Trouble Trouble Boil and Bubble

It’s a tough job, so thank you for doing it
and ousting that idiot No. 45

I actually didn’t realize today was a holiday until, heading for the mail center after this morning’s workout, I saw a group of residents sitting on the bench by the Laundry Room.

They usually only sit there when waiting for the mail carrier to finish sorting, so I asked, "Is the mail carrier not yet finished?"

"No mail today, it’s a holiday".

That explains why I’d seen Head Maintenance Guy, whom I thought was slacking off, heading out and off with his two boys and daughter, thought I.

Though I’ve seen quite a few residents out and about today and during the week, enjoying the weather, I’ve not seen the Baker — which makes me think something might be seriously wrong with her ailing husband.

If I don’t see her at this coming’s Bingo Friday, I’ll know it’s bad.

Trouble trouble boil and bubble.

Thankfully, I’ve not seen hide nor hair of my little rug rat stalker.

I did, however, have an interesting interaction with a child about little stalker’s age at the market on Friday.

I’d parked the car, began walking across the parking lot, spied a man putting groceries into the trunk of the car with two little boys that looked like twins standing in the cart.

One of the little boys was staring at me, but I didn’t think anything of it until, as I got closer to pass by, the kid yelled out "HI GRANDMA!"

Not sure I’d heard correctly, I paused when I got to where they were and asked, "Did you just call me Grandma?"

"YESSS!" was his overly enthusiastic response, causing me to think he’d had too much sugar.

"Do I remind you of your grandma?"

"YESSS!"

"Do I look like your grandma?"

"YESSS!"

"Do you like your grandma?"

"YESSS!"

"Well then it’s cool".

His dad was cracking up during the interaction, and dad wished me a good day as I continued on into the market.

Then, while the cashier was scanning my groceries, I saw a baby staring at me from his carrier in the isle across.

Seeing him staring, I smiled and gave him a little wave which made him smile.

His little sister, seeing him staring, took his head and turned it towards her.

The baby wasn’t having it. He turned back and kept smiling at me.

Finally, his mom and grandma began looking to see what he was smiling at, whereupon I finished paying for my groceries and said to the baby, "Stop flirting with me".

Mom and Grandma began laughing and also wished me a good rest of the day as we all began to walk out.

I left the market feeling like the frigging Pied Piper of children in the Inland Empire area.

What is it that my little rug rat stalker, the kid that called me grandma and the baby see?

Are they all souls from past lives recognizing my soul in its current skin suit?

The week was a heavy one for me due to worrying about a family member who is thisclose to being jobless then ultimately homeless.

I’ve occasionally helped this family member out financially, but it’s reached a point where I can no longer do so without hurting myself and thus will have to accept it’s not going to end well for her.

Trouble trouble boil and bubble.

I’ve seen this family member travelling down the road she’s on for many years and can see why — though she’s a nice person, caring, thoughtful, in the end she causes so many to not like her, not want to even be around her but I have never been able to tell her what I see because she gets defensive, shuts down, goes into denial mode.

Not just with me, but with anyone who tries to get through to her.

It was the Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu who said, "A tree that cannot bend will crack in the wind". When thinking of this relative, of what I've seen for as long as I can remember, the root cause of her issues is that she's a person who is rigid, controlling, cannot bend and those that don’t bend will break.

I think she’s at that point now and I can’t keep carrying the burden of worrying or bailing her out of financial difficulties. I’m going to have to say no next time and let whatever befalls her befall her.

Her latest situation, and her history of causing people to not like her, got me to thinking of my own history with people.

I've always had decent relationships with neighbors, coworkers, ex boyfriends — some of whom might have been mad at me because of this, that, the other, but can't think of anyone who wouldn't smile and give me an unwanted hug should our paths cross.

I’ve had people in and out of the workforce who hated me because of the color of my skin, but even these racist types couldn't help but like me once they got to know me, even while continuing to try to destroy me.

What I've never had is anyone to hate me for the person I am, people to not want to work with me, even be around me.

So, the fact this is a frequent reality for this family member, one would think she would by now have done some self-reflection and adjusted accordingly, but nooooo, she just gets angrier, more stubborn, more self-destructive.

Oh well. Knowing I was going to have to let this one go, and that it’s going to be bad — trouble trouble boil and bubble, sent me out for a nice long walk to clear my head on Saturday.

I walked the college campus, then tackled an incline, known as Devil Canyon Road — an incline that far exceeds the elevation of anything I’ll be facing at the 5K I’m looking forward to in October.

It was tough going, even with the trekking poles. I almost turned back just feet from the top but persevered.

At any rate, training on this incline a couple times a month — weather permitting, and I'll be able to ace the October 5k, no problem, no injuries.

BTW, the crazy glued trekking poles held up, but I carried an extra tube of glue just in case.