Same Old Song
Life is a mix of weird juxtapositions.
I think about this at random times. Like when I see Amish women in Victoria’s Secret. Or Amish men in front of the Palm Pilot display at Staples. (These are times when I’d kill for a camera phone).
Yesterday was a day full of these little contradictions. I went to work, as usual, and then to church for my ashes. I don’t ever go to church mid-week, so it was odd to be there, in the dark, for a short, somber service about sin and mortality. A little smear on my forehead, and then finished. I went to the library to drop off my books (and heard “Dust in the Wind” on the radio, which was so freakin’ profound at the moment that I got chills), and then to the gym.
And I stood on the treadmill, with ashes on my forehead, watching American Idol, and being totally enthralled with Chris and his version of “Hemorrhage.” When the show was over, and I was going to leave, I made eye contact with the girl on the treadmill next to me, who’d also been watching. Her eyes were wide.
“I’m so voting for that guy!” she exclaimed. “I’ve never voted for anyone, but I’m voting for him.”
“I know.” I said, “me, too.”
“If he gets voted off I’m going to be so mad. I’ll never watch again.”
I agreed, sort of, and went on my way. In my car, I texted the word “vote” to 5710.
I drove to Kmart then, with ashes on my forehead, to buy a hair trap for my drain. The Easter displays are up, and there was a big rack of crucifixes, and on the same rack, a big display of chocolate bunnies.
Death and chocolate. Sacred and secular (although one could argue the sacredness of Kmart crucifixes).
The whole day, and possibly my whole life, summed up neatly right there.
I think about this at random times. Like when I see Amish women in Victoria’s Secret. Or Amish men in front of the Palm Pilot display at Staples. (These are times when I’d kill for a camera phone).
Yesterday was a day full of these little contradictions. I went to work, as usual, and then to church for my ashes. I don’t ever go to church mid-week, so it was odd to be there, in the dark, for a short, somber service about sin and mortality. A little smear on my forehead, and then finished. I went to the library to drop off my books (and heard “Dust in the Wind” on the radio, which was so freakin’ profound at the moment that I got chills), and then to the gym.
And I stood on the treadmill, with ashes on my forehead, watching American Idol, and being totally enthralled with Chris and his version of “Hemorrhage.” When the show was over, and I was going to leave, I made eye contact with the girl on the treadmill next to me, who’d also been watching. Her eyes were wide.
“I’m so voting for that guy!” she exclaimed. “I’ve never voted for anyone, but I’m voting for him.”
“I know.” I said, “me, too.”
“If he gets voted off I’m going to be so mad. I’ll never watch again.”
I agreed, sort of, and went on my way. In my car, I texted the word “vote” to 5710.
I drove to Kmart then, with ashes on my forehead, to buy a hair trap for my drain. The Easter displays are up, and there was a big rack of crucifixes, and on the same rack, a big display of chocolate bunnies.
Death and chocolate. Sacred and secular (although one could argue the sacredness of Kmart crucifixes).
The whole day, and possibly my whole life, summed up neatly right there.
posted by Melanie at 1:17 PM
2 Old Comments:
I listened to Dust in the Wind while I read the rest of your post and it definitely had a very poignant effect.
Also, have you tried the hair trap yet? What do you think?
By 
, at
11:18 AM
I got the hair trap today. I'm very excited to wash my hair tomorrow morning and see what happens.
I think the whole hair falling out/need for a hair trap has an air of mortality about it. It fits somehow.
