Thursday, November 24, 2011

Thanksgiving

Giving Thanks
I'm thinking today about the things I am thankful for.
Every year when the whole extended family got together for Thanksgiving, my
Grandmother would ask each of us to go around the table and tell what we were 
thankful for before we ate our dinner.

To be honest we all hated this tradition.
One year as each took their turn and stated they were thankful for the love of their family, 
their job, their friends, their homes...etc....it came to my Uncle Scotty.

He said, "I'm thankful that things are not any worse."
And we all laughed. 

To be honest that is how I feel this year for real. I've been thinking that I'm thankful that
things are ok at the moment. 
This has been a tough year. It started out just fine (actually pretty great) but quickly went south.
But there are many things I am thankful for -
I'm very thankful for all of my blogging friends that pulled me through a rough time
in late summer. Your friendship and anti-depressants (ha!) have gotten me through.

I'm thankful that my sister is improving. 
She's lost like 70lbs! Can you believe it?

I'm always thankful that I have my great Mom.

I'm thankful I go to my friend Shannon's tomorrow to have 
Thanksgiving Dinner with friends and family.

I'm thankful that I found some part time jobs to help me out financially.
I ended up with only two...it was going to be impossible to manage four.

So I now work part time at Pier One and part time at Target.

Working at Target as a cashier has been an eye opening experience.

I have to say everyone that works there is super nice.
Kind to each other. The customers have been super friendly and forgiven me my inexperience.

I'm thankful my cousin and best friend  - Shelly is still here. Although, she is most likely spending 
this Thanksgiving in the hospital. She had to go there today....with a 104 temperature.
I will visit her tomorrow.
I love her so much...
Today something happened that made me realize how lonely I will be without her.
Well, I already knew this....but this made me feel how it will be without her.

This is the most absurd story and as it was happening...I thought....I can't believe this...
Wait till I tell Shelly!

But when I went to call her after work...I found out she was very sick and in the hospital.
I cried...thinking what will I do when she is not here any more and I don't have
her to tell all my stuff to?

I spoke to her husband and asked him to have her call me when she woke up and felt like talking.
I just got off the phone with her. Yes....she laughed at my story. 
And then we cried together
about how we are going to miss each other so after she is gone.

We have always had each other. She is six months older than me...so we have always been in 
each other's lives. I don't know what I will do when I can't call Shelly and tell her 
about my day. The plan was that we'd be old ladies together.

But I am thankful that I have her for now...

So, I'll share here my story of what happened.

Be prepared to be amazed...
Perhaps to be disgusted...
But I guarantee you will NOT be jealous...


So, today at Target, I was working as a relief cashier covering breaks and lunches for all of those working 
at the registers. I'd just come back from lunch and had gone up to the cashier manager (this is not what 
they are called...they have some kind of name that is initials like DSM or GML or DVD...I can't remember. 
So I'm standing there waiting for the manager to tell me which lane to go 
to so that I could provide them a break. 

I know this sounds boring...but it gets better.....

So just as she says...."Why don't you relieve Tayna on Lane 11?" and points me in that direction...

A fly comes buzzing in.... straight towards my face...in a second it comes straight at me 
and disappears and I swear I was pretty sure it had flown straight up my right nostril!

This happened in a split second while the Manager was talking and pointing. 
At first I thought...did that just happen? 
Couldn't be...he must have flown past but it sure feels like he flew up there.
I am thinking this as I walk to lane 11 to relieve the cashier.

Well, of course I wanted to immediately go to the bathroom to check out the situation.
But I'd just gotten back from break and this was my second day there and I couldn't very 
well scream out - "There's a fly up my nose! There's a fly up my nose!"
So I kept telling myself it couldn't be but yet...my nose did not feel right.

And there were customers lined up down the aisle waiting for me to ring them up.
I couldn't blow my nose! I didn't have a tissue. 
My nose was tickling and felt strange and I was resisting the urge to sniff.
The last thing I wanted to do was suck the thing further up into my nasal cavity!

So I'm still ringing people up and then....it starts to buzz. I guess it had been stunned
at first. So now I feel this thing moving and buzzing in my nostril and 
my greatest fear was that it was either going to crawl out my nose while a customer 
talked to me or just coming flying out!

I know....I know....

