Unwanted Things, Complaints

I had to take my daughter to a doctor's appointment today. It was surprisingly un-traumatic. One bus, and when we got there the wait was not really long at all. *Maybe* 15 minutes past our appointment time. (It is a little sad when someone is happy about only having to wait 15 minutes past the appointment time, but there it is). I was annoyed by someone in the waiting room, because I was not at all in the mood to be friendly and chatty. I was knitting furiously and trying not to worry about what was going on with my kid. A large number of people don't seem to understand that not everyone likes to engage in chitchat with complete strangers while they are counting stitches and rows and focusing on the task at hand. There was a lot of questions about what I was knitting, what I had knit in the past, what I planned on knitting in the future, and then some discussion about the merits of the music of Boy George. How that came up I can't quite recall. All of my attempts at politely not talking were in vain, because the chatter kept coming. I nodded and smiled, and came very close to just saying "I am in a fit of panic and also a little despair, I would like to NOT talk" but I couldn't bring myself to say anything. Lesson learned: ear buds should be worn in situations such as that. I was already stressing, and the fact that he would not pick up on the fact that I didn't want to talk made my anxiety way worse. I couldn't leave! I had to stay there and wait for DD's name to be called, and he just would not shut up.

Normally I am a friendly person, but I have been feeling out of sorts, and I was extra stressed due to DD's issue. A doctor's office is one of those places people should not have to engage in idle chatter. Because sometimes people are there because they are going through some serious shit.

Unwanted Advice I Have Been Unceremoniously Given

1. Said abruptly, upon meeting my extremely shy 5 year old for the second time: "Um, YEAH. You need to get him checked out. Something is WRONG with him. I'm not saying bad wrong, but I know shy kids, and that isn't shyness."

2. "You can't handle those dogs, I mean, PITBULLS. You're such a small woman!"

3. "Take the kitten to the shelter to be euthanized."

4. "Really, you should not be a vegetarian. It's UNHEALTHY. We evolved to eat MEAT. Have a steak."