Tuesday – Death and Priorities

[ninanevermore]

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Misery loves company, so I decided to sit down with Death and discuss all that's been going on during the last couple weeks. Not Big Death, who just fired me, though I can think of a few things I'd like to say to them. I mean Jim, aka The Carney, aka The Angel of Death. Big Death is evil; Jim, on the other hand, is an alright guy once you can get past who he is and what he does.

"I was wondering what happened to you, Baby Girl," he said, "I noticed you ain't been driving by every day like you used to."

"I'm not in the death business any more," I said, "I'm out of a job."

"You were in the funeral business, not the death business," Jim said. "Those guys always made me feel a little dirty, anyway. Just about nothin' they do needs doin', and they charge a whole bunch of money for doin' it all, anyhow."

"The dead need disposing of," I said, "They take care of that for people."

"Since the beginning of time, people dug a hole and took care of their own for almost free. Nobody made a fortune out of it until these last few centuries."

"Not true, I think the Egyptians went way out, didn't they? Those sarcophaguses look a lot more expensive than any coffin my ex employer used to sell."

"Well, yeah, but those guys were always a bit over the top, you know? That was mostly for their bigshots. Now even poor folks are supposed to fork over a truckload of money for a box that's going in the ground."

"Lots of poor people wind up in paupers graves now, with everyone so being short of funds. It's hard for people to shell out 5 thousand or so for a funeral when they're living hand to mouth."

Jim shrugged. He's been observing humanity for a long, long time. "You got to take care of your living before you worry too much about your dead. Once in awhile, you people actually get your priorities right." He took a drag on his cigarette. "Not often. You got to have your feet to the fire to make it happen, but once in a blue moon y'all come through."

"You know how you said last time that what people say about me isn't as important as what I know is true?"

"Yeah?"

"I heard that Dixie is saying I cursed somebody up and down in an email, and all kinds of other B.S. about how the people I supported in the field didn't like me. I happen to know the guys I worked with in the field couldn't sing my praises enough every time I talked to them. So I know what she's saying isn't true, but I'm not there to defend myself. It's making me nuts that people believe what she's saying."

"But it's not true, right?"

"No."

"Then don't worry about it, Baby Girl. Don't look back."

"You know that other thing you said about money not being as important as we think it is?"

"You really were listenin' that night, weren't you?" He laughed a little.

"With one ear. You were right. I don't care what I make. The job with Big Death paid a lot less than I was making before, and I'm looking at jobs that pay even less than they did. I want to be happy and close to home. I don't want to have to drive 3 hours a day, and I don't want to have to work with people like Dixie. I want to work with people who laugh at my jokes. I want to work with people who like me and admire me. Beside, Big Death is going to deny me unemployment, me and a lot of other people they are firing right now. They don't want to pay what they did when they laid all those people off in the spring. They did the same thing to Yvette, who sat around the corner from me, this week and the reason they fired her was complete crap. The only thing that makes me happy is the idea that Dixie's days there might be numbered, too, even if she doesn't know it. I can only hope so. So I have to take what I can get. As far as I'm concerned, happy matters more than money."

"Good for you, Baby Girl."

"No, no, no, you don't get it," I groaned. "This attitude of mine is never going to get me a new living room furniture set."

Jim sighed and shook his head. He spoke though his teeth, clenched around his cigarette. "Once in awhile, you people actually get your priorities right. Not often, though. Almost never."


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Comments

[simplecity2htwn.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmmm. I think you and Babe are partners in this journey. I find myself having almost the exact same conversation with her that Death has with you.

[jessnhalinda.livejournal.com]

The fact that Dixie is still talking smack about you is a compliment, really. You've obviously got it, you know? You aren't even there, but she still feels your presence and is threatened by it.

Sounds like she knows, even if it's just on a subconscious level, that karma has picked up her scent.

[millysdaughter.livejournal.com]

Yeah....I am still waiting for that new living room set myself.

[jenelycam.livejournal.com]

We are only human and sometimes material things DO make us happy... Not that it should be everything, but you now.. *HUGS*

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

Nice living room furniture is important, damnit.

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

She's doing my work now. She's going to be thinking about me a lot for awhile, and hating me more than ever. Karma will do her in, but she's going to complain about how it's my fault all the way down as she falls into the abyss.

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

I suspect we both may be waiting a little bit longer, too.

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

Money isn't everything, but it sure can make you more comfortable in your misery. :P

[jenelycam.livejournal.com]

Exactly

[georgiaskydiver.livejournal.com]

My mother said something nearly identical to me when I was contemplating selling my soul and becoming a lawyer. I wish I hadn't listened.

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

I tend to pour myself into what ever job I do and give it my all, and it occurs to me that I'm weary of pouring myself into jobs I hate. The only thing I love, really, is writing, but there is precious little money to be made there. Happiness is more important than money, but it's impossible to be happy unless there food on the table. I'm stumped.