Author: Kathleen Fisher

When my kids were little and they’d bounce a ball off their brother’s head or shove their sister out of their way, I’d make them apologize.  Often they’d try to get away with offering up a lame “sorry” without an inkling of remorse so I’d make them do it over and over until I thought it sounded sincere.

How many times do we have to read or hear a politician/athlete/celebrity say something completely stupid/offensive/inappropriate and start with, “If I offended anyone….”?  How about, “Since I offended everyone…..”?  Or “I shot my mouth off without thinking and I feel like a complete jerk.”  Maybe, “I hope you won’t judge me by this insensitive remark because I’m a better person than I just demonstrated.”

The latest example would be newly-elected Gov. Robert Bentley (AL) who said only Christians were his brothers and sisters.  Maybe he should have spent his first week on the job looking for the cafeteria and bathroom and keeping his hands, feet and objects to himself.  A day later he offered up this:  “If anyone from other religions felt disenfranchised by the language, I want to say I’m sorry.  I’m sorry if I offended anyone in any way.”

What the what???  Is there any way but to feel disenfranchised by his statement?

I think that if your remarks landed in most papers and news sites, you offended a healthy amount of people and your spouse/agent/designated toadie should yank you by the arm and tell you to stand up, look into the camera and say you’re sorry without blaming anyone for your bad behavior.  Responsible parents have been doing that very thing forever.

Upon the one year anniversary of a job I was recently employed at, the owner gave me a gift.  Enclosed in the card was this:

Now if ever there was a sign that your services aren’t all that appreciated then this is it.  I sort of thought a raise would be an appropriate anniversary gift but she had a different, cheaper way of expressing her gratitude. I often question my contribution to the world, but even on my worst day it’s worth more than $5.00.

I currently have no job and, therefore, no extra money to speak of.  Not working for someone who thinks this is a good idea? A relief.

I have thought about starting a blog for more years than is mentally healthy.   There have been a few events in the last year that have pushed me into actually doing it.  This is the first event:

I was working in a clothing store and met a woman named Barbara.  We had the same crazy, curly hair which is how I started a conversation with her.  By her accent I could tell she was from the South and asked her where she grew up.  Alabama.  My coworker grew up there as well and I introduced them to each other.  They compared geography and I asked her if she ever read, “All Over But the Shoutin” by Rick Bragg who wrote about his dysfunctional childhood growing up in Alabama.  She had and reached into her purse and pulled out her business card and handed it to me.  She said she’d written a book as well about that very subject and leaned in and said it was a bestseller.  I leaned back and said I was in a writers group.   “Well, honey”, she said,” you just need to keep writin’ and writin’ and writin'”.

About a year later I was cleaning out my wallet and came across her card.  I’d still not read her book and considering the pile next to my bed, there wasn’t much chance of reading it anytime soon so I put it on top of the recycling pile.  I walked past that card all afternoon and each time it was like the damn thing was giving me the stinkeye.  By that night for reasons I’ll never know, it was back in my wallet.

Three days later I read Barbara’s obituary in the paper.  She made her presence known, I have taken heed and I need to just keep writin’ and writin’ and writin’.