt got the best of me. I turned around. Turns out all he needed was a jump, so I popped the hood. He was very appreciative and told me how many people had just passed him up. Just as I was feeling pretty good about pulling over he put his hand on my shoulder and asked me, a 16 year old kid out to dinner, "ya know to thank me". FREAKED ME OUT! I politely said no thank you and told him that it would be best if I waited in my car.  All ended well but that was the day I made the strict policy, "No helping stranded men, that will just have to be a mans job".

I decided not to pick up the old man. As I made my final decision and finished up a prayer that my son didn't see him, Aubs spoke up, "that man's bicycle is broken". He holds up his Handy Manny tools so that I can see them in my rear view mirror.  "I should fix it with my tools", he said with a cheerful smile. Even more guilt ate away at me but I didn't turn around. Looking back, I should have turned around. I ditched the policy today.



Anyways, so we finally arrive at the store. I grabbed the first cheap pair of running shoes I could find. But, while at the store I had a much more important purchase to make. I wanted to look for a dress. I have this really hot date in a few weeks and I really wanted to find something sexy to wear for my man. I found a dress. Aubs slowly walked in the dressing room behind me, he was less than thrilled to still be in the store.

 I slid the dress on over my head. I looked down to notice Aubs staring at me with a puzzled look on his face. My sweet prince innocently asks, "Momma where'd you get that witches costume"?

"Thanks Aubs". "For what", he questioned. "You just saved mommy some money". ;)

On our way home my bf called. I relayed the witches costume conversation, I had with Aubs. She said "what does he know, he's three years old". I replied "He's old enough not to know to lie". We laughed and then I lost the call.

I glanced down at my cell to realize the battery was dead. I was relieved. I was in the mood to take the long way home. I usually don't travel that road because I cant get cell service on it. Well, not having any service anyways, I enjoyed the ride. I rolled down the windows, cranked up the Mumford & Sons, and took in the view of the calm country side....


9 comments:

  1. I don't pick up hitch hikers anymore, at all, male or female, unless I know them. I feel guilty too, but I just ask God to send me another opportunity to help someone, without putting myself in danger. I wouldn't do it with my child in the car, because the attacker would use the fact that my child was with me, to accomplish his attack or take over of my car. I am a small woman and now past my "physical prime" so I just don't take changes. I think you done the right thing. I would have let the possum go too! (he he)

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  2. LOL. A witches costume! Priceless.
    I second not picking up hitchhikers at all. Most of them seem to be men anyway.

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  3. leigh-i would have let the opossum go also=every
    creature has a purpose in God's garden. Don't buy really cheap running shoes-you'll ruin your feet and other things-back, etc; As a prior smoker [three packs a day-] i know you can do it.
    I was able to just quit cold with no aids-just decided nothing was going to have this kind of a hold on me- I have pretty good discipline when i want to- do not pick up male hitchikers = another male will be along and take care of the prob. I have two grown daughters that i give the same advice to-also my grandchildren- Love to read about your trials and tribulations= thanks for the daily break-love it
    Jim

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  4. I would have let the possum go, too.
    Don't pick up hitchhikers.
    Don't buy cheap running shoes.
    Good luck with the running and the quitting - you can do it. You go, girl.
    Oh wait, I just said ALL the same things THEY said. Hmmm, you've got some smart blog readers, I'd say! :)

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  5. I would have let the oppossum go and not thought twice about it. I do kill chickens that I raise and I also kill rabbits that I raise, and frankly, rabbits are a heck of a lot cuter than oppossum, but I'm not going to eat the oppossum, although I'm sure I could. I raise chickens and rabbits specifically for food, and I figure, if I'm not going to eat it, I probably should just let it go, unless is competing with me for my food - and then, I'd have to really think hard about it (don't ask me too much about the chicken-killing raccoon that's still wandering our woods ;).

    As for smoking, I've been smoke-free for fourteen years. It's not really that hard to quit, if you really want to do it. Starlight mints and sunflower seeds worked really well to curb my desire for a cig, and I didn't gain any weight until I got pregnant with baby three :).

    And hitchhikers? Two words - No Way! Go rent the 1980s thriller Hitcher. You'll change your mind back ;). I might be compelled to pick-up a hitchhiker if I were alone, but I'm usually driving with one or more of my beautiful daughters in the car with me, and I would not risk harm to them just so that I can feel all warm and fuzzy by my willingness to help out a stranger. Their safety is infinitely more important to me than my feeling good about myself.

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  6. Good luck with smoking! I started when I was 14, became a heavy smoker at 16 (at that time, legal to buy it in VA at 16), and quit successfully on the third try at the ripe old age of 22.

    I still think about cigarettes when I'm in certain moods, but somehow I don't cave in. The occasional cigar....sure. But not cigarettes.

    Good luck & don't be discouraged by setbacks!

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  7. Thanks for all the "positive" feed back everyone! I appreciate all the feedback that has been left under the comments, but due to a nasty email (Yippy, my first hate mail) I feel the need to do a follow up post with some clarifications. That post is coming soon.

    Thanks for the encouragement to quit smoking. I have quit twice before. While pregnant and the year to follow after having both of my children. As far as nixing the smokes being easy, I think it depends on personality and exposure. Its not easy for me but I can be a pretty determined gal. So I am sure the side effects will wain and I will be completely smoke free once again.

    Swamp thing, I once heard someone say, once a smoker always a smoker (even when quit). I believe thats true. When I quit before, I still craved them, every day.
    Dare I confess that when I originally started smoking it was by the hand of swisher sweets at age 16... really long story but anyways after a night of puking into the porcelain bowl, and the entire next day of a beating headache, You would have thought I would have trashed the smoke inhalation all together... O NO, I was far too "Smart" for that! I just switched to Marlboro cigarettes. :) LOL

    Thanks for the encouragement, everyone!
    -Leigh

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  8. Wow, you're the second person who has posted about getting their first nasty email this week. What's with that?

    It's unfortunate that we have to deliberate about helping someone because of our sex, but there are a lot of things I don't or won't do, places I won't go alone. It's sad but a reality. It's not just ourselves we put at risk but our families, our kids. I understand your decision completely, don't second guess yourself.

    As for smoking, you sure seem like the type who is strong enough to overcome, to me so I'm sending positive vibes your way. : )

    ~Andrea~

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  9. Rural,
    You are very right there are just a lot of things that we cant or shouldn't do because of our gender. Thats the way it was meant to be, though. I could open up a whole new post about being able to be a "girl" all the time if "men" were "men" all the time.... but I wont....at least not right now. lol ;)

    Thanks for those vibes, I think they are working. Not to toot my own horn but I have to say I am pretty pleased with myself. Maybe my mind made the whole quitting thing a lot harder than what it really is!?!? ;)

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