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Heart-Shaped World
Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 11:44PM I was awakened harshly this morning out of a slumber that was deep, dark, soft, warm, and wonderfully ... weighty. The kind of sleep you dream about. But it wasn't the alarm clock that woke me ... it was the new telephone beside my bed. This phone is so new, in fact, that even though I grabbed both my glasses and the handset in time to discern via the nifty caller ID feature that it was my good friend Cecilia attempting to contact me, in the dim light I could neither see nor find the "on" button in time to actually take the call. No matter ... I knew why she had rung me up and I was sure she'd leave a message. With a sense of dread I dragged my weary bones from beneath my toasty covers and went to my office, shivering, to collect the voice mail.
I prefer to achieve full consciousness gradually, in stages. Today I went from minus-zero to 100 in a scant 70 minutes. No small feat.
Within seconds the worst was confirmed: Cecilia (a fellow court reporter) was sick (I could hear it in her voice) and needed me to cover a deposition for her. Problem was, even as I spoke to her I was still asleep and she was telling me I had to be across town, wearing actual clothes, completely alert and oriented, prepared to take testimony, in just a little more than an hour and a half. Why she failed to give me a courtesy heads-up last evening (she got sick yesterday ... the flu) is something I shall have to take up with her when she gets well and treats me to lunch as she has promised to do.
But this morning there was no time for recriminations ... no time to eat my Wheaties ... no time to think. I morphed into a dervish on the spot (I can do that), furiously making coffee, showering, dressing, and transforming myself from exhausted person to dazzlingly professional court reporter in near-record time. Normally my getting-ready routine takes an hour and fifteen minutes after I have allowed ample time to wake up slowly, drinking at least one cup of coffee in a leisurely fashion while propped on my pillows. I prefer to achieve full consciousness gradually, in stages. Today I went from minus-zero to 100 in a scant 70 minutes. No small feat.
See, TG and I are both confirmed night owls and last night we really tied one on. Neither of us had to get up especially early today (we thought), so after returning home from church we watched a few news shows, then got into a late program on the Biography channel, then puttered around reading and working on our computers, answering emails and such. Utter hedonism! It was one-thirty before I turned off the light and we talked for a while before going to sleep. So you can imagine the depth of my incredulity (not to mention angst) when that new phone's smugly informative electronic noise thingy intruded rudely on what I had expected to be an uninterrupted lie-in. Cruel! So cruel.
But your intrepid girl reporter got her act together. You would have been so proud! I didn't forget anything ... I wore a slip, brushed my teeth, put on all my makeup, and actually managed a halfway decent hair day. My shoes matched and my hosiery was snag-free. Fortunately I never lose my keys and when it comes to my work equipment I try to stay in a state of readiness, so all I had to do at liftoff time was grab my rolling bag and climb aboard my chariot ... after, that is, chasing Javier all around the house so that I could put him outside where I wanted him (spring has sprung and on nice days he lolls by the pool) instead of leaving him loose in the house where he is liable to transgress in ways as predictable as they are unacceptable.
I made it to the cross-town law firm on time and everybody there was so nice and seemed so happy to see me, and wasn't I the early one (???), and did I want a coffee (YES!), and we'd be starting right on schedule but in the meantime I was to just holler if I needed anything. So I got my stuff all set up and learned that our lucky deponent was a medical doctor ... a cardiologist as a matter of fact ... and that his friend, also a cardiologist, would be present as well. Great! I thought. After my stressful morning, if I have a sudden coronary at least someone in the room will be able to properly administer CPR.
Eight hours, a million questions, and 31 exhibits later, the lawyers couldn't think of anything else to ask the doctors and we all decided to call it a day.
I stopped by Wal-Mart on the way home (y'all know I can't drive by one without going in) to buy a birthday gift for a friend at church. I did not have to wait long at all in the checkout line, and a very nice lady was my cashier. Pleasantries were exchanged along with currency, and in no time I was on my way. As I neared the exit I saw Calvin. Calvin is the senior citizen greeter at the Wal-Mart nearest my home.
It is always uplifting to encounter Calvin and today was no exception. He's one of the kindest and most cheerful people you'd ever want to meet. He always has a positive comment, but not the obligatory type that rings false. I'm sure he has aches and pains and troubles but you'd never know it from his happy face. As for me, I was tired and even a little shell-shocked from my long day, but Calvin's face lit up when I neared him just like it always does. "HEY, little lady!" he called out, grinning from ear to ear. I grinned too, in spite of myself. I stopped to say hello, see how Calvin was doing, and ask after his family. He always says he's doing just great and the family are fine too, and I tell him I'm doing well and hanging in there, and he tells me to drive carefully home, and I promise that I will.
I'll bet if those cardiologists took a look at Calvin's heart and saw how big it is, they'd forget all about their legal troubles ... at least for a beat or two.
And now I must go and tryst with my dream date ... my pillow. The new phone, at least for tonight, has been relocated to the refrigerator.
Reader Comments (5)
Big hearts warm the hearts around them. Isn't it wonderful to be around kind, thoughtful people?
Is the man a Christian? He certainly has a tender heart. I've got a story on my blog about someone he reminds me of.
I don't know if Calvin is a Christian but I wouldn't be surprised! I spoke to him again just last week. He's a love.
well, now I have that story on my blog. It didn't post the first time.
I didn't think I'd seen it!