I've been included in a Minnesota anthology "Under Purple Skies", now available on Amazon!

My second chapbook, "The Second Book of Pearl: The Cats" is now available as either a paper chapbook or as a downloadable item. See below for the Pay Pal link or click on its cover just to the right of the newest blog post to download to your Kindle, iPad, or Nook. Just $3.99 for inspired tales of gin, gambling addiction and inter-feline betrayal.

My first chapbook, I Was Raised to be A Lert is in its third printing and is available both via the PayPal link below and on smashwords! Order one? Download one? It's all for you, baby!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

I Appreciate Your Appreciation

I left work by 11:00 Monday morning. Sick. Again.

Or should I stay “still”?

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy a good sick day as much as the next guy – I just prefer to be well when I take them.

For most of my life, I’ve been a surprisingly healthy person. My recent foray into stomach and breathing problems has been disappointing. A full weekend on the couch? Yes, indeedy; that’s where I was this last weekend. Were there margaritas involved? Philosophical discussions? Crazy make-out sessions?

There were not.

It was just me and the impression that I had unknowingly swallowed several pairs of scissors – and that I was doomed to live out the rest of my life on the couch.

It’s lonely on the couch; and left to my own devices, I can easily go all Sarah Bernhardt, a bit introspective, start having visions of hermit-dom, of solitary confinement.



I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but I have an imagination.

So when Monday morning came around and the alarm went off, I got up for work. Having been raised by parents who never called in sick a day in their lives, it’s just what you do. Can you get upright? Is there uncontrollable bleeding? You can? There isn’t? Then what are you cryin’ about? Get up and get to work!

Alas, work was not in my cards Monday. Shooting pains? Nausea? Those were in my cards.

But I need people! I need interaction!

Dammit.
They sent me home.

I got in line for the bus.

And that’s when a figure caught my eye: an attractive, debonair man. He grinned at me.

And then he winked.

I got on the bus, but I took that wink with me.

Thank you, Downtown Smiling Man. I needed that.

32 comments:

darsden said...

Awe Wink Wink Pearl, dammit get well already. Time to go see another doctor Pearl. That one is not working for you. We cannot have a sickly Pearl riding the no. 10...you don't want to be a zombie do you. Big {hugs} hope you feel better. Change that damn medicine and you will feel much better, xoxo dr. dar

rtju said...

I'm sure if Downtown Smiling Man where here he would say "you're welcome".

He is a cool dude, that Downtown Smiling Man. Yes sir, very cool.

anon said...

I've got a crazy sore throat, as of this morning.
But no one winked at me : (
I do have to look into that bus pass!
Get well soon.

CSY said...

Oh, don't you just LOVE it when an attractive man who ISN'T your husband winks and grins? Unfortunately, my hubs didn't see what the big deal was. I grinned ALL day when a random guy smiled and asked for my number...What?!?! I told him no, I was married and had 3 children. He wasn't Jeff Probst.

I hope you feel better!

Kate Coveny Hood said...

I don't know... I tend to be suspicious of winkers... But I'll give your guy the benefit of the doubt.

Hope you're feeling better soon!

MJenks said...

Maybe margaritas should be involved. Alcohol does, in fact, kill bacteria.

It probably would denature a virus' protein sheath, if given enough exposure.

Not to mention, cholesterol is much more soluble in alcohol than it is in water.

In other words: Drink til you're healthy!

Douglas said...

Pearl, I truly hope you feel better soon. I have been fighting off something for the past few days. It's lurking just far enough off that I am able to get up and do things but close enough to adversely affect the quality of those things I do.

One of these days I will write about my two years with The Cough. Doctors are no longer my favorite people.

Pseudo said...

I prefer to take my sick days at the beach...

Hope you feel well soon.

DKG aka Scrappy Doo said...

I agree sick days should be reserved for sunny spring days.
Get better soon!
Scrappy
Hey now that ya mention it I did kinda notice you have some imagination. Love it!

Roshni said...

hey hey hey!! You still got what it takes, Pearl! Watch out..he may be back tomorrow!!

Eskimo Bob said...

Pearl -

I hope you feel better soon. Nothing's worse than feeling ill. We're all tossing you some winks now - even that creepy guy in the trench coat down there.

Jess said...

I love nice people! A lady waved and smiled at me for letting her walk across the road the other day...she was under the age of 25, wearing expensive shoes and female, so it would have been a potential 25 point score, but I was feeling pretty nice too! Made my day to get a thank you!

Kavi said...

Aww Downtown man... ! Next time you spot him, send him this side. We need the likes of him more !

:)

Hope you are feeling much better

Bex said...

thank you downtown man for bringing an entertaining twist to this blog post! (not that it wouldn't be entertaining without his wink) (by that, i mean it would CERTAINLY be entertaining no matter who did or did not wink at you) (oh, i'll just stop here before i get in trouble)

Anonymous said...

Pearl Honey...

I'm sending you an e-mail about this problem with your Advair.

As for the winking man...

I absolutely love to be winked at...only to be made better by adding a nice British accent...

;-)
Love you muchly and we need to get you better quickly.

Chris said...

