Signing a Cast

We went to Carolyn's sisters' place again today.  Deanne had surgery on her foot last Thursday and Carolyn wanted to see how she was feeling.  Sometimes the telephone is just not adequate, the only way to know for sure is to be there in person.

I see TV ads telling me how my company (OK, your company 'cause I don't have one) can save a million bucks by telemeeting.  Or whatever it's called.  I can't remember 'cause I'm a dinosaur in a young persons world.  Sue me. 

What I can remember are the days long ago when I thought I needed to be in "Management" to be an "Important Guy" and I spent more time in airports and in meetings all across the country than I did watching the kids grow up.  If I were to average the hours I spent away from home, all the travel time and hotel rooms, and divide those hours into my HUGE salary I'm sure the hourly rate was less than that of the cleaning crew that came in after closing time.  I was luckier than most and learned quickly there was more to life.  But that's a different post all by itself.  I'm sure there are still as many young bucks who want to make the big bucks and who are willing to sacrifice their family to be an "Important Guy" as there were in my younger days. It's a pity but some things just have to be lived before they can be learned.

The ads I'm talking about stress the cost of travel and tell you that meeting in person isn't all that important.  They claim you can get the same information and accomplish the same task by talking to a TV that some other group of people in fifty-three different parts of the country are watching as you could get by having all the folks in one room.  I'm old enough that I beg to differ.  Most stuff needs to be done in person.  Press the flesh, look into the eyes, smell the reaction to what was said and you've just participated in a human interaction that will probably get better results than if all you did was talk to a TV. 

Of course, like I have already said, I'm old fashioned.  I'd rather read a book that I hold in my hand and feel the weight of the words as I weigh them than read it on a monitor.  I'd rather dodge the actual rock than cower in front of a 3D movie screen.  Wii just doesn't provoke the WHEE! I feel after throwing a strike in a bowling alley. 

Something's missing these days.  We don't talk anymore.  We don't interact as much.  We're more alone.

And that's why Carolyn and I took the time to drive forty miles on a cloudy day to say "Hi" and ask "How ya doin'?"  The card and plant we took with us could have been delivered by mail or a service but it would not have been the same. 

Besides that, how would Deanne have felt if some stranger had brought those things to her home and then signed her cast?