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- #21
Oh Barbara, thank you!
The police officer just called. He spoke with the man and he (driver) admitted everything....he took complete responsibility for it all and said he would take care of everything for me. The officer told me that he can only suggest, but he is suggesting very strongly that I no longer walk outside here. In his opinion, it's simply too dangerous He can't tell me not to walk, but he can suggest. I had told him about the other night (I think it was Tuesday night), a woman drove by me; she didn't even try to get over and, she actually sped up as she got close. And as she passed me, she gave me the finger. Nice, eh?
Anyway, I just called the man on the phone. I told him I was OK and he started to cry. He was so worried about me and he said he's never ever been in an accident before. Ever. He's in his late 60s. Things happen and he gets that. I still think that he simply wasn't paying attention. He told me to call my doctor, get the bill and send it to him....he'll cover everything. And if I need anything, I am to call him right away. Bless his heart. I'll call my doctor on Monday morning. I told him that I'm not really allowed to walk out there anymore and he says he feels just terrible and he is so sorry. I believe him; maybe I am naive, but I believe him.
As for the basement, I am simply petrified of dark places. Just petrified. When Rick first started to travel like this, I'd be fine during the day. But at night, I'd turn on every outside light and every single indoor light, so that all the rooms in the house were lit. And the lights would stay on all night long, until it got light enough outside that I felt safe. I couldn't go back to the bedroom once it got dark....I was too scared. Even with the lights on, I was still too scared. I always slept on the sofa in the living room. It's only been during the last couple of years that I've been able to actually keep all the lights off and go to bed at night. And even so, I have the tv turned on in the bedroom for the light. Sound is turned down very low. I need the light.
To be in the basement in the early morning (4:00) without Rick in the house scares me. Even with basement lights on. I usually have my ear buds on while I'm walking....I can't walk without anything or it would take forever to get the miles done. And then every little thud or sound upstairs would give me the creeps, even though I know that those sounds are caused by the cats. With the ear buds, I can only hear music. And that creeps me out, too. I'm a real coward about darkness. Honestly if the power ever went out at night and I was by myself, I'd die of fright. It's really pathetic. I tried it the last time he was in Oregon....I went downstairs around 4:00 and managed 1/4 mile on the treadmill. And then it got the best of me and I ran up the basement steps. I don't even like going down there to do laundry if it's dark outside and I'm alone in the house. I can hang out downstairs all day long during the day, with the treadmill, cleaning, vacuuming, anything. Once it gets dark, I'm done.
I know it's pathetic and I know it's a bad phobia or whatever. I've been that way all my life, from the time I was 5 years old. When Rick and I were first married and lived in the trailer, I walked back the hallway to the bedroom. He turned the hall light out and pretended to be the boogie-man, started growling and told me he was going to get me. And I passed out right in the hallway. Cold. Just from being scared. Needless to say, he never did that again!
Parents can be very cruel sometimes. And things that they do have lasting effects on their children. I am 58 years old. When it comes to being in the dark, or being in a basement alone in the house, I'm still five years old. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is.
We've been thinking about putting a tv in the basement. And putting curtains at the windows....no, there are no curtains at the windows. We never really saw the need because we've been working down there as we get some spare time and some extra money. But we haven't done any curtains. And I have been startled at times. One morning I was walking down there and a cat showed up at the window....scared the crap of me until I realized that it was a cat. One morning a doe showed up and looked right in the window. That's kind of neat, in a way, though. But it still scared me for a second. It is a walk-out basement. I keep a shovel at the door handle when I'm home alone, so the door can't be opened.
There's a way around this; I just have to figure it all out. At least for now, I can start walking outside over lunch at work again. That, combined with my treadmill in the mornings once Rick gets back home, will give me my two walks a day.
I'm just a big baby.
ETA: Peaches, I'd bet I've been walking along that road now for about ten years. Just from about the middle of April or so until the beginning of November or so, when it's too hot and humid to walk in my work neighborhood during my lunch break. It's never really been a problem, although, I don't know why, but some people refuse to move over. Nor will they slow down. In my post I mentioned about the woman giving me the finger. That happens often, believe it or not. And it's primarily women. Men will move over, if they're at a stop sign, they'll motion for me to go in front of them. I always wave and say "Thank you". Always. Women? They are nasty sometimes. They won't move over, they speed up, I guess, to try to intimidate people. I don't know. I'm not the only walker along the road and I've talked to others. Everybody (walkers) thinks it's getting worse as more and more people move down here. People fly along this road.....I do, too. But I always slow down and move over for a walker or a biker.
