The Little Things.....and Tomatillos....

It’s the little things that set me off sometimes.  I went to renew my long lapsed driver’s license this morning.  I got in line, got sent to wait, got called to the counter, handed over my license and the man on the other side of the counter looked at the expiration date and said, “where YOU been?”  I was in a seriously bad mood already because on my way to the car I had stopped to look at the garden along our alley.  It’s pretty overgrown with weeds but just the same I checked on the dill and cilantro and sunflowers and then looked for the tomatillo plant.  And looked, and looked, and looked.  My tomatillo plant that I was so thrilled to have….the tomatillo plant that was covered in little yellow flowers….   Evidently in a fit of weeding (that ignored all the actual weeds) Ernie had pulled it out and thrown it on the ground.  It is a rather rangy, not particularly refined plant but it’s not a FUCKING WEED.  I was ridiculously upset. RIDICULOUSLY upset.  So when this guy said, “where YOU been?” I looked at him and said, “I’ve been taking care of somebody that was dying” and then of course, you know it, my eyes filled with tears.  He tapped away at his keyboard and said, “well, that’s not good” and then finally said, “I guess since you’re here that person has gone onto peace.”  And I said, “yes” in a tiny little voice.  He chatted kindly, patted my hand and sent me on to the cashier where I found that the only credit card I have that is a mastercard (they don’t accept visa) is evidently over its limit.  So I had to get in the car and drive to the bank for some cash.  I cried in the car harder than I have in quite a while, missing my sister and fearing the future. Then I went back, handed over my money and received a driver’s license with the most unflattering picture that has ever been taken of me.

Rest in peace little tomatillo.