HOW WE SEE THINGS...by b. Malin

My mother passed away September 25, 1982. She was a Beautiful woman, with a great sense of humor. She didn't see the "Glass" as Half Empty, she saw it as "Half Full" with Lots of Possibilities... And so, here goes another Hub write, this one's for you Mom.

Last week was DOCTOR WEEK...Lover Man and I had two appointments. One with the Opthamologist, and the other with the Dermatologist...It's a Once a year appointment. I HATE going to ANY KIND of a DOCTOR. That's me. Aside from them, and the Dentist, that's the extent of it. I worked in the Medical Field more than half of my working years. The last 10 were with a Wonderful Internist/Cardiologist. Dr. Abe was your typical old fashion Doctor. His patients Loved and Trusted him as did I, so the few times I got sick, he was my Doctor, as well as Lover Man's. Now we are "Doctorless"...Of course if I need Dr. Abe, I can call him. So far, we only needed him once two years ago. I do like the Opthamologist, he has the same type of personality as Dr. Abe. But unlike Dr. Abe, the Opthamologist also Hates going to the Doctor...and only goes when he is Sick. We always laugh about that.

Now the Dermatologist is another story...I really didn't like him last year, he seemed "Dirty" and I was tempted to ask him if he washed his hands in between patients. This year, he's had a Complete MAKEOVER! He looks CLEAN! His hair was Blown Dry, almost FLUFFY looking...And his Face looks like a Baby's BEHIND...so SMOOTH, not a Line is left...And his Eyes have also been done. I am totally Fascinated! He checks Lover Man first, who needs to have somethings frozen off his Forehead, and his Beautiful Nose. I've always Loved that Nose. So I watch carefully as he proceeds...He stops, and says to Lover Man, I can take those 2 little "tags" off your Left Eye Lid. Lover Man says "No"..."Are you Sure"? He asks again. Lover Man says "Yes". "You've done your eyes" I say quietly to the Doctor, who seems pleased that I have noticed. He reminds me of a Ball of Wax.

One of the front desk Women also has that "Waxed Look" and the Personality to go with it. (Flash Back...) On the reminder call, she say's "Don't forget to come 10 minutes early and bring your cards, we've changed to a new "Billing System". Ok, so we come early, 10 minutes to 2 p.m. and the sign on the front door reads, "Office Closed until 2 p.m. for Lunch". I think "Cute". Ok, it's now 2:15 and we are filling out the new paper work. I tell her I want to think about the part where we give permission to others to see our records. I tell her I will make the decision after we see the Doctor. She Glares at me... I think...It was hard to tell, for her Face Expression was just not there. I wondered what "Happy" would look like.

The Doctor's Assistant smiled and rolled her Eyes when I told her the saga. She said, just write "Upon My Notification", and initial it. I thanked her, and went back to the front desk with Lover Man, where Ms. Plastic was waiting...Smiling...I think, or it could have been a Sneer, I couldn't really tell. She hands us back the paper work and shows us she's stamped, it in big RED LETTERS, DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO ANYONE! A few words later, "Like, why would you do that, when I asked you to wait" from me...We got it straightened out. We were then asked if WE wanted to fill out a post card for next years visit. Mind you there are 3 of them sitting there, one is reading "People" magazine. One is Filing her nails and the other, is Ms. Plastic Glaring at us. "We'll call" I said smiling...Hoping that our house will have Sold, and we will NEVER have to come back.

A few days later we go to the Shore Mall. It's one of those smaller Malls that through the years has been able to hold its own. They've managed to get some nice Restaurants in areas of the parking lot. Lover Man went to look at TV sets and I needed to pick up a gift, which to my surprise, I found right away. I then went into a new Dollar type store for some wrapping paper, for I couldn't remember if I had any left at home. I browsed for a few minutes and couldn't help but hear the owner talking to different people as they came and went. He was a slight man with an accent. Everyone that left he said, "God Bless and Thank you" to them.

"May I help you Miss" he asked coming in my direction. "Yes, I said, "I'm just looking for some wrapping paper". "Ah, I have some, he replied, but if you don't see what you like, there is another store in the Mall that sells paper a few doors down. We try to help each other, as long as you buy from one of us, it keeps the Mall going". "Oh that's so nice of you" I said as I wipped out my Black reading glasses, and selected some paper. "What is that"? he asked staring at my classes. "Oh these, I said smiling, I use them when I'm shopping". "They are Broken" he replied. "Well they are missing the part that goes over the ears, but I can still hold them up to see...they are half broken" I laughed..."And I do have Good, Perfect Glasses at home, really I do". He wasn't buying... "Come with me" he replied walking towards a ladder and climbing it, and then reaching into a box, and then turning to me, he asked my vision. "2.25" I replied. He climbed down and handed me a Beautiful pair of Red Glasses with little rhinestones. "These are 2.00, but I want you to try them on, and don't worry about the price". "Well" I said as I tried them on, thinking to myself, in a million years I would never have picked them out for myself. He handed me a paper with writing on it, and instructed me to read it. Which I did. "There, he said perfect, I want you to have them". "How much are they"? I said. "They are a Gift to you", he replied. "Oh No, I couldn't take them without giving you something"...my voice trailed off. "You've purchased the wrapping paper, that is enough". He said quietly. We spoke a few minutes longer. He told me he was from India, and had taken care of his parents until they passed and now he was here. Someday he hoped to have a wife and a family. I told him I knew he would, for he had so much Love to give. At that point, the Mall Policeman came into his store, and this little man ran over to greet him, and make him feel special.

This little man from India, also saw the Glass as Half Full, with Lots of Possibilities... Mom, you would have liked him, You were both cut from the same cloth.