Hi Everyone,
Today's email is on the long side, so I'll get right to it.
Tribe Name: Lonely
Don't be surprised if today's column sounds more sophisticated and worldly.
Instead of writing it in my pyjamas in the rec room, I wrote it fully dressed in a
funky little café near my house. Smooth jazz was playing in the background and I
was surrounded by other people who were also pretending they had actual jobs.
I'm so glad I went out because I really needed a change of scenery. When
you work from the house day after day, it's easy to get lonely without
noticing it. One day you're fine, merely suggesting that the children stay
home from school to keep Mommy company, and the next day you're writing
cryptic messages on your skin with a sharpie pen and barricading yourself in
the cold cellar. It's a fine line.
It was very healthy for me to get out this morning, but it was just lucky that I did.
I needed to buy some of those patio torches and while I was out, I got a caffeine craving and stopped into the café. This happy interaction with the outside world
was sorrily needed but I hadn't realized it, which is surprising because it shows so
plainly on the pages of my journal. I'll list a few selected entries from this past
month just to show you how gradual a descent into isolation can be.
Day 1:
Ah, the kids are back at school; finally some solitude.
Day 5:
These last few days have been very productive. Today I will reward myself
by taking the afternoon off to read. I wish the house wasn't so quiet.
Day 6:
Fell asleep reading yesterday but felt very refreshed, may have a nap again
today.
Day 9:
I've been enjoying my little ritual of napping, but it seems to make me more
sleepy. I'm not getting much done these days.
Day 11:
Forgot to get dressed today. Accomplished nothing at all. The laundry is
starting to pile up and, it could be my imagination, but I think I hear
someone whispering.
Day 14:
Made a friend today. His name is Regis. He visits with a woman named Kelly.
It's nice to have people to talk to.
Day 15:
Got a delivery today! It was great to see a real live person, but I was very
disappointed with her rude behaviour. According to Miss Snooty Pants, I'm
not allowed to tug at her arm and it's "against company policy" for her to
come in and have coffee. Yeah right! I bet if I had brushed my hair this
morning and removed yesterday's make-up, she would have come in.
Day 18:
Called a telemarketing company today to chat. I had to promise to get my
furnace ducts cleaned, but I enjoyed the conversation. I think my hair is
matted. My teeth are getting a little discoloured because I've been
drinking tea non-stop. As it turns out, caffeine is the only thing I look
forward to.
Day 20:
It's been over a week since I last got dressed; I don't see the point. There
are no clean clothes anyway. The pile of laundry is massive but I find that
sitting on it gives me a feeling of power. The tea is losing its kick, so for the last
few days I've been having Hershey Chippits for breakfast.
Day 23:
I made a headdress out of paper clips. It looks very regal. I put it on and
dragged the Chippits up to the top of the laundry mountain. I see now that
it's where I belong. I'm changing my name to Zena.
Day 27:
Zena is displeased. The family has complained about the torches she lit in
the livingroom. They said that putting Chippits into socks and restocking
them in drawers is not the proper way to do laundry. They say that she's
talking about herself in the third person, that she smells, and that she
ought to get out more. Zena will show them. Tomorrow she will gather even
more patio torches and light them as an offering to the caffeine Gods who
will surely restore her tea-kick.
***
That was the last entry. When I look over the journal, it is clear to me that
getting out sooner might have been beneficial. In the future, I must learn to look
for the subtle signals that indicate more human contact is necessary.
For now however, I have work to do. I must scrub the highlighter cave
drawings off the walls and inform the family that no matter what I said
before, they are not, in fact, "voted off the island."
Crystal
Copyright 2007, Crystal Eves
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