My wife is taking a sick day today from work, so I guess I’m having one, too. The dogs are excited because they know that when she doesn’t get dressed for work, they typically get a long walk (Schnauzerthon). They’ll be disappointed when she doesn’t get up at all, but are currently content with her company in our bed. They certainly haven’t been in to see me. I think I understand how she feels, I was having the same symptoms that caused her to come home early from work yesterday.

I rarely missed a day of work in my career. In fact, I can only remember one occasion where I stayed home to work the phones instead. I think it stems from missing out on a perfect attendance certificate in the first grade. I just didn’t know until then that there were incentives for being perfect. Plus, I didn’t like having to explain my absence or the thought of calling in. As a result, I always tried to make an appearance at the office, even though I might end up in the Emergency Room later. This happened at least twice with kidney stone problems. Although these are not contagious. 

Perfect attendance somehow didn’t apply when I went to college. Professors didn’t take attendance and I would often sleep through early classes. I managed to pass the tests but occasionally would get caught missing a pop-quiz. The problem was that I was not necessarily there to learn, but knew that I needed to get a degree (the incentive certificate). Both of my parents earned degrees and expected the same from me and my sister. I never cheated but deprived myself of knowledge and badly misused the hard earned dollars of my folks. I also made a lot of friends, but not in the classroom. 

Other than self-esteem, education never played much of a role in my career. I spent many years in sales before naturally evolving into management roles. I suppose I could credit the college experience with my people skills, but my parents deserve the biggest honors for the manner in which they raised me. I don’t ever remember my dad ever staying home from work. He was also a stickler for punctuality, These two basic fundamentals go a long way in achieving success. 

My wife is much more practical when it comes to being sick. Admirably, she doesn’t want to spread it to the office. As a responsible manager, she protects their overall welfare. I guess I was just taught to just show up, and in the process probably made others sick, as well. My insensitive philosophy always was that “somebody gave it to me.” I also tended to frown at people that didn’t show up at the office, skeptical of their Ferris Bueller ways. However, in the world of outside sales you can rarely track each activity and the bottom line is always what they deliver in the end.

I’m driven to perfection, as evident in maintaining my daily running streak that reached 3,636 consecutive days this morning. It’s something that I simply have to do every day, and has become a part of my purpose in life. This means that even if I’m sick or injured, I have to find a way to run at least one-mile. On the majority of days, it’s 3.1 miles – 5k a day. To me, it’s the same as “an apple a day. It keeps the doctor away.” Also, I’ve found that if gimpy or sick at the start, I feel much better once it’s done. ‘The Streak” has spanned both my working and retirement days these past ten years and an essential part of my being. There are no sick days on this personal quest!

Sick Day

When I see you,
Suffering in bed.
I’m thinking it should,
Be me instead.

You don’t deserve,
To feel this bad.
And as I watch,
I’m feeling sad.

Cough and cold,
Fever and chills.
Upset stomach,
Doctor bills.

There is no need,
To update the will.
But nursing duties,
I poorly fulfill.

You’d likely starve,
To rely on me.
At least my services,
Are mostly free.

I’ll keep our pets,
From bugging you.
And run some errands,
For you, too.

No, you can’t,
Go out and play.
Because you’re taking,
A paid sick day.

But your boss feels,
You’re trying to fool ‘er.
She thinks your name,
Is Ferris Bueller.

copyright 2018 johnstonwrites.com