15 | September | 2013 | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss

Tell us about a time when you should have helped someone… but didn’t.

Photographers, artists, poets: show us DENIAL.

Slug

Today I feel like this little fellow. No energy, what shall I do, where shall I go? And WordPress asks to tell them about a time when I should have helped someone and didn’t. I am not in for a self-confessional today, I am just too tired. Blame it on the weather, raining all day with sunny bits in between, or just blame it on wanting a lazy Sunday. Actually there is nothing wrong, no cries of help from anywhere, just a little cry from me asking to let me do my own thing. My energy field has shrunk today, I am a piece of worthless no go.

I cleaned the place up this morning, remnants from a Saturday evening, although at my age I do not actually celebrate big parties any more or do anything active on Saturday, so the remnants were no big deal. The day went long ago for a Saturday night dance, or visit to the cinema or even munching chips and drinking cola all evening, leaving perhaps sticky places on the table or crumbs on the floor. Somehow the family took over, and I was glad to see them go and enjoy themselves on Saturday evening and leave me with a television programme where I usually fell asleep before the clock even thought about striking ten or eleven.

I cooked Sunday lunch this morning and no-one helped me. Why should they? Everyone has their own thing to do on Sunday morning. I am woman, I cook and clean and iron along with a few other bionic powers I have. I did not need help and neither did the others. After lunch I was tired and had my usual golden oldie sleep. From 1.30 p.m. until 3.30 p.m. Huh, now that is a long while to sleep during the day. I did not know what hit me. Admittedly I had a glance at my watch sometime in between, but just decided to carry on further with my beauty sleep.

I am now at my computer and writing this daily prompt, and I do not feel prompted in the least way. It is still raining outside; perhaps I stand under the influence of the weather? So let us return to the slug. Actually we call them homeless snails in German, as they are naked, without their portable house on their back. German can be a very basic language sometimes.

They are numerous when it rains and seem to consider my garden as a meeting place for their slimy and eating activities. They even seem to have their preferences for what they eat. Plant some marigolds or cucumber plants and they bring their knife and fork with them. Luckily roses do not seem to interest them neither does my apple tree, that is until the apples might fall on the ground. Then they have a party. I have to be careful I do not tread on one when walking across the lawn; they half bury themselves in the grass. Yesterday there was a slug needing help. I did not deny him help, but had to think it over. He had mistaken his safe zone for my kitchen, on the stone floor, just inside the door. Was he calling for help? Did I refuse his plea? I was forced to help this lonely mistaken slug to return to his rightful path as the last thing I wanted was a slug family making its home in the cat bowl where they have their vitamin pellets: another slug delicacy it seems. I have been known to pick them up, just like that, sticky as they are, and throw them into the nearby field. I am incapable of just dissolving them in salt, that would be third degree murder. No-one would really miss one less slug in the world.

I really do not think that anyone expected me to help this slug, but see WordPress, I did. I picked him up carefully, holding a piece of kitchen paper to cover his sticky body and returned him to the garden. He did not wave or even thank me. An unthankful slug you might think. I studied this helpless creature and he seemed to have sunk into a motionless state, something how I felt this morning, and even more so after my midday golden oldie sojourn. I was worried about this slug, he was almost dying in my hands. I returned to the kitchen, took a cup of water and revived him with the water. We all know that slugs love damp. Rain is their favourite weather. My slug moved on – another death avoided by kindness. And WordPress ask me to talk about when I denied help.

So I now have my choice. Should I be helping someone or not? At the moment I hear no cries of help, see no-one in distress and even my garden needs no care as it is raining. I could return to my state of sleep which would be most inviting at the moment. I think I will just take it easy and ignore any cries for help. I am in a mean mood today and am tired.

Daily Prompt: Sorry I’m busy

Ping backs for the busy