This was humiliating! Here I am trying to have as much dignity and class as I work at a job
that I never thought in a million years I would be doing and I'm trying to just live in the moment
and be friendly and happy and trust that things will improve in my life and 
BAM! A damn fly goes straight up my nose!

So the thing is really moving around now. I press the side of my nose hoping to kill it.
I guess I thought a dead fly up my nose was preferable to a live one!
How quickly ones perspective can change.
 Finally, I turn my head away from customers 
for a second and I had to pick my nose in public!

I had to! I had no other choice!

Luckily is was moving out as I stuck my fingernail in so it took just moment.

I was so relieved when the thing walked out on to my fingernail.
I flicked it to the ground and prayed no one noticed.

Yep! This is what my life has become. 
And I was so relieved and happy to have that thing out of there.
I was almost giddy!

Then driving home tonight I thought...what if it laid eggs!

Can you believe this happened?


I haven't felt right since. 
I came home and blew my nose and stuck a cotton swab soaked in alcohol up it.
That really stings by the way.
My nose still feels weird. 
I don't think I will ever forget that feeling.

I'm sure I'll be ok.
This sort of thing must happen to cows all the time and you never hear of them having problems.

So let's see, I guess I am also thankful that at least it wasn't a wasp or bee!


I hope you have a very pleasant Thanksgiving free of insects. 


34 comments:

  1. O.K....My stomach hurts and tears are coming down my face from laughing sooooo hard..hahahahahahaha!! I had to stop reading and tell my husband why I was laughing so hard and then I had to read it out loud to him, how very funny. I could picture the whole thing.

    I love to laugh, so I am thankful for this post!

    Have a very Happy Thanksgiving! xo

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  2. Oh Nita, I cried at the first part of your blog because I feel so bad for you and your cousin and then you told the story that you wanted to share with her...I was laughing out loud histerically trying to stifle my laugh so as not to wake anyone, the tears were streaming down my face, and then I started coughing til I thought I'd pee my pants. OMG!!! I am thankful that I found your blog and that you can make me laugh that hard! I will look at flies from now on differently, I didn't realize they could reak such havic!!! Happy Thanksgiving!

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  3. You had me laughing with the fly story!! Many years ago my mother-in-law was at the cemetery visiting her mother's site and cleaning away fallen branches. She didn't realize there was a bees nest attached, all the bees came storming out and you guested it, several flew up her nose and strung her multiple times. A trip to the hospital was required!! At the holidays her sons will often retell that story, " Remember the time when bees flew up Mom nose". Years from now you may be retell the Target and fly up the nose story.

    On the serious side, I will hold good thought and prayer for your beloved cousin. I also hope things will turn around and you find the job of your dreams. Have a great Thanksgiving, Laura

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  4. This really made me laugh! As a former cashier, I could totally relate ... well, almost. I hope your friend is better and that you both have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

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  5. BAAAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
    I honestly think I may have just woke EVERYONE in the house laughing so hard! Oh me oh my...you are having one difficult time Nita...As much as I'm still wiping my eyes from the tears of laughing...it's a bitter sweet feeling. I'm so sorry that this (your lovely friend) has had to happen. I pray that you will be able to enjoy many more times together...and more importantly than that...that you will be able to cherish the memories you share. Thanks for the laugh, I needed it. Hang in there...you are never alone dear friend. I'm SO thankful for you & others like you who've been such a great support to me this year with my son and his illness. You are loved darlin' :)
    xoxoxo
    T.

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  6. OMG Nita! I am dying over here laughing. Laughing like when your face gets all scrunched up and you can't see out of your eyes and the tears are coming cuz it is soooo damn funny!!! OMG. I haven't laughed like that in a long time,so I am thankful for you and your brave and funny perspective on things like flies up your nose!! I am going to have Dave read this..there is no way I can tell him this, you put it down on paper perfectly. This should be submitted to a short story magazine somewhere!! And then you will be saved by that damn fly when you are a famous short story author!! OMG that was so damn funny. Ok, now I am wishing you a nice thanksgiving at Shannons, I am glad yo have that tradition. The saddest thing is to hear about Shelley. I am sorry about that. I am glad you were able to tell her that story, I bet she needed it too. xxoo

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  7. That is such a funny story! I've been through that, although mine happened somewhat differently. I was singing onstage in the musical "Once Upon a Mattress" - a big number with two other women singing back-up. On a high note - a fly flies right in my mouth. Nothing I could do about it. I had to keep singing. But the other two women saw it happen and one of them was laughing so hard that she peed in her pants.

