Rotten Apple

There’s something about watching post-season baseball that makes me want to reflect in my own life. Maybe lately though, I’ve done too much reflecting and not enough doing. Though this weekend was pleasingly awesome.
This whole weekend, I’ve been mildly stressed because when I arrived back in the states I forgot to order insulin. I get a three-month supply shipped to me quarterly and what with everything going on it became a complete deletion from my mind. College students worry about bills, moving into apartments, relationships, having enough gas in the car and food in the fridge, staying healthy,….being cool- not this stuff. I hate being an adult. I went home the other day and realized there was not a 3 month supply waiting for me and that blew my mind. Now I am living on the edge, if I don’t get it in 24 hours I will get really sick.
I’ve done everything I can, called multiple places and now it’s out of my hands. It’s one of those times I wish I could take one of two options:
1. Go back about 10 years and stop being an adult.
2. Not have juvenile diabetes.
I always seem to find myself in these situations. This one was totally my mistake and my fault. When I was in Egypt, my diabetes supply was recalled. Maybe I always find myself here because American insurance companies don’t expect young people with diabetes to do the things I do. If I wasn’t globe-trotting I would not have forgotten and if I wasn’t in Egypt I would have gotten the recall that was delivered to my house in Pittsburgh.
There must be a reason trouble always finds me. I don’t know why though.
So right now I have chosen to take the adult route, not stress, and everything will work out.
Hopefully.
Regardless, this weekend was great.
Rain wet my face as my roommate and I walked to Pittsburgh’s Southside Saturday afternoon to sort through Goodwill in search of a Halloween costume. I love rain. We both wore gloves and scarves and the October crisp pummeled our bodies with chill as we walked. The walk was wonderful because I find when you have one-on-one time with a person you find yourself remembering why you like them so much. Why you are friends. AT is a happy person that I love being around in the holiday season. She loves to fill our living space with good smells and splash the walls, doors, cabinets, and any surface she can find with colorful themed decorations. She has this curiosity to learn about this city that I wish I still had, and when she gets excited her smile and laughter infect me even if I am having a bad day. I also enjoy our dance parties together.
In this case, my roommate and I ran into a tiny dog at a coffee shop called Mad Dog on the southside. This Steelers-bandanna clad canine was perfectly content warming herself at the fireplace until he saw us. Lexie begged us with her eyes to come rub her behind the ears.
We traveled home through the steps of Pittsburgh that were once used by Steel workers. Me and AT found ourselves on a Pittsburgh adventure, hiking stairs to a place where we didn’t know we would end up. It was thrilling.
Saturday night I went to the Penguins game with my good friend EW who had gotten unused season tickets from her family. It was a great game and EW had her first beer at a sporting event. I was proud to be there for it. The thing about hockey is that it has many meanings for me.
The day after I left UVA, I attended the Capitals/Pens game. Five days before leaving for Semester at Sea, we won the cup and JB and I rioted in the Southside. Hockey gives me great feelings of hope, kind of like football. Maybe that’s at the root of my sports obsession. When everything is going bad, or at least crazy, you can count on your team to give you time to enjoy. This game, Saturday night really hit home the fact that summer is over.
That’s fine with me.
My little brother commented that my insulin pump had a Pirates decal. He said, “Grace, ya know…it’s not like we live in a town that has losers. You have so much to choose from. But you have to pick the one rotten apple.”
I guess I still have hope for them.
Now I’m going to forget about the insulin for now, and watch some more October baseball.