Trying to be nice to the inanimate(s)

When a friend came to visit, I showed her my wardrobe and pointed to my new dress enthusiastically. ‘This is the best I have!’, I said. After she left I felt quite guilty, walked up to the wardrobe, held the hem of my old favorite and said, “You are nice too, I was just kidding”.

I am the one who tries to smile at flowers, talk to trees, soothe my computer with pats saying, ‘It’s okay baby, take it cool’, when it starts to hang.

I can make a simple task, like walking, quite complicated. I like to put my foot in the middle of a tile, hate it if I have to put it on the line or at the corner. Some days I don’t give it a thought, those are the good days; normally, I spend too much time and energy making sure that I don’t hurt the tiles by not stepping in the dead centre.

I always keep at least two of everything, two pens, two spoons, so that they can have company and don’t feel lonely. Sometimes I wear old clothes just so that they get an outing; I know how bad it feels to be at home for days on end.

Russell Baker once said, “The goal of all inanimate objects is to resist man and ultimately defeat him.” So will they defeat me? But am I in a battle with them? No, I don’t think so. I just see life in everything. My clothes, my toothbrush, my computer, all live with me. They share time and space with me.

But sometimes I feel, maybe it’s the other way round, it’s not that I see life in them. It’s just that I see death in myself. I know eventually, sooner or later, I’ll join their club. But till then, I am just being nice, just like how we are nice to a new neighbor – we want them on our side, we want them to think we are good and no trouble.

Yes my dear footrest, I like you too, don’t mind my stamping you *grin*.