Blindsided

For weeks now I’ve held my breath whenever the Ranger passed by; expecting him to announce they've found a replacement. Just last week he said something to the effect that,

“…since it doesn’t look like a replacement’s coming…”

…and I started looking for cars, as I’ve written. Yesterday, my day off, I was waiting for a phone call that someone's coming to pick me up for a test drive, when there was a knock on my door. I thought she wanted firewood.

“Hi! My name’s Polka Dot, and I’m your replacement. They say I’ll probably start in a week-and-a-half, so I just wanted to introduce myself,” as she shook and held on to my hand.

WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK I DID? Smiled, pulled my hand back and steadied myself against the RV.  I tried my best to engage in an engaging manner and I got better as the conversation continued.  She felt terribly guilty; saying over and over that she was in no rush and could pay to stay elsewhere awhile longer until I find someplace to park myself.

“Don’t you do a thing other than what’s developing for you,” I insisted. Things change for me overnight. Her husband died about a year ago; she just finished pulling a little RV teardrop-thing from Texas, couldn’t find affordable parking in Jackson County (didn’t I say?) and her son and his family live in the town right down this hill. 

It’s perfect for her, and I said so. I wasn’t meant to stay here, and I’m grateful for having 6+ weeks in such peaceful surroundings.  At least now I've got something else to put on a resume.

I don't want to adopt a 'survival of the fittest' attitude, no matter how tough my circumstances. Things always work out better than I expect, and without wanting to sound like a ‘holy roller’ I said to her,

“You can’t tell me that God is providing so beautifully for you at my expense, and will throw me to the wolves.”

I have faith. You know, like, "There are no atheists in foxholes."