I Think I'm Tired

It was raining, so I ran to my car and jumped inside. I could see my neighbor from inside the car, waving to me, but the rain was so loud I couldn't hear him, only see his mouth moving as he stood in his doorway.

I wondered what he was trying to say. After all, I was running with a purse on top of my head in the pouring rain. Wasn't it obvious I couldn't hear him? Nope, I guess not.

When I sat inside my car I was relieved to get out of the rain, except I was worried about keeping my eyes open while driving down the road. I’ve been working hard lately, trying to save money for this and that. Like my cat Simon’s root canal and the outrageous cost of his therapy.

Every time something unexpected happens in my life, it threatens the wind in my sail, and throws my life as well as my hormones off course, and this happens before my dream ship has had time to reach the dock. I’ve been o.k. though, well, managing, but yesterday was one of those days when my "troubles looked as though they were here to stay," to quote, a Beatles song.

Hence, by the time I walked inside the grocery store, I was in a daze. I kept staring those long stares that never end, you know the long ones into thin air? When your eyes focus on a spot and you can’t move them? Then you yawn the long yawn that stretches your mouth open so wide a semi truck could plow over your tongue.

I keep yawning the annoying yawn on the coffee isle of all places. I stood staring at the coffee on the shelf for I'm not sure how long, when at last someone woke me. I felt a hand lightly touch my shoulder and say, “Are you o.k. Miss? “

“What? Oh, I’m sorry. Yes, yes, I’m alright; why do you ask?” I said. Instead of answering with an “I’m sorry, I’ve just been tired lately." Because I thought that answer might make me sound delusional or on drugs.

I thought the stranger may go away but he keep looking at me as if I recently entered the Earth’s atmosphere and decided to have a look around. I said, “I’m fine, sir," again thinking he would go about his business, but he continued his gaze. I could see his eyes look down my shirt, and then move back to my face, as if he was looking me over. It was creepy, so I said something like, "O.k., good day then" and scurried out of there to get my milk.

Then after I got my milk I encountered another starer in the grocery line. It was weird; I mean I can understand why someone may be concerned about why I was staring into space, but that was one person, now another person was staring at me. They weren't "staring into space" like I was doing, they were staring at people. When people stare at you, you don't know whether you should stare back, wave, look quickly the other way, or what, and I didn't want to appear too threatening or too friendly.

Anyway to sum this story up, the cashier stared at me too, in fact, she looked as if she took pity on me and the guy that bagged my groceries smiled sweetly and said, "Hang in there. We all have bad days." I have never wanted to get in my car so fast in my life, it was like living in a bad episode of the Twilight Zone.

On the way home my blood ran cold at the thought of why people found me so interesting all of a sudden. After all, what was the big deal about staring into space in the grocery store? I mean we've all done it, right? Plus, most of the people who were staring at me didn't witness me staring at the shelves on the vegetable aisle anyway.

When I finally returned home and brought my groceries in the house, I called to my son to come and get the heavy bags from me, but when he saw me he was startled- then he started laughing. I said, "What is it? Everyone keeps looking at me like I have egg on my face. What in the world is it son? You tell me right now."

He playfully took me by the hand and brought me before the bathroom mirror and everything fell into place. Although I was humiliated by what I saw: My blouse was on inside out, I had eye make-up on one eye and not the other, or better yet, I had make up on one side of my face and not the other and I wore a different earring in each ear.

I guess that's why I got so much attention! I think I'm tired.