The Hug

I've made a friend at the special education school where I have been interning this summer. He's non-communicative, but is a very bright boy with a huge capacity for emotion. He is a sweetheart. I simply love him to pieces and I'm really going to miss him when I stop going next week.

Today we were outside with the children. C was in his wheelchair, sitting not far from me. We were 'talking' when he reached out his long arms one at a time. First arm came over and I took his hand in mine. We shook hands and he smiled. Second arm came over and I leaned in closer and took his other hand. He pulled me close and held me with his arms wrapped around my shoulders for the longest time. It was one of the sweetest hugs I've ever been given. A child's hug, innocent, with no expectations. We both had smiles on our faces for quite a while after that. He simply made my day.

Ether=Love

Now, I understand that everyone deserves happiness and that one person's idea of happiness wouldn't match my own. I do. But I have Never seen desperation meet desperation like it does at MailOrderHusbands.com. I was clicking through Stumble when I came upon this Beaut of a site. I thought it was a farce, maybe a part of the Onion or something. Oh no. It's real my friends. People like Steven really want you to buy a chance for matrimonial bliss with them.

Name: Steven
I'm definitely a classic romantic. I like a candlelight dinner, some quiet background music, and a couple hits of ether. I prefer a woman that has insurance and a car would be great as I need to make the occassional trip to Mexico to pick up "souvenirs".
Location: New Mexico, U.S.A.

The site even has an article in MailOrderBrides monthly magazine to advertise their services. The interview (posted on the website) is hysterical. Almost as funny as the paint-thinner drinking romeo competing with Steven for my checkbook, er, I mean affection.

I weep for humanity.

The alarm goes off at 5:15 Monday morning. This is early. I mean, hot damn, way early. I somehow manage to get myself out of bed and into my whites knowing that it's going to be a long day. By the time I arrive at the hospital I am alert and ready to go.
I got to see all sorts of awesome-grossness and do all sorts of nursing-type things. It was a blast. I did a double-clinical so that I could have Thursday off and come to Asheville early. I didn't leave until 11:00 that night. I came so close to doing my first 16H shift. I was only slightly delirious by the time I got home although I did manage to snap at a classmate for asking a stupid question (she understood) and make a slightly lewd suggestion to my professor regarding our one male classmate. That was about the time we were let off the hook early.

After a few hours sleep I woke up at the same time on Tuesday. I was supposed to move the clothes to the dryer. I didn't. And now I have a random assortment of mismatched clothes with me. I got to school early and took my psychology midterm that was given to the rest of the class the night before. My psych professors have been graciously accommodating. I couldn't do it without their help. After that was the Med-Surg lecture at 8:30.

12:30 comes and it's finally time to get out of dodge. I hop in the car, find Tom Petty's Saving Grace on the Ipod, roll down the windows and hit the road. I get about fifteen miles outside of town when my car just decides that she has had enough. The engine is still running, but not getting gas. I slowly decelerate until I am stalled on the side of the highway. Need I remind you that this is Mississippi in July. It takes about 2 minutes before I am sweating like a linebacker. I wait, call Wesley, call Dad, curse my luck and try to turn the car on again. It cranks. It goes. It stops. I think I might have made the sailors on the coast blush- I'm sure they heard me. I call AAA. I call the roommate. Roommie comes to get me and take me back to the house. Mom drives from Jackson and takes me to my grandmother's never-used car, and the tow-truck picks up Jezebel (yes, that's her name). Ok, things are moving along. {Thanks Mom, Dad, and Courtney for all of your help!) and I get on the road at 6:00 PM. Luckily, Mamaw's car is a very comfy 2003 Accord and the drive was uneventful from Jackson on. I made it to Asheville around 3:30 AM, exhausted and hyped up on Sobe energy drinks.

Part II to come.