Hospitals
Healthy Soap
August 6, 2024
In the rest room, I was washing my hands. The soap dispenser announced that “Healthy Soap” was inside.
A woman came out of a stall and approached the sink. Her body moved continuously, particularly her head. Instead of focusing on her physical disorder, I focused on our shared activity, washing our hands. I pointed at the soap dispenser and said:
Me: “Aren’t we lucky we have healthy soap?”
She looked at the label.
Woman: “If it makes us laugh…”
We shared a laugh.
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In The Presence Of A Hero
April 2, 2025
I took a friend to a medical appointment. While we were sitting in the waiting room, an old man with long white hair and a slightly crooked walk entered that medical department. He was one of my neighbors..
Me: “Hello.” to the Neighbor and “This is one of my neighbors” to Friend.
Neighbor: “Did you vote yesterday?”
Me: “Yes.”
He had voted, too.
My phone announced a text message, so I went out into the hallway. When I went back into the waiting room, both friend and neighbor were in consulting rooms.
Two women sat in a corner of the waiting room. One of them took a big yawn.
Me: “When do you get to sleep again?”
Yawning Woman: “Tonight.”
Me: “I didn’t say this in front of that old man with long white hair and a crooked walk because it would probably embarrass him, but he’s a hero.
We live in a small village. Neighbor lives in a house at the edge of the village, across the road from a couple in their 70s.
A few winters ago, the weather had been icy and very cold. Elderly Couple came home late in the dark of the evening. Husband came around their car to help Wife out. Wife slipped and fell on the ice, pulling husband down with her. Neither one could get up again because of the ice. Husband had put his cell phone of the car seat, which he could not reach.
Neighbor happened to come out to his driveway and heard their voices. He walked his crooked walk over and got them on their feet again. Because of the late hour and the quiet road, Neighbor was probably Elderly Couple’s only chance of help. He saved their lives.”
Waiting Room Women: “Yes, he’s a hero.
Me: “You can never tell what someone has done in their lives just by looking at them.”
Waiting Room Women: “You’re right.”
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Color Coordinated
September 24, 2025
I was standing near the elevator waiting for a friend. A worker came out of her office and pressed an elevator button.
My outfit was red socks, red pants, and shirt with vertical stripes in varying shades of orange, red, and pink.
Worker wore a light shade of orange pants with sweater in another light orange shade.
Me: “You’re color coordinated! (Pointing at my outfit) So am I!”
Worker: “I think these are good colors for fall. Your outfit is good for fall, too.”
Me: “I like to dress this way all the time. Shades of one color with some variation.”
Worker: “You shirt could go with my pants.”
Me: “That’s what I like about shirts like this. They go with different pants.”
The elevator came.
Worker: “Have a nice rest of your day.”
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© Paula M. Kramer, 2025
All rights reserved.
Updated October 9, 2025.