She was there to inventory our printers. Or as IT likes to call them, our “copy/print/scan devices.”
She wore a royal blue polo shirt and khaki pants, no doubt going for that classic geek look. But her red lipstick and fussy hairstyle betrayed her. And not that this is in any way related, but her hair was platinum blond.
One day, I shall have the nerve to dye my hair platinum blond.
A coworker knew her and asked about her summer plans.
“Will you be traveling again?” she asked. “I saw your pictures on Facebook last year. You took a cruise, right?”
“Traveling is overrated,” Platinum Printer Gal said. “All that fuss and bother, it’s just not worth it. And with the news lately… you’d have to be out of your mind to travel out of the country. I mean, everyday it’s something, you know?
“I told my husband, no way am I going anywhere. We’re staying put. Our last trip? That Disney cruise? You think you’re safe on a Disney cruise, right?
Well, at every port they searched our bags! Both as we left and then when we got back on on the boat. Every time! They had a lot more security, too. All over the place. My husband said, ‘Doesn’t it make you feel more safe?’ and I said, ‘Well, I suppose that’s one way of looking at it.’
“But you have to wonder why they need to check everyone’s bag, you know? Why did they hire more security? It just makes you wonder.
“Anyway. I’m sure as heck not risking it. I told my husband we’re staying put. I’ll do a road trip, maybe a day’s drive somewhere, but that’s it.
“But even then you start to worry. I mean… okay, so I was going to take my grand kids to that symphony concert. You know the one they’re doing? Oh, what is it called? It’s the one with the books. It’s on the tip of my… oh, Harry Potter! They’re playing the movie and as it plays, the symphony plays the music. I knew the kids would love it, but after that Ariana concert…
“It makes you think, you know? I tried to get a refund, but I guess I’ll have to sell them on Craigslist. My husband thinks I’m being silly, but… I don’t know. You can’t be too careful. You know?”
Back to me: Yes, there’s such a thing as being too careful.
Honestly. I expected more courage from a woman with red lips and platinum hair.
On the other hand, if others feel the same way she does, we should be able to score some great deals on international travel. Maybe even a Disney cruise.
But if, like our Platinum Printer Gal, you harbor doubts as to your safety, consider this:
Granted, it doesn’t give you the odds of death by Disney Cruise. You’re on your own there.
Feeding on Folly 
With that kind of fear, it’s amazing she’s left the house at all.
On a braver note, my wife just told me that she’s made the final payment for our European River Cruise – right through some of the biggest targets in Europe. I refuse to give in to fear. Except for Micky Mouse, now seeing him on deck would scare me off a Disney Cruise.
Oooh, I’m guessing that’ll be worth several posts! Looking forward to hearing all about it! 🙂
Sadly, you’ll have to wait until next year for those posts. Buying a year in advance saved us a ton of money on the deal.
Ah, yes, that’s how we managed New York. We paid everything we could in advance. Makes the trip much more enjoyable when you don’t break the bank.
Incredible! You’re more likely to get killed by an asteroid than getting cut down by a bus?? And you’re tons more likely to get killed walking than from any other force of nature. (That’s why I spend so much time safely at my desk.) Personally, I’d be worried one of the Disney mascots went berserk and started choking people. Imagine the shame of admitting to St Peter you were killed by Chip and Dale.
Yeah, and how come we don’t hear of these asteroid deaths? That’s what I want to know. It’s like they’re getting hushed up or something.
Which come to think of it, might be happening to attacks by rogue Disney characters too!
I read on the Internet that there’s a bunch of asteroids shaped like Mickey Mouse that are bombarding Earth but Nasa is owned by Disney so they keep it hushed up. That’s why when I go to Paris I take my chances with the terrorist and stay away from Euro-Disney
Good plan. The internet is rife with stories of the French Goofy. He’s one freaky dog-man, know what I mean?
Ok, I’m giggling too much after reading the comments to make any sense. 🙂
“Perfect humor casts out fear.”
At least I think that’s the quote. 😉
Sounds like it should be, if it is not.
This has always been a pet peeve of mine, how much some folks exaggerate dangers. I’d have to blame media (and politicians) for much of it, they always lead with some horrible story to catch eyeballs and folks think that’s the way things really are. If the media reported, “today, 99.999% of you went about your daily routine with nothing more dire happening than a hangnail”, they’d never get any attention.
Exactly!
We stopped watching televised news several years ago. Amazing how much stress and fear we lost after that, yet we didn’t feel any less informed. Between radio and print media, we do pretty well. (I avoid “news” on social media too.)
This woman’s fear reminds me of a story we heard in Australia years ago. Some gentleman was honored by the state, and he was invited to a recognition dinner in a town 30 kilometers away. He refused to go because he had never in his 68 years been out of the town where he was born…and certainly was not going to start now. As the story teller said, ” some people are afraid that if they leave their cave someone will steal it.”
Oh wow, that’s just sad. I wonder how many people live their life that way?
I fully admit I’m a bit of a homebody, but even I make it out of the cave occasionally!
We’re banking on the asteroid, it seems like a far more interesting way to go, plus you get time to plan a big end of the world party 😁
Yeah, and then we’ll literally go out with a bang! (collective groan permitted) 😀
😀
Yet some of these folks who have an inordinate fear of going some place that maybe they shouldn’t were the same folks who willingly queued up to vote for a president who was practically swimming in caution tape. Hmm…
I seem to recall reading an article or two, about how his followers were more prone to fear and anxiety about the future.
And now we all have that fear. *heavysigh*
I especially liked “29 times more likely to die from a regional asteroid strike” I’m trying to watch the new series Salvation, but seriously it airs so late I miss a lot. “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” (Ps 90:12 NLT) = >
It’s interesting how our greatest threat is heart disease, but we don’t fear that. At least death from a “regional asteroid strike” would be a lot more memorable and would likely wind up in the news!
Being aware of our own mortality can be such a gift, if we only we didn’t fear it so much.