I realize that I live off the boardwalk. I also realize that our porch faces a main street that people walk either to the laundry on the corner or the soup kitchen right around the corner.
I love sitting on the front porch, drinking coffee and smoking a cigarette (don’t bother, I know everything going through your head about cigarette smoking). Heaven forbid I should sit out there with a cocktail or a beer.
Everyone wants to save someone. Usually not themselves. That’s a little tougher and well, let’s face it, we have too many excuses for our own behavior but can’t accept them when other people spout them about themselves.
Because the soup kitchen is on the way past our front porch, we do get to meet some of the sweetest people making their lives better one step at a time. Everyday you see someone that is getting stronger, gaining self-assurance and just out and out looking fantastic! You can’t help but point it out to them when they stop by to say hello.
What I don’t care for is now I can barely sit on the front porch without having to entertain some of the less enjoyable ones. No, not talking about the drugged out, need to be afraid of type people. I’m talking about some people that have been in programs so long that they ‘live’ it in the wrong way. They have no lives and are so busy trying to save everyone else that they have gotten absolutely nowhere in bettering their own lives. There are those that have also recently found Jesus and want to share His love and message with my obvious sinner lost-soul self sitting out on the porch enjoying the beautiful evening that God has given us.
I do try to let those slide since I do understand that those who help others help themselves. So preach on new lambs and yes, I do know what the 12-steps are and want to say “it also involves taking your own inventory, not mine.” Nope, just smile and let them go on hoping that one day they actually get it for themselves – because I would be taking their inventory at that point now wouldn’t I?
The most rude people that I encounter are people I actually know here. I sit on the front porch during the day as well. We don’t smoke inside so the front porch is where I smoke. I can smoke on the back porch, but honestly the view isn’t that great unless you like looking at a parking lot.
I can have my nose in a book and they will stop in their cars to talk to me, get out of their cars to carry on a conversation and seem to get upset when I say I need to get back to work (or ignore them by continuing to read). Okay, since I don’t earn a damned paycheck they think I’m lying.
I do have things to do. I call it work because it isn’t what I’d love to be doing like reading on the front porch, drinking coffee and smoking a cigarette without having to try to carry on a conversation with someone else at the moment. Sometimes, just sometimes, I like sitting out there wrapped in a blanket enjoying the sounds of the ocean and breathing the wonderful salt air. I’m not lonely, I’m not sad, nothing is wrong I am just in a good place enjoying the moment and beauty around me.
I am taking a break from housework, studying or laundry.
At that point, work becomes something I want to be doing instead of hearing how little money you have made that day, how you can’t wait until your settlement is made so you can go on that vacation that you’ve always wanted and at the same time telling me that you can’t pay your bills. Oh, and that you can’t get a real job right now because it could blow your case in court and you could lose your settlement.
Oh, then there is this guy that is trying to convince me that pot is the way to go to cure ADD. Yeah buddy, let’s go from having too many thoughts to uhm, none? I’m already dinging enough so zoning totally out just doesn’t appeal to me. And yes, they said cure. ROFLMAO! Looks like its working for you and the handyman flyer just handed me for your business…so not calling you or recommending you. I am also no longer interested in designing your flyer for your business.
Off to the porch to see if I can sneak a smoke, a little coffee and few pages of my book before being interrupted.
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