I went for my afternoon walk today, taking a new route hoping to encourage my new sense of ‘over-all’ health. Of course, on this walk I had two smokes and took a thermos of coffee- but it is the thought that counts right? What I was really doing was spying on my neighbors to see what Halloween decorations that they had put up on the other side of the neighborhood.
Lets talk about my neighborhood! It is a small area where all the houses look different and I really appreciate that. We have a community Facebook page where we let each other know when dogs get out, when someone’s garbage is overflowing, when someone plays there music too loud, when someone’s kids were playing in the street with no adult supervision- you know neighborly goodness! Thank God for that Facebook page, or I would have never known that the annual Halloween candy excepted cost per household was raised to $300.00 this year. I better get right on that.
Anyways- it is a wonderful neighborhood, really. Just today I was stopped in the middle of my daily afternoon walk that I have taken everyday for the last 3 weeks at roughly the same time and asked why I was walking on the street. They wanted to make sure that I wasn’t a serial killer, which was beyond nice since I have lived across the street from them for over a year. Glad we cleared that up!
We got to talking, after I showed them my drivers license, a piece of mail, and my voter’s registration card to prove who I was, about what I do for a living. I was starting to sweat, was I getting interviewed in order to stay in the neighborhood? Was this an intervention? Had I been voted off the island? I should have walked away! I should have smiled and spoke Polish! I should not have said I work for the Red Cross. I saw it! I knew it was coming! Either you love us or hate us. Or in the case of interior Alaska- either you know we are here or you don’t!
I am often asked why I work for a non-profit organization. I am not sure why this is even a question, but I took the bait. I work for a non-profit organization because they hired me. I have a disclaimer- I am a equal opportunity supporter of non-profits, a majority of them are just truly concern with creating a positive impact on their communities. It just so happens that the non-profit that I work for has a museum based on their founder. Does your job? 2 points for the American Red Cross!
Yes dad, I know that there are other jobs that pay better. Yes mom, I do work long hours, often on the weekends, and answer phone calls at 5:30 in the morning. I think I spent 20 years in the military just to prepare me for this job. However, they support my addiction with fresh coffee, my boss has feed into my love for Oreo’s, and they supplied me with a computer and a cell phone. At first, I was really excited about the cell phone- now I try to turn it back in every week. It’s a iPhone, but a small iPhone where you need a microscope to read the text messages and my fat fingers cant type a message to save my life. But, I wouldn’t trade my job for anything in the world- it makes me happy daily.
15 minutes later, after a thrilling discussion on why blood is red and blue at the same time- I was finally released to get back to my job supporting those displaced in Oregon from the Wildfires. I sat back in my lovely office, with a fresh cup of coffee and 5 Oreos for my troubles, and I thought to myself- ‘I am going to need a new walking route!’
What are your thoughts?