STFU and Listen

…because nothing is so important that you can’t do this and life is too damn short.

A few weeks ago as I sorted through my email and Facebook notifications, which can sometimes take me a couple of hours if work has been busy as fuck like it’s been for several weeks, a message popped up from an old high school friend. All it said was one little word, “Hey.” I knew from my Facebook newsfeed and whatnot that some serious shit was going down with this person, so my intrigue piqued a little because outside of a conversation ON their page, we haven’t really spoken much since high school. I replied with a general, “What’s up?” knowing the potential outcome. I could have ignored it, but I had a feeling in my gut. Well, they told me….

Now, as most of you know, I always, ALWAYS have shit to do. I’m always working on something. I’m always busy. But, I will always make time for a friend in need when they reach out to me. This was one of those times when I stared at the “Hey” and thought, “I need to talk to this person.” That nothing was more important than talking to this person RIGHT NOW. That all the other shit can wait because this person needed someone to talk to.

I’m a Gemini, and one thing about me is that people tend to just sort of start talking to me, even if they don’t know me. I’m easy to talk to….and I listen. If we’re face-to-face, it might not look like I’m listening, though, because I have ADD and my eyes have to wander the multitude of distractions. I’m also brutally honest. Some folks don’t like that, but if you don’t want to hear the truth, I’m not the person you need to talk to.

During the conversation, I was trying like hell to get a smile or laugh, to cheer them up without dismissing the situation. I finally got it with this:

ME: You’ll be fine. You know why?

THEM: no

ME: Because scooter boys are tough, and if you can survive riding a scooter in your teens without getting creamed by a vehicle, you can survive anything.

It worked.

At any rate, we talked for a couple of hours. We met for coffee later on and I had them speak with my psychic aunt while I was in Vegas this past weekend. I’m worried about this person who is facing a very serious surgery tomorrow, one that they might not wake up from; one they’d lost a parent to, so imagine the spectacular level of freaked the fuck out now. I’d be there too.

I can’t predict life and death. It’s not who I am nor is it my job. I also can’t ask those who can because I’m not sure I want to know the end result of this even though I know my own.

What I can do is ask you, dearest reader, to pray to whatever gods you worship for this person’s life. Pray they survive this mandatory surgery, that they can see their grandchild grow up. Pray that the negativity surrounding this person dissipates; that those who have harmed in the past stay in the past. I’ve known this person for 30 years; we’re the same age. That’s too fucking young. I’ve already lost one high school friend to cancer; I really don’t want to lose another friend to a heart condition that can be corrected by this surgery.

Thanks in advance. You’re good people and I know you’ll at least give them a positive thought.

And if you ever find yourself on the receiving end of “hey,” please stop and listen.