The Human Connection

3/23/2019

At what point in history (I guess you could call it that), did people became so absorbed in reading and writing on their cellphones. Could anything sent to anyone, so important right now, that having a face-to-face conversation is not doable.

There was a time, and some of you may not remember this, when a trip to the store, didn't result in multiple phones ringing, and hearing (at least to me), a one-sided conversation. 

I may be old school, but since I seldom even use our house phone, it just doesn't occur to me to make a call while I'm out and about. 

In restaurants, for example, you can see couples eating dinner, while checking out their individual phones. Really?  It's true that if you've been married as long as Jeff and I have, there is a tendency for us talking about something new.
For people around us, I know that we may look pathetic, but we're okay and comfortable in our long (by today's standards) marriage. 

If we were attending a concert, etc., Jeff would mute his phone, so as to not annoy or irrate the people around us. Most of Jeff's calls, other than business ones, are from one of the boys. While the boys are no longer boys (duh), asking Dad for helpful information on how to do stuff, is good for all three of them.

So, when I'm in a grocery store, I don't want to be near the person, who is explaining to someone (probably a spouse), that there are no "x" or "y" products.And, in these cases, what would the person on the other side of the conversation like for substituion. Jeff always carries his cellphone with him, until it's time for bed, so I know that I can call him, and tell/remind him of something. Believe me, I try hard to follow this rule. 

People, are so much into themselves, that they walk down the sidewalk, talking on the phone, and forget where they are. This business of bumping into people, and then apologizing, somehow comes off as insecure.  

Check out lines in stores, are no exceptions for "chatting". Trust me, I really don't want to hear you talk. As somewhat a bit of a recluse, I generally like the sound of nothing. 

When I was in Chicago for treatment, I had a written conversation (yes, on paper) with someone that I had known from one of the multiple places I stayed while in "rehab". After this man received his first letter from me, he wrote back and said that my letter was the first that he had received.

If a cashior asks how you are, you are supposted to always say something along the lines of "fne" or some other generic response. Let's face it, the cashier is not really interested in the details of your life. An exception is made, if you have been in that cashier's line many times before. My mother had difficulty with giving a generic answer. 

So, if just me be possible that if everyone put their cellphones down for just a few minutes, and actually looked at a person, might just be the tonic you need to continue to do so.

Here's what I know for sure. Bella is a beautiful, honey-colored dog with black wiskers. Since she is being trained to be of assistance to me, we get a lot of people who either: (a) want to pet her (not happening); and, or tell us how beautiful she is.

Bella is well behaved when out in public and wearing her service dog vest. She definitely knows the difference between working and playing. I bought a new patch for her vest that says she is a psychiatric service dog. When people look (no actually stare) at me, I appear fine, health-wise. What they don't know and probably will never understand, their are demons that roll around in my head. If I am in an agigated state, then one of the things Bella does for me, is "paw" me, or lay across my feet. By doing either of those things, it takes from a 10 for agigation, back down to a more normal state of mind.

Beautiful, but on the cool side and windy. Definitely, not a top down kind of day.

P