A couple of days a go, I had two things that I needed to mail,one was a Netflick(-is that the singular of Netflix ? Or is it also Netflix ? Was I mailing a Netflick, or a Netflix ?), the other is really none of your business, so I left my office and walked the block or so to the mailbox. I had severely misjudged the weather, and my coat was completely unnecessary. I took my coat off(whilst still walking, I'll have you know, how'z that fer Skillz?) and hung it on my arm, so that I would look a lot like the Dad from Mary Poppins(okay, I looked nothing like the Dad from Mary Poppins, but I did look more than a bit silly with my coat draped over one arm). I continued on my way to the mailbox.
I reached the mailbox, which is when the trouble started. I suddenly became convinced that I would somehow accidentally put my coat into the mailbox with the mail. How ridiculous is that ? I cannot explain it, but I was sure that if I was not super careful, somehow my jacket would become a prisoner of the mailbox. Little odd, huh ? Well, it is not the first time it happened. In fact, I would venture to guess that anytime I have to put something in a mailbox, I wrestle with the fear that whatever else I am holding will end up in there as well.
I don't know why this is. I have never accidentally dropped something into the mailbox. Never even really come close, to my knowledge. But that feeling rears its' ugly head every time I am faced with using a public mailbox.
Is that a phobia ? I know it's an irrational fear, but does it qualify as a phobia ? The Webster's New 20th Century Dictionary Unabridged 2nd Edition Deluxe-Color defines -phobia as "any persistent,irrational,and excessive fear of some particular thing or situation." That sounds about right, so maybe it IS a phobia. I wonder if it has a name yet. Perhaps I could name it !! That would be exciting.
I think I have other phobias too. I definitely have arachnophobia. Then I have some others that I think are maybe just weird obsessions or something, or maybe they are phobias too.
I have a strong fear of having my teeth knocked out.
I guess maybe I don't have as many as I thought.
I do get creeped out whenever I see anyone chewing on a towel, like the coach at UNLV used to...That makes my mouth feel all weird.
How about you ? Any Phobias ?
5 comments:
I have that mailbox thing too, though I have never accidentally dropped something in there. I think it's because you (we)wouldn't quite know what to do should that happen. What do you do? Call the post office? Flag down a mail truck? Call the police (and wait for them to laugh at you)?
More to the point, that other thing you're carrying is likely something very important that you just used or are about to use, and you don't want to lose that.
Just theories.
As for other phobia-like things, I'm always afraid that I've left something on when I've left the house--the coffee maker, the oven. I did leave the coffee maker on once, and went all the home to turn it off. And twice I've left the oven on accidentally, but never when I've left the place. But I still worry about it. I think it stems from my fear that I'm totally irresponsible.
That is a strange phobia. I don't think I have anything like that. Plenty of weird habits, but no phobias.
There was a post-office-type box at one hospital I was a student in that took your dirty scrubs and gave you clean ones. One day I dropped my scrubs in only to remember that I'd stuffed all my cash in the pants pocket. I eventually found the person with the key who was really, really mean, but did let me into the box. But I got my money back AND an extra set of scrubs.
Anyway:
Spiders
Holey things (like honeycombs)
Talking on the phone
Needles (cured by IVF)
Plus a few I'm not remembering.
C2:Interesting theory, and I'm with you on thinking I've left something on. When we were leaving Chicago, we spent the last night in a hotel, and I had to leave the hotel at 10:30 p.m. because I couldn't remember if we re-lit the pilot light in the stove.(We were going back in the morning, but I was sure the place would blow up overnight)
Avitable: weird habits, eh ? That's a good idea for another post. Mind if I use that ?
DoctorMama: I saw that Scrub machine on Scrubs-that's a pretty cool device.
I'm with you on the needles, but my diabetes(and assisting with My Special lady's IVF shots) is chipping away at that(I don't have to use insulin yet, but I do have to test my blood sugar at least twice a day)
I hate talking on the phone, but I don't know that I have a phobia of it.
And I thought of one more- Putting my fingers in my eyes. I cannot handle the thought of contacts. in fact, I can't watch OTHER people deal with their contacts.It freaks me out.
I was going to say that it's just middle age / advancing senility, but give your age on your profile, that wouldn't appear to be the case.
Best wishes
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