A thing happened today, and I felt moved to share it because I'm afraid if I don't write it down, I'll recall it one day and think I made the whole thing up as part of some ironic nightmare musing, but alas, it did indeed happen.
Prompted by the class I've been taking, I had a burst of nesting energy and motivation to reorganize and finally make a home for some things which have been collecting around my home. I began a search on the internet marketplace for a glass cabinet hutch that I could use for my much needed store of herbs, oils, and otherly healing and witchy supplies. An apothecary cabinet, if you will. I figured out exactly where I would put it, and searched locally with confidence that something would turn up within my price range.
True to form, the innerwebs did not disappoint! Within a day of searching, I found a piece about an hour away that fit my needs to a tee. I messaged the seller, set up the appointment..."It's a white house and has some corn stalks on the porch!" she says. Okay. Let's do this!
I made my appointment for Tuesday, not remembering that it was election day...a BIG election day...the 2020 election day that I would otherwise be spending avoiding the television and the internet to try to NOT obsess and be anxiety ridden, so I was glad for a proactive distraction.
I enlisted my eldest son for assistance and youngest child (who would otherwise be watching TV all day while her father works from home) into the car and we set off on our quest.
I had taken measurements of the minivan to make sure the furniture described would fit, and I have a good reputation for judging spatial dynamics (ask anyone) so I felt pretty sure it would work out. I even brought a measuring tape along too, just in case.
After an hour drive, my GPS informs me that we have indeed arrived at the house where my new furniture is waiting. "No. No please, no." I say outloud.
"What?" says the 12 year old.
"Oh my gods, please let it not be THAT house." I say.
Because there, where I had just arrived, and the nice lady voice in my car had assured me was my "destination", was a white house, COVERED, and I do mean COVERED, head to toe in TRUMP flags.
I am not exaggerating.
There was a red one.
A blue one.
A PINK one that read "women for Trump".
"VETERANS FOR TRUMP"
"TRUMPETERS FOR TRUMP" (okay, I made that one up)
Lawn signs.
House signs.
A TRUMP bumper sticker, ON the front door window.
There was even an "LGBTQ+ FOR TRUMP" rainbow sign that I have never seen before.
THIS was the Disneyland of Trump signs, folks.
I have NEVER seen a house with this many signs and flags.
I was sitting in the driveway of the TRUMPIEST TRUMPERS THAT EVER TRUMPED...and I froze.
I had a conflict here.
Under most circumstances, I seriously would have just driven away and messaged them that I pass on the sale.
No thanks.
But, THIS was something I will be using for higher purposes. If I buy this thing from these people, I will be paying it forward with the healing work that I do. Right? Yes. Ugh.
So...I decided that if this thing doesn't fit in my van, I'll pass and take it as a sign. I won't make any further efforts here but if it fits, we're good. And who knows, the person I was actually buying it from wasn't there, she said her "mother was home" so I figured, just breathe and go to step 2.
I start to set up the Paypal on my phone while re-measuring the situation for how it will fit. I was ready. I've done this many times, actually.
A woman and a man come out of the house.
She is sporting a white TRUMP sweatshirt, featuring the image of an assault weapon.
Awesome.
He has a bandage on his hand, but has passive energy.
I was not expecting anyone to come out, because this was the second purchase I've made during the Covid-19 pandemic, and it's not expected to interact when unnecessary. I figure they've come out to make sure payment is made. I assure them I'm trying to make that happen and I've got it figured out.
"oh...I don't think it's gonna fit" the woman says.
Nobody offered their help verbally, they didn't ASK if I needed or wanted help.
They jumped in.
No masks on.
She then approaches my minivan, and proceeds to CLIMB INTO THE SIDE DOOR to look in my van, where my 5 year old is sitting quietly, playing a game on the tablet. I quickly approach her with an inquisitive look on my face saying something like "what are we doing...?" in a quiet voice...not threatening but clearly concerned and puzzled by her behavior.
This woman backs up and looks at me saying "woah, I'm not trying to hurt your kid or something..." and walks off mumbling. She then proceeds to huff off into the house saying "Well, I'm not helping THAT".
<blink blink.>
Wow. It must be hard to be so easily offended.
Okay then!
My son and I begin to get down to work while the quiet and unimposing man continues to help, unasked, but respectfully. I knew it would fit, these things just take finesse and patience, and measuring tape.
"Do be careful with that hand" I said, as this man had a fresh and large bandage on one hand.
"I cut off two fingers with a table saw" he said.
"Doctors were able to save one and sew it back on".
<blink blink> "Woah. Well, speedy recovery!"
After a few adjustments and seat squishes, we got it all in and even got the back hatch to close without issue.
We thanked the man, and got into the car.
I was kinda shaking.
My son didn't understand.
We drove off, and had a lengthy discussion about why I was struggling with that whole situation.
It's not something easy to explain.
"I'll be saging the crap out of this thing" I said to myself as we drove off.
So yeah. I managed to avoid the internet and the news ALL DAY on THE MOST stressful election day of my lifetime...knowing there would be no clear and accurate president elect in one day, given the mail-ins and the record turn outs. BUT...please don't think that I avoided reality for a second, because while it was STRONG affirmation of my need to pursue the healing work I am learning, it was also an epic dose of the humor of the universe in Seinfeldian proportions.
The rest of the day was spent shaking my head and muttering to myself, "so, so many flags..." .
Was this a day filled with great judgement calls on my account?
I don't know...BUT, I promise, that remembering where this beautiful hutch came from will forever remind me of how important this work really is.
I wish that family nothing but healing and love. I don't know them, but I know a few of their choices. Some were kind and helpful. Others were invasive, defensive, and hostile...and they all were drowning in what are certified symbols of hate and disconnect.
"I understand why you'd hate Trump" my son said, "But why do you hate his supporters?"
"I don't hate anyone. I pray for them, because they have forgotten that we are all connected. That man was very helpful, but those flags aren't just political anymore. It's so much more than that. I know it's hard to understand".
And it is. This is hard. And strange, and scary, and weird, but things will change, one way or another.
All things do...and I hope to continue to learn how to be a part of that change.
