Sorry I Asked

The other morning, I visited the grocery store to pick up snacks for my daughter to take to a class party. I had put off the errand for several days because I'd been feeling really, really awful with a cold/flu and kept thinking I'll feel better tomorrow, but my health had actually declined with each passing day. On top of all the aches and fever, my back went out. Finally, I bucked up, drove to the store, and shuffled in to grab some packages of Teddy Grahams.

I limped up to the counter and the cashier said, "Hi, there. How are you?" Normally, I just say hi when people do that to me. How are you? has become a rhetorical question, and is basically another form of Hello. I was feeling so poorly, however, that I couldn't stop myself from croaking, "Well, actually, I'm not very well at all. I feel really sick this morning."

And do you know that guy did not say one more word to me? He didn't even attempt "Sorry to hear that" or "Oh, too bad." Nothing. Silence. He hurt my feelings, if you want to know the truth of it. I know I was ill and a self-pitying mess anyway, but he couldn't even muster a "Hope you feel better"??

His impassivity was so blatant that I would have preferred an actual insult. I could have handled, "Keep your cooties to yourself, lady!" But his blank face and refusal to converse any further almost made me cry.

I have a suggestion for all the people out there who habitually ask, "How are you?" when they couldn't possibly care less and don't really want to know the answer . . . STOP SAYING IT. A simple Hello! or a pleasant Good Morning! will get the job done just as well without offending us sick people who are desperate for a drop of human kindness.

For those who really do want to know, well, then, God bless you and thanks for inquiring. I'll try not to bore you with the details.



Dinner last night: spinach and cheese ravioli, beef burgundy

Exactly one year ago:

The Running Man

Exactly two years ago:

Happy Easter