    True story.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    xo
    Claudia

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  8. You are living a complex life my friend! I did sit here and LOL while reading the fly situation! It actually reads like a good movie...surrounded by sadness in her daily life our beautiful star takes a job to make ends meet at a most unlikely place. With only a few days on the new job a fly decides to give comic relief to an otherwise normal scene in our movie. Now all we need is set decor and maybe a great writer to make you a happy ending.
    I do hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving...and get to spend sometime with your cousin/best friend!
    Hugs from here
    Donna

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  9. That is so funny, I can just picture the whole thing.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones.

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  10. omg! I can't believe how funny this was and how hard I am laughing! I have tears and my nose is running! I felt really bad for you but this sure did start my Thanksgiving day off with a smile! I am thankful for that....Enjoy your day Nita!~Hugs, Patti

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  11. Nita,
    That was so funny, I can't even imagine. I just love your stories; you tell them so well. Thank you for sharing all of them, the good and bad. I appreciate them all.

    I hope you have a wonderful day!

    Steve

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  12. I'm so sorry your cousin is in the hospital and you sure have been through your share of "challenges" this year.
    They fly story is so funny! I would have been mortified.
    You kept your calm and carried on! Thanks for making me laugh today!

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  13. I'm so sorry about Shelly, it's so sad that she is in the hospital for Thanksgiving. I can only imagine how your heart is hurting. I'm so glad that you have Shannon's house to go to for Thanksgiving! We are so lucky to have great friends in our lives.
    :) - I'm so happy and lucky to have you!
    You really made that fly story very funny. Such a humerous twist on it. Still, man that sucks! I can see this as a scene in a movie, you tell it that well!
    Still..... sorry.
    (you should flush your nasal passage with one of those nasal syringes.)
    Love you! XOXO - Cindi

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  14. You, dear lady, are one of the things I'm thankful for this year! Your grace during a tough year is inspiring. Much love to you and yours.

    Now as to that dang fly, we may need to nickname you Anne Shirley cause it read like a chapter from Anne of Green Gables! She was always getting into scrapes like that -- and if it had been her, Gilbert would have been the one person to have seen her pick her nose.

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  15. Oh I love that story. I have never had a fly up my nose, but I once had a cockroach in my purse. I had left my purse on the garage floor overnight when I unloaded my car. The next day I was at Neiman Marcus--it had to be at Neiman Marcus and set my purse on the counter and out walked this gigantic cockroach! I will never leave my purse in the garage or live in the South again (where they grow their bugs big).
    Good to hear that you found 2 jobs. I also have been looking for months and recently found a temporary job and now really appreciate the meaning of Thanksgiving!

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  16. My husband thinks I'm going crazy..getting so sad and the next second laughing my head off! I had to read the Target part to him and he thought it was pretty funny too...seriously we are laughing with you, not at you! Wishing you a flyers Thanksgivimg...And also thinking of you and your friend...

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  17. Nita,
    Such a funny story...you give Garrison Keillor a run for his money with your story telling. Just wait till you get glitter up your nose at Pier One, my wife accuse me of going to a strip club with all the glitter I'd come home wearing! I too am thankful I have a blog friend like you! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I wish all the best for Shelly.
    Adam

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  18. OMGOSH, Nita- I made my whole family stop what they were doing and listen as I read them this story. That is so funny! I love that things like this happen to people other than myself. When I was a kid I stuffed beans UP my nose and had to go to the doctor to have them dug out....yeah...at least you didn't do it on purpose!

    I am sorry to hear about your cousin and friend~ xo Diana

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  19. I could hardly get to the funny fly story after reading about your cousin and best friend. I lost my cousin and my best friend in Feb. She died very unexpectedly on vacation of H1N1. It was so sad. I miss her so much. There are so many times that I want to tell her something and I can't. It is so hard. I flew to Florida to see her but she was already in an induced coma and on a vent. I hope she knows that I was there. We were less than two years in age and just grew up together. I never had a sister and hers was crazy.....we could talk about other family members.
    Anyway, it is so hard. I hope you have lots of time just telling each other how much you care.
    I admire you working so hard. I am sure there will be lots of funny stories that you can tell. Probably not like the fly. I wouldn't have been able to handle that....it would have freaked me out if it flew out of your nose and I saw it......oh my.
    I hope things get better for you.
    (((((((HUGS))))))

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  20. Yup, I laughed out loud. I'm surprised I haven't yet experienced this same thing, since flying bugs of all types seem to like to dive kamikaze-style right at my face.