I dunno, I'm detecting an edge to "sick Pearl's" writing that isn't always there when you're healthy. So, while I'm not wishing ill upon you, if you could maybe, ya know, for the sake of us readers and all, take your time?

Ah, just kiddin'. Hope you feel better soon.

Mandy_Fish said...

"I enjoy a good sick day as much as the next guy – I just prefer to be well when I take them."

Haaa. Sometimes you remind me of my id.

Unknown said...

Ah don't you just love those handsome stranger winks and smiles. Hope you're feeling better soon xx

Pearl said...

Dar, I’m better, baby!
And no, we don’t want me on the 10. That bus is just depressing.

Mbuna, I do love me a winkin’ man.

Powdergirl, I’m sorry to hear about your throat. What is it about this season? I got a call from my dad this morning and I guess he and my mom have been sick for a couple weeks now…
Gargle. Sleep. Get someone to give you a foot rub. :-D

CSY, I know all about you and Jeff Probst. :-D
I SO love getting a little attention. I don’t need them to drop to a knee or anything, but I’m a total sucker for a wink or a smile.

Kate, I think I get my love of the wink from my grandfather’s cronies, all farmers, all winkers. I see it as just a little sign, nothing big, that says that you and I? We get each other and nothing more need be said.
I may be reading a lot into it. :-D

iNDefatigable, ah. You and I are on the same page here, my friend. Icky and I are planning a surprise party for Friday night. I’m going to need a margarita for sure.

Douglas, The Cough? Sounds menacing – and bound to keep one up at night…

Pseudonymous, Minnesota has plenty of beach, between, uh, June and September… I think I like your beaches better.

Scrappy Doo, I’m feeling better today, primarily, I think, because it’s supposed to rain and storm for the next week!

Roshni, ha ha! Yep! I still got it! Still attracting strange, random men! :-D

Eskimo Bob, keep winking! I think I can feel it…

Jess, you gave up 25 points! You DO like being thanked, don’t you?! :-D
Honestly, it’s amazing how far a little politeness goes…

Kavi, everyone wants to be smiled at, don’t they?

Bex, you’re so funny! And if I see him, I’ll tell him you say “hey”.

Sweet Cheeks, thank you! I tell you, I feel so out of it, like I’ve missed all the good parties or something. I’m better today and am bound to be much better tomorrow, yes?
Frankly, it’s embarrassing! “Sick” – at least physically sick! – is just not my thing…
Love you, Sweetie. Thanks for the wink!

Chris, well I hadn’t considered that it would change my writing, but I’ll bet you’re right… Because I write every day, I rarely get a chance to really reflect on what I’m doing…

Mandy’s Kidding, shoot, I was well into my 30s before I considered the idea that these “sick” days were not days they were giving in addition to the pitiful number of “vacation” days, that they were for taking when one was sick!

Yummy Mammy, I DO love the random wink! What can I say?!

Unknown said...

yes dear pearl- we all needed that wink...........have you had a really GOOD physical examination to find out what the hell is going on with your temple.or do you just need more chocolate ?

darsden said...

did somebody say Pearl needed chocolates!?! hummmmm ;-)

Michelle said...

Pearly-Q I would so wink at you too!!

Would you like that as much???

Michelle said...

Please feel better soon i am worried about you!!!

De Campo said...

I only know of one man who still winks without fear of scorn. Coincidently, he lives in Minnesota and is the world’s foremost slayer of zombies. That wink was his way of telling “Hello there Ms. Soon-to-be-Undead, I look forward to decapitating you soon”.

You’re sooo lucky! Do you know how many zombies would kill to be in your shoes?!

Smart Mouth Broad said...

Oh Pearl. I hope you feel better soon. BTW, was there a tissue stuck up your nose when he winked. I hate it when that happens.

Cygnus MacLlyr said...

And I never knew I could project my thoughtform so far as Minnesota...

Blessings, Pearly one. Would that I were the pillow on the weekend ci=ouch..
A make-out session bar none coulda, shoulda, and woulda ensued...

Quit swallering scissors, woman! GADS!!!

:D

Love,
C.

Gadjo Dilo said...

Ah, being "sent home" is the best thing ever, it's like "you are incredibly ill, maybe you will die soon, but you still made it in, this Marine salutes you, we'll post you purple heart in the morning."

Cupcake said...

Can't get this song out of my head now...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03OfDbsT68U

Brown Eyed Handsome Man...Downtown Smiling Man...

rachaelgking said...

"I took that wink with me."

Things like that? You put in your pocket and hold onto for days. Love it.

♥ Braja said...

I've been homebound blog-wise as well and didn't realize you were sick... so sorry to hear it Pearl honey... but a wink from a handsome man is worth a million, ain't it? :)))
xxx
get well my friend...xoxo and hi5hi5hi5 as Ann at Rants would say :)

Mary@Holy Mackerel said...

That guy was probably a doctor, and he was eyeing you because all he could see was the little virus buggies floating around, and what fun he could have with that! Partaaay!!

And get better, will ya? You're starting to sound like me.

Anonymous said...

Hope you're feeling better soon. Seems to be a case of scissors in the stomach going around...