Ever get up in the morning and have your
knee ask, "Are you going to put weight on me? You know it hurts, be
careful."
Or your back cries out, "Ouch, ouch, ouch.
Don't stand so straight. Bend forward just a little bit. I'm getting
older you know, and wearing out."
You stagger your way into the kitchen, put
the water on for coffee and reach for the coffee jar when the
fingers let out a yell, "Don't even attempt to force me to twist the
lid off that jar. I'm not warmed up yet. You know how stiff I am in
the morning. Maybe a little soak in warm water would help the
stiffness."
Bossy old things! I obediently soak them
in warm water and it does help.
After you make the cup of coffee, take the
dogs out, walk down the steps and up again, you begin to limber up a
bit. Just before you reach the top step, there comes a wail from a
nail, "You know I’m ingrown. Must you walk so much when it makes me
hurt? Please show a little mercy to one who has supported you for
years. Without me, the largest toe on your foot, you would have
limped along like Festus on Gunsmoke."
Without warning the left ankle is heard
from, a little twinge that goes up the leg. "Guess you have
forgotten about twisting me so badly when you were a teen and
showing off at the roller skating rink. I told you then I would come
back to haunt you the rest of your life and I have. You know, by
loosing ten or fifteen pounds, you could make life easier for me. I
do all I can to help you walk in the malls, at the grocers, on the
streets, but can you go on a diet for me? Oh, no! You should have
taken better care of me when you were young."
The back and knee chime in to agree with
the ankle, "Yeah, lose a little weight and make it easier on all of
us. A teensy bit of exercise would also help, but don't forget,
moderation in all things."
By this time I had taken about all the
complaints I could handle. The body parts were ganging up on me this
morning. Nothing but a bunch of grouchy old body parts whose only
joy in life is complaining, or nagging me.
The best thing I could do to quiet them
down was take a couple of aspirin, drink my coffee and go back to
bed, so I did.
cbwest@webtv.net
