Futures

It was a difficult shopping trip and once home, all Annie could do was snuggle with her dog Sadie. 

“Oh Sadie, you’re so good to me.  I feel so lonely.  I’ve tried to make friends but I always seem to do something that embarrasses myself and then I’m afraid to contact the women again.  I feel like I’m someone’s pet project and it bothers me.”  Giving the dog another hug, Annie got up and made coffee.  It’s my spinach, she thought.

Her phone rang just as she was settling in her chair.  It was her friend Paul.

“Hey there,” he said in a cheerful voice, “Where are you?”

“I’m at home, what’s up?” Annie asked.

“I’m getting out of the hospital today,” he said.

“Oh I have the electricians coming today, but I can come tomorrow if you like.”

They had an arrangement whereby Annie would provide homecare for a week or so and Paul would teach Annie to invest.  At 58 years of age, with little work experience caused from staying home with her children, Annie thought this investment opportunity seemed like a good alternative to working in a grocery store.  Annie thought back to her conversation with the psychologist . . . “You have a learning disability but also an above average intelligence.   You see, you have a genius working memory, it’s better than mine is, the math you can do in your head is absolutely amazing.  Think of your learning disability as your Achilles heel.”

“That’s why I find it so hard to keep a job,” Annie said.  “You have no idea how hard it is to start a job. I take notes, and then I go home and type them out, and then the next day I add notes to my notes and so on.”

“And while you’re taking notes, you’re missing seeing what they’re doing, right?” the doctor said.

“Exactly, it takes me months to learn. That is if they keep me around long enough, and most of them don’t. Then my employer and all my coworkers think I’m stupid.  It’s so frustrating.”