So what happened. When did that sweet, placid quiet girl become the impatient, grumpy, intolerant old woman I appear to be now?
Take this morning for instance, usual hard work cleaning badly finger-printed brass pulpit rail, budgie (of previous post fame) and the two massive High Altar candle sticks. plus a few odd brass plates around the walls etc.
The church was cold and draughty, noisy (some scaffolding was being erected by electricians), more people were underfoot than usual but that only set the mood for the rest of the day.
Several long (and lovely) conversations/interruptions later I hurried out, about half an hour later than usual, into the freezing gale to do some necessary shopping on my way home.
Why were the shops so busy and the town so full ? Oh of course, the day of industrial action meant a lot more people were roaming around with time on their hands.
Finally reaching the bus stop settled down for a ten minute wait - which proved to be 15 minutes - struggled onto a crowded bus with heavy bags great, job done.
Disembarked into gale force wind again, up to front door to hear the phone ringing.
Struggled with shopping, hand-bag, keys and dropping everything on hall floor breathlessly gasped hello into the receiver.
"Are you Mrs Ray Barnes"? a thin nasal male voice enquired, "have you got a few minutes to answer some questions"?
"Not a good time, I've just got in and have a few things to do, can you call back later" I asked.
"It won't take a minute madam, we would just like to ask you about some products of ours .......
"No, I yelled, I don't want to discuss anything you might want to sell me, I'm cold, tired and want a coffee
go and make someone else's life miserable"
And with that, I hung up.
Yes I do know, patience is a virtue. Just not one of mine.
Of course you're not unreasonable, Ray, given the chain of circumstances you describe. If he'd rung after your coffee, I daresay you'd have been sweetness itself. :-) I don't like to think what I might have said in your shoes.
ReplyDeleteI hope you did then get to sit down and have a coffee and get warm Ray, big hugs x x x
ReplyDeleteNo, you're not unreasonable. I have taken to simply not answering the phone when I'm harried. That keeps me from yelling, "What do YOU want?" instead of saying "hello!"
ReplyDeleteTouching faith you have in my 'normal' reactions Perpetua, but thanks for the vote of confidence.
ReplyDeleteYes, thanks Jane, I did. Though I seethed for quite a while before finally relaxing and going off the boil.
ReplyDeleteHugs returned.
Hi Penny,
ReplyDeleteI know this will sound pathetic, but I get so few phone calls that I always assume (incorrectly) that it will be something good the other end.
Some of us never learn.!
Dear Ray,
ReplyDeleteNot unreasonable, simply exhausted from the vicissitudes of the day. As I've aged, one of my big discoveries has been that my body simply doesn't have the energy or resilience it used to have. I've had to learn to be kinder to myself. More gracious.The tendency is always, I think, to be much more understanding of others than of ourselves. Please do be gracious to yourself and enjoy putting up your feet on the hassock and having a hot cup of tea.
Peace.
Dee, I know you're right and yet quite a big part of me feels ashamed whenever I really let fly in that way. Conditioned behaviour I suppose, yet as you say, we do need to stop and re-charge our batteries more often as we age.
ReplyDeleteOh, well, still time to learn.
Oh my goodness, a fellow "termagant"! I had to look up that one :)
ReplyDeleteOK, so let me cut you some slack here (as any good natured termagant might do). Patience is a virtue, yes; but so is self-control. The way I see it, you left the dude with nary a bruise, which demonstrates to me your stealth control under the circumstances.
Love the picture. You must have been a child of the 50s/60s too?
Blessings,
Kathleen
No. Not I, Kathleen. I was born in 1935!
ReplyDeleteMind you. it depends what you mean by child.