I was grumpy today, down-right awful. Nothing could budge my frump and my black mood day seemed to stretch endlessly on. My job puts me right at the coal face of communication and there is no escaping people and there is no escaping the fact that I have to be nice, friendly and happy. Sign language won't cut it, neither would hiding out the back…….Conversation is necessary. Usually talking is easy peasy and completely enjoyable…..I can generally talk all day about anything and nothing and do it with a cheeriness verging on hysteria. But today it was horrendous, a complete affront to my state of silent brooding.
I kept it to a minimum, stuck to passing comments about the weather and in avoidance mode I waded through the day. Then she came in, a regular, a lonely and perfectly lovely old lady. An alcoholic with the shakes who no-one else really bothers with. I always make the biggest effort with her and she has come to expect a chat and a smile. And what did I do?, Miss daily kindness extraordinaire. I hid, yes…. I hid. I know she is an old lady and yes I know that was very unkind. But well, I was feeling like I was pushing through fog and my smile was very much upside down. Once you jump down a dark hole it's hard to pull yourself up again.
But then I could see her looking around, smiling at no-one in particular in a disappointed way and I just couldn't stand it. I said hello, I smiled, she smiled we chatted and the sun came out in my head. I could tell that I was the first person today that she had really spoken to and to deny her that would have been unkind and wrong. So, I have come to a decision and thus my conclusion; bad moods must be kept to a minimum and avoidance tactics applied (chocolate, shopping, red wine etc) and when they do rise to the surface they should be given a cup of tea, a firm talking to and if severe, quarantined, cordoned off and shut down. Kindness#16….The mood police.
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