What If?

It is either a sign of my age...or my wisdom (I'm not sure which)...that I am now somewhat overly-conscious of what can go wrong. Or maybe I have just become the human embodiment of Murphy's Law that states that anything that can go wrong, WILL go wrong. I'm just so much more cautious than I used to be.

Example: When I was packing to fly to California, I put my medicines in my purse instead of my checked luggage. Why? What if my checked luggage didn't make it to California with me? I can't exactly run right out and get Metoprolol, Zocor, Plavix, and Lisinopril, now can I? The fact is, THIS trip, my luggage went exploring without me. I landed in San Jose, but my suitcase went somewhere else--maybe Denver or Chicago. It showed up late the next day, but I didn't have to do without my meds because--ha-ha!--I had them with me.

Example: Meg and I were out running around today. She was down to less than a quarter of a tank of gas--probably more than enough to pick up Denis from work and get back--but all I could think of was, "What if you get on the freeway behind an accident and have to sit there for awhile? (It could happen.) So we gassed up Hannah (her Montana) before we got home. Another potential crisis averted!

Every time I buy something like liquid laundry detergent, before it goes in my car, I am careful to check to see that the lid is on tight. (Do you??) Want to know why? Once upon a time, I had put a jug of liquid detergent on the floor of the passenger side of my then-car. It fell over on the trip home. The lid wasn't tight, and laundry goop went all over the carpet/floor mat. I cleaned it up as best I could, but the stuff had soaked in and it wasn't easy. That particular car had some kind of design flaw that developed over time. Rain water would collect in some location just under the dashboard, and if I turned a corner, at least a quart of water would spill out onto the floor in the same spot where the detergent had spilled. You can guess the rest. I had soap suds every time!

Whenever my grandson is around, I am ever-vigilant because he knocks things over just because he is a boy and doesn't pay attention to where his arms and legs are. It's a never-ending thought process of "what if?" when he's with me. He's getting better, but still...

Other things I do that indicate my What If paranoia:

1. I don't hold my glasses in my hand while leaning over the balcony at Meg's apartment.

2. I don't close my car door until I stand there a second to make sure I have the key in my hand.

3. I sleep with a phone near my bed, just in case I should become ill during the night.

4. I close the toilet lid if there is anything on the tank that could fall in.

5. I put the lid on anything that could get knocked over and create a big mess.

6. I don't drink liquids near the computer keyboard.

7. I move combustible things far away from stove burners, even if only the oven is on.

8. I never leave my hairdryer plugged in.

9. I put a lid over my can of hair spray when packing for a trip so it won't spray all over the inside of my luggage if something compresses the button when I close the luggage. (This has happened. Nothing quite so sticky as toiletries covered with hair spray!)

You get the picture. I'm either a good learner or totally whacko. I leave it up to you which it is!