Have you ever been stuck somewhere? An airport, a hospital, a school, or in that place called The Middle of Nowhere? You couldn’t leave, couldn’t find your way…
This poor apple tree, near our home, grows every year in the middle of this ancient concrete slab.
It wants to be out with all of the other trees (I’m sure) producing delicious fruit. But it’s stuck.
I’ve been in airports, hospitals, schools, even in The Middle of Nowhere. But the one place I went—voluntarily, I might add—that was my Worst Place Ever was Vietnam, in 2007. I’ve talked about that here in these halls. Yes, it was the Worst Place Ever, but in some ways it was the Best Experience of my life.
I was there for a couple of weeks with a medical team, helping people who had little resources. That part was good—I learned gratitude in a new way.
But the heat, the bugs as big as barns, strange traffic patterns in the more populated areas, and—last but not least—the plates of dog in the open air marketplaces…all of that made me long for home.
But I was stuck there. Couldn’t leave until the job we came to do was done.
So, TKZers, what is Your Worst Place Ever you were stuck in? And what was one thing you learned from being stuck there?
Your post was a wonderful thing for me to read first thing this morning because it reminded me how blessed and fortunate I’ve been because when I tried to think of my “worst place ever”, the worst I could come up with was “living in flat and featureless Maryland as a child.” (you know me, I gotta have my mountains). 😎 And even then, though I didn’t like the lay of the land, I was very grateful to grow up in an extremely rural area (you sure won’t find that in most of Arizona!).
I’m not sure if it’s by virtue of the place (rural America) or the time period I grew up in (in a time where humans were prioritized before technology), but what I learned from living there was how to interact kindly with other people, and to know your neighbors (possible when there’s not thousands jam-packed around you). And it reminds me of how grateful I am that my parents raised me right.
Good morning, Brenda…
And your comment is a lovely thing to read first thing this morning! So much confusion, chaos, unprintable stuff and nonsense going on in the world…it’s like a breath of fresh air to remember what we’re grateful for. One thing I’m grateful for is that I am living (for the last 46+ years) about 5 miles from where I grew up. There’s something about seeing some of the same buildings, streets, and landscapes where I played (and got in trouble 🙂 ) that brings stability to my psyche. Hard to explain.
Have a great day!
Worst place ever but thankful to have it—a step-down unit in Baptist hospital in Memphis for 42 days while my husband recovered from pancreatitis. It could’ve been worse—he could have been in ICU.
I had no transportation so I couldn’t go anywhere. There were funny moments, like the time he wasn’t allowed to have water and when I wouldn’t give him any he said, “I’ll remember this when we get home.” Of course he didn’t.
Good morning Patricia…
Not sure what a “step-down” unit is, but it doesn’t sound very enticing to me.
But I’m really glad that you remember the funny moments–sometimes in those stuck-in-concrete moments, that’s the only thing that keeps us sane. 🙂
Have a good one, my friend!
Two days in a row of life of a pizza dude.
Detective Dave lived and worked in Wellston, MO. Look up crime in ZIP code 63121. Wellston is a great place if you are looking for drugs or very cheap prostitutes.
Detective Dave was a regular customer. He came to the door armed. Most police officers in Missouri are required to have their weapon with them on duty or off. Usually Dave had his city issued 9mm Baretta. One night he came to the door with what I will call a ‘Dirty Harry special’. 12″ vented barrel. On his hip it covered most of his leg.
“I don’t think you boys should be coming over here tonight.” He said when I gave him his order.
I called the manager and relayed the message. I was the last driver to Wellston for two days. I never learned what happened or was going to happen, I didn’t want to find out.
Hi Alan…AKA Pizza Dude!
You know, I’ve never thought about how risky a job like that could be. Especially in the middle-sized burg I live in. “I don’t think you boys should be coming over here tonight.”
How chilling is that! Almost sounds like a line from a movie.
Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!
At the scene of a near-fatal car accident involving a loved one. It was dark and I could barely make out the crushed car. Then a Good Samaritan who’d stopped to help turned on a flashlight and I saw my loved one covered in blood.
Hi Debbie…
Good grief! What a horrible moment that must’ve been. I’m glad your loved one lived through it. It was probably one of those scenes that replays in your mind at a moment’s notice, given the right prompt. I have a few of those, too. 🙁
Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.
Worst place ever: In March 2020 I went to my daughter’s house in Virginia to help her celebrate her 30th birthday (her husband was out of town) and the first night there I fell and broke my hip. The next day: urgent care, an an outpatient orthopedist, ER, and admittance to hospital. Then the world shut down. I had surgery and had trouble getting PT & OT started because they were trying to figure out how to do it in patient’s rooms. They stopped letting my daughter visit. Then transferred me to a rehab facility where I couldn’t leave my room for PT or OT. No visitors. Complete isolation. The woman in the room next to me played her TV full blast all night. Another patient kept crying out “help me, help me.” I begged them to let me go to my daughter’s house. What little PT I was getting I could do myself at her house. My husband was trying desperately to get a flight from Texas to Virginia, they kept canceling. When they finally let me out & he made it to Virginia it took days to get a flight home. I was also in chemo at the time and missed treatments. My daughter will never forget her 30th birthday. Nor will I. At the time I was angry, frustrated, and at my wit’s end. I didn’t handle it well. I look back and wish I’d had more patience and empathy for the medical folks doing their best to handle something they weren’t equipped for. Not my best moments.
Oh my, Kelly…
That doesn’t sound like a Worst Place Ever–sounds like H-E-Double Hockey Sticks to me. “Not my best moments.” Sounds like it wasn’t the staff’s best moments either.
I don’t blame you for being angry and frustrated.
Have a great weekend!
Worst place: The It’s A Small World ride in Disney World broke down for nearly an hour while we were stuck in the middle of China. That song is obnoxious enough in English.
Hey there, John!
“That song is obnoxious enough in English.”
Having lived in LA, had all my kiddos there, and a bro-in-law who worked at Disneyland and would get us in for free…I hear ya. Most obnoxious song ever. But the tadpoles loved it, so what else could we do? 🙂
Thanks for dropping by this crisp fall morn…
In case other readers can’t remember the interminable lyrics on The Small, Small World ride, here they are (John can probably recite them from memory):
It’s a world of laughter, a world of tears
It’s a world of hopes and a world of fears
There’s so much that we share
That it’s time we’re aware
It’s a small world after all
[Chorus]
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small, small world
Etc,. etc., ad nauseam.
Haha, J!
🤣🤣🤣
I’m sure we all appreciate it…especially John.
Have a great weekend!