Celebrating my Birthday VA Style

I was born April 6,1949 in Clinton, Kentucky. It was about 8 a.m. in the morning when I finally arrived. I am still a morning person!

A lot of things have happened in these 63 years. Most of it has been good. I am a blessed and a lucky woman. I know this, and I count my blessings....probably not as often as I should. Still I am grateful. I have friends and family who did not live to see 63. When I think of life in those terms, and I do that a lot, it is a blessing to be allowed to live a long, full life.

As a family, we have been celebrating birthdays off and on for 6 days. That's a lot of celebrating!  Tommy and I decided to have a low key day. He had a eye appointment at the VA today. After that we were going to eat dinner out and make an early night because tomorrow is a busy day for the both of us, starting at 5 a.m.

For some reason I enjoy going to the VA. I enjoy talking to the people I meet.  I always meet some "characters". That is right up my alley!!!  Today was no exception. While Tommy was getting his eyes dilated, I stayed in the waiting area and read. 

 I was sitting across from 3 little, and I mean 'little' ladies. These ladies were in their late 70's or early 80's and were about the size of 3rd graders. They were so cute. Two of them had trouble seeing and the third one couldn't hear. Two of the ladies were waiting for their husbands and the other lady was along for the ride.

At 3 p.m. "Dr. Phil" came on the television channel. Everyone stopped talking and started watching the t.v.  This program was about Dr. Phil and his wife and their grandchildren.  It was cute and enjoyable to me, but confused the hell out of the 3 little ladies who sat across from me. 

One little lady said very loudly, "Well, I swear they have midgets on t.v. today. I get tired of watching midgets".  Her sister said, "I believe they do and they are so ugly". This is when I put my book up and started watching the show...and it wasn't Dr. Phil either.  The third little lady said, "No they aren't midgets, they are triplets!" I looked at the screen and I see 2 beautiful little kids. A little girl who is 2 and a 6 month old little boy.  I can't help but wonder if one of these ladies drove today. That is a scary thought. I started watching them, watch Dr. Phil...again.

This is about the time the lady who can't hear says.....two octaves  too loud.". You couldn't give me 3 midgets, no sir, I'd rather have a dog"  The other two said "Now it's not their fault they are ugly. Why look at their Daddy!!"  I guess they were referring  Dr. Phil.....I guess...who knows?

They went on to discuss the "midgets and the dogs" deciding that it would be much easier to take care of a dog than 3 midgets. After listening to them talk, I tend to agree with them.


Then out of the blue, a big guy sitting across the room from us asked if Sunday was Easter. I told him it was. He said "Well, it wouldn't do for me to hide any Easter eggs.  Thirty minutes after I hid them I wouldn't remember where they were or why I hid them."


I started laughing, because I thought it was funny. One of the old ladies called me a "smart ass".  I was appalled! It would have to be the one that couldn't hear say it!!!  "Smart Ass" rang out, over and through the waiting room.  I couldn't quit laughing. I jumped up and ran to the bathroom to try and get under control. 

 Finally when I came out, the old man was gone. But not the little darlins. They were back to watching Dr. Phil. Still looking at ugly midgets and longing for a dog.


I moved to the other side of the room, so I could read and stay out of their way.   As I left I heard one of them say "He sure is tall, wonder what war he fought in?" The sister said, "I'm glad he left, he's kind of odd"  That is like the kettle calling the pot black!!!!


Tommy finally comes through the double doors and has on a pair of black paper sunglasses. As we walked off, I heard one of them say,"bless his heart, he's blind! Hope that feller takes good care of him!!!"  I shake my head and keep walking.There was no point in trying to explain.  Two couldn't see me, one couldn't hear and all three thought I was a man!!  Time to just walk away.

I tried to explain my afternoon to Tommy but he was busy telling me about his eye exam. Neither one of us are sure what the other one said.  Typical for us.


It was a good day.  Odd but good....that is probably why I enjoyed myself so much. Thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes. I treasure them all.