Umeboshi

Today was a study in contrasts. I had a great day with my regular students and Beowulf. Both classes are really getting into the story, and they actually were disappointed when the period ended and we had to stop reading.

After school I had to go to a doctor's appointment, and while I was there anyway, I asked him about my headaches. He seemed to think they warrant further exploration, so he's arranging for me to see a neurologist. The words CAT scan and MRI came up, and since I'm more than a little claustrophobic, I'm hoping that I'm not going to have to be rolled inside that great big clanging metal tube from hell anytime soon. It was bad enough in high school when I had to have a scan done on my knee. I was only in it up to my shoulders, but I remember the feeling of being trapped all too well.

At least maybe once this process starts somebody will be able to tell me what's going on. The "T" word came up, but I'm blissfully ignoring it. It's too horrible to even contemplate seriously. Besides, I'm almost positive the doctor is going to look at me and tell me to find a way to relieve stress more efficiently. How I'm going to do that, I have no idea, but.... I have to do something. The headaches are coming more and more frequently, and they seem to be getting more and more aggressive, too. Even if the doctor says, "Take more Advil and get out," at least, as my other doctor today said, at least I'll know that there's not some other, darker thing going on.

After the doctor's appointment, I decided to go get some Thai food before my night class began. I haven't been to Podunk's tiny little Thai place in awhile, and it was so comforting and good. I had the masaman, which isn't as likely to make my body rebel as the green curry, and just the warmth of the blue and white china bowl and the flower pattern of the rice from its mold were soothing to jangled nerves. The restaurant is quiet, and the staff there will talk to you or not as your own mood indicates. I love places like that. I can go there with a book and read and eat, and nobody seems to think anything about it.

At the end of the meal, I was asking about the desserts, but they were out of all of them. Their distributor won't come until next week with a new supply. That led to a conversation about trying to find Japanese umeboshi, one of my very favorite Japanese food. I miss those little pickled plums and onigiri made with them. I crave them most of the time. The waitress went to the back to ask the owner if she knew anywhere one could buy umeboshi in the state, and the owner actually brought out a jar from her personal supply. It was wild. They are the big Chinese kind, but she was kind enough to give me one in a condiment container to take home.

I almost cried. I will take it home and cut it into smaller pieces and make my own onigiri. That act of kindness salvaged what was shaping up to be a totally crappy day. It's amazing what a difference one little umeboshi can make when everything else has gone wrong.