    I'm thankful your cousin is still here for you to talk to, to love, to savor precious moments with. I'm thankful you have employment. (Me, too!) I'm thankful that your sister is improving every day. I'm thankful that you can find humor in life now after your heart-rending loss. And I'm especially thankful (and selfishly so) that you are still posting lovely things here on your blog - - yours is one of my 'must see' blogs, every day.

    I hope your Thanksgiving was a blessing filled with family and friends. (I am sorry that you must now experience Black Friday as a retail clerk. I'll keep you in my prayers.) - - The still anonymous HollyM

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  21. That is a horrible thing to happen! It did make me laugh but I feel your humilation but good for you for carrying on! Kudos!

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  22. That is the craziest thing...fly eggs in the nose..nooooo!!! I hope your nose feels normal soon.

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  23. Oh. My. Gosh.

    I don't know what I would have done but you were MUCH braver than I could ever have been. I'd have been the one running away and hiding!

    You're awesome. :)

    Donnd

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  24. I'm so caught between laughing and say "eewwwwww! Laughter is winning! I'm so sorry! But thank you for the giggles you've given me. Hope you get a good night's sleep tonight. Maybe I'll run into you at Target or Pier One. I'll be sure to look! Let me know which locations you're at.
    Glad you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! That table setting was gorgeous!

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  25. OMG, you poor thing, but that is something that would totally happen to me too! Some of us just have that kind of luck I think! I really give you credit for what you are doing, I am probably going to have to add a part-time job to my full-time one too, it just isn't cutting it. Glad you got that little bugger out w/out anyone noticing!! lol

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  26. Oh dear, that was one hysterical post! As I'm reading and laughing so hard w/tears in my eyes I could only visualize you being in line and working the cash register! Shelley is going to love hearing that story! And what an amazing bond you two have been able to share over the years.

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  27. Oh. Lord. Funny. But not. I am sorry, I'd have had to get that out of my nose and no matter what they would have just had to wait! Still praying for Shelley.....Happy Thanksgiving.

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  28. Oh honey, after all you've been through and a damned fly up your nostril! That's just too much. I'm so very sorry about your dear friend. I've been there until the very end with one. I wanted to hold her, the hospice nurse lowered the bed rail so I could be with her, and so that's just what I did.
    Brenda

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  29. OMG! I can't believe you kept it together as long as you did! I would have immediately freaked out! I can see why you were forced to remain calm, I just don't know how you managed! Can you imagine what your customer thought? Hopefully they didn't notice. My heart is breaking for you and your cousin. I recently lost my grandma and it was soo hard, but I think it's even harder to lose a best friend and someone who is young and should have many years ahead of them. My heart goes out to you!

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  30. Nita! Thank you for a good laugh, you poor thing, I can't imagine it happening to me. I have tears running down my face I laughed so hard.
    Bless you, thanks for telling this!
    Awww Nita, I feel so bad that you are facing losing someone else that you love, I am so sorry!
    Hugs, Cindy

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  31. Nita darling, I just dropped in to say hello and catch up on your blog when wham, I went from feeling sad for you to hysterical laughter. You are a trooper and a great sport my friend. I am afraid of bugs so I would have been fired for walking away from my register to the nearest exit. I don't know why things are so yucky for you right now but may God keep you close and safe during this tumultuous time in your life. Amen. Thinking of you sweetheart. Also, get some good support hose or knee hi stockings and supportive shoes. It does get better as your feet will adjust to standing so long. Give it time darling. Dawn Suitcase Vignettes xo

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  32. Tears from laughing so hard. So many times when things have been tough that hanging on to your sense of humor helps you carry on. I hope next time i stop by, things are better - and you're still chuckling!

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  33. Nita, that is the craziest story I have ever heard! I would have been running up and down the aisles screaming like a banshee, then I would have used the PA system asking if there is a doctor in the house!!!

    OMGoodness, you are amazing the way you handled that one.

    I am so sorry to hear about Shelly. I will still pray for you both.

    xoxoxoxo,
    Ricki Jill

    PS Your headers always make me smile!

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