I had an Uncle Billy kind of day yesterday involving two trips to the DMV, an unsuccessful attempt to get a flu shot and a wrong turn coming out of Freedom I only noticed when I saw a sign welcoming me to the Oneida Reservation.
Luckily, Uncle Billy Days always end in an unexpected, joyful celebration of friendship.
It’s a wonderful life, don’t ya know.
It is…even when, as you’re getting your picture taken for your Real ID, you accidentally jump on one and are moving toward the camera when it snaps. So, you say reasonably and politely “oh I’m so sorry. I guess we’ll have to do that again” and the camera operator mercilessly says “Nah. We’re good.” So, you know your Real ID will feature a photo of your startled and scrunched up face for the next 10 years. Then you realize the marriage license you brought is only a copy and the little imp you live with has hidden your passport. So, you head back home, ransack your car, home and office, and eventually dig out your passport where the little imp you live with stuck it because he likes to make you think you’re losing your mind. Back you go to the DMV because if there’s anything better than one trip to the DMV in an afternoon, it’s two.
It is…even when you pop into Walgreens to get that flu shot your mother has been nagging you about and you dig through your whole Christmas-receipt-messy purse to find your insurance card but come up empty handed. So, the clerk offers to “look you up in the system” but, thanks to an obnoxiously long run of good health, you’re not there because you’ve never had a prescription filled. Foiled from getting a vaccine due to good health. Curses.
It is…even when sleet starts falling as the sun goes down and you’re chatting with your passenger so you don’t realize you’ve taken the only wrong turn possible heading out of a town with only one main street. So you drive on icy roads through the dark countryside in a perfectly embarrassing square until your poor car finally points toward home.
It is…because, as you pull into your driveway, your mailman, who wears Christmas lights on his head, greets you with a stack of cards. So, you open the thickest one and read the sweetest note from your talented friend.
She thanks you for your encouraging words and kindly compliments your blog and you start to feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Even better she gifts you with thank you cards fashioned from her really beautiful photography and your whole day turns around.
Then, you think about what Clarence told George at the end of your favorite Christmas movie and you start to feel pretty good about your day and your life.
Because no man is a failure who has friends.
Thanks for the day-maker, Deb!
