Peeves to Relax By- Or -Whine for Your Chaise.

Greetings Fellow Travelers...

I must say at the outset that I 'm having a bit of a struggle. It seems that the more I look at the word "peeve" the funnier it sounds and the more I want to do an article on funny looking and weird sounding words. Now that would be a great piece, I think. After all, many folks have told me over the years that I have a "unique" way of looking at things, which would lend itself to such a work. And all that leads me to my first peeve.

People who hook you in with one idea and never get to it. We have a doctor in the NICU where I work. He is a brilliant physician with tons of experience and knowledge and a genuine love for teaching. Rounding with him takes forever because he starts out with discussing the patients individual case, but locks onto a drug regimen or disease process and goes off "chasing rabbits" until it's difficult to remember what the original thought was!

Also in our unit are a group of nurses and clerks that have a habit, or, you might call it a personality trait, that, when my kids were young, I would refuse to allow them to do. That is to say, "HUH?!" I would tell my kiddos to either say "excuse me, I didn't hear you," or "what was that?" in a respectful manner. But these folks will ask a question, look you in the eye while you give them an answer, then, halfway through your answer, interrupt with "HUH?!" Then, if you try to start over with your response, will have already moved on to the next issue in their mind and talking with them becomes a verbal wrestling match. Oftentimes they will have forgotten what the question was in the first place.

I realize that someone who just emerged from a cave after a lifetime of complete seclusion might find the sound of my name to be like a song. But it is not. My next peeve deals with professional personnel walking towards me and saying, while looking right at me, "Ken, Ken, Ken, Ken Ken..." I have reminded them time and again that once they have my attention it is no longer necessary to repeat my name, but, Alas and Alak, the madness continues!.

Moving away from the hospital we travel north to what I call the "Green Wal Mart," named so since it is the only Wal Mart of that color that I've seen. I go there when I don't feel like traveling the extra mile or so to the HEB Grocery store; right after work, around 6:15 am.

I'm about the only customer in the store at that hour. The place is abuzz with workers stocking and driving that "sweeper/mopper/LP gas powered contraption.

I have had to jump out of the way of these guys several times because once they have mapped out a route they will not deviate one iota. One time, though, I stood my ground and made the guy go around me. The look on his face as he sidled past made me wonder if he was thinking about punching my nose!

The folks "dressing" the shelves, or taking away opened or damaged goods and straightening up the rest, are in full swing. I do my best to give these guys plenty of room, as I do believe any one of them would easily punch me in the nose. Kind of ironic since everyone of these Wal Mart employees are wearing vests that have, in huge letters across the back, "How May I Help You?" They could start by not mixing up the products on the shelf. For example, one such item is Progresso 50% less Sodium Chicken Noodle Soup. I wanted to buy three cans one morning but had to sift through a dozen other types because, though the cans were stacked neatly and brought to the front of the shelf, they had been mixed. I tell you I had more than a few "Gonna Punch Your Nose " looks after messing up their tribute to Egyptian architecture.

OK, that's it for now. I'm going to take some Tylenol, sip some grape juice and try to calm down.

Oh Man! I forgot to get grape juice!