The police officer just called. He spoke with the man and he (driver) admitted everything....he took complete responsibility for it all and said he would take care of everything for me. The officer told me that he can only suggest, but he is suggesting very strongly that I no longer walk outside here. In his opinion, it's simply too dangerous He can't tell me not to walk, but he can suggest. I had told him about the other night (I think it was Tuesday night), a woman drove by me; she didn't even try to get over and, she actually sped up as she got close. And as she passed me, she gave me the finger. Nice, eh?
Anyway, I just called the man on the phone. I told him I was OK and he started to cry. He was so worried about me and he said he's never ever been in an accident before. Ever. He's in his late 60s. Things happen and he gets that. I still think that he simply wasn't paying attention. He told me to call my doctor, get the bill and send it to him....he'll cover everything. And if I need anything, I am to call him right away. Bless his heart. I'll call my doctor on Monday morning. I told him that I'm not really allowed to walk out there anymore and he says he feels just terrible and he is so sorry. I believe him; maybe I am naive, but I believe him.
As for the basement, I am simply petrified of dark places. Just petrified. When Rick first started to travel like this, I'd be fine during the day. But at night, I'd turn on every outside light and every single indoor light, so that all the rooms in the house were lit. And the lights would stay on all night long, until it got light enough outside that I felt safe. I couldn't go back to the bedroom once it got dark....I was too scared. Even with the lights on, I was still too scared. I always slept on the sofa in the living room. It's only been during the last couple of years that I've been able to actually keep all the lights off and go to bed at night. And even so, I have the tv turned on in the bedroom for the light. Sound is turned down very low. I need the light.
To be in the basement in the early morning (4:00) without Rick in the house scares me. Even with basement lights on. I usually have my ear buds on while I'm walking....I can't walk without anything or it would take forever to get the miles done. And then every little thud or sound upstairs would give me the creeps, even though I know that those sounds are caused by the cats. With the ear buds, I can only hear music. And that creeps me out, too. I'm a real coward about darkness. Honestly if the power ever went out at night and I was by myself, I'd die of fright. It's really pathetic. I tried it the last time he was in Oregon....I went downstairs around 4:00 and managed 1/4 mile on the treadmill. And then it got the best of me and I ran up the basement steps. I don't even like going down there to do laundry if it's dark outside and I'm alone in the house. I can hang out downstairs all day long during the day, with the treadmill, cleaning, vacuuming, anything. Once it gets dark, I'm done.
I know it's pathetic and I know it's a bad phobia or whatever. I've been that way all my life, from the time I was 5 years old. When Rick and I were first married and lived in the trailer, I walked back the hallway to the bedroom. He turned the hall light out and pretended to be the boogie-man, started growling and told me he was going to get me. And I passed out right in the hallway. Cold. Just from being scared. Needless to say, he never did that again!
Parents can be very cruel sometimes. And things that they do have lasting effects on their children. I am 58 years old. When it comes to being in the dark, or being in a basement alone in the house, I'm still five years old. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is.
We've been thinking about putting a tv in the basement. And putting curtains at the windows....no, there are no curtains at the windows. We never really saw the need because we've been working down there as we get some spare time and some extra money. But we haven't done any curtains. And I have been startled at times. One morning I was walking down there and a cat showed up at the window....scared the crap of me until I realized that it was a cat. One morning a doe showed up and looked right in the window. That's kind of neat, in a way, though. But it still scared me for a second. It is a walk-out basement. I keep a shovel at the door handle when I'm home alone, so the door can't be opened.
There's a way around this; I just have to figure it all out. At least for now, I can start walking outside over lunch at work again. That, combined with my treadmill in the mornings once Rick gets back home, will give me my two walks a day.
I'm just a big baby.
ETA: Peaches, I'd bet I've been walking along that road now for about ten years. Just from about the middle of April or so until the beginning of November or so, when it's too hot and humid to walk in my work neighborhood during my lunch break. It's never really been a problem, although, I don't know why, but some people refuse to move over. Nor will they slow down. In my post I mentioned about the woman giving me the finger. That happens often, believe it or not. And it's primarily women. Men will move over, if they're at a stop sign, they'll motion for me to go in front of them. I always wave and say "Thank you". Always. Women? They are nasty sometimes. They won't move over, they speed up, I guess, to try to intimidate people. I don't know. I'm not the only walker along the road and I've talked to others. Everybody (walkers) thinks it's getting worse as more and more people move down here. People fly along this road.....I do, too. But I always slow down and move over for a walker or a biker.
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