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Guest Column

The things we do to be ready 'just in case'

By MARY PARTINGTON
Published July 9, 2006

It's my mothers' fault. New pajamas, bathrobe and a pair of slippers rest in a drawer "just in case" I have to go to the hospital. Yeah, right, they don't let you stay in the hospital long enough to unpack let alone wear more than one pair of pajamas.

And, at my mothers' insistence, I always wear perfect and clean undergarments, "just in case" I'm in an accident.

We all know that the minute we walk out of the house with a rip in our panties we are doomed to lying on the highway with the emergency workers tsk tsking over the condition of our underwear. My mother from her heavenly rocking chair will be shaking her halo in wise acknowledgement of my foolishness.

High on a shelf in the closet are flashlights, candles and enough batteries to light up a small town. In the pantry are stacks of canned foods, the garage has blue tarps, plywood and water jugs. We have a grill and extra propane tanks.

All these things have been purchased and stored "just in case" we have a hurricane.

The next car will have side air bags "just in case" we have a side impact accident. We read the product recalls "just in case" we own one of the recalled products. Lawyers advertise in the paper "just in case" we have taken the wrong medicine or worked in the wrong place.

Some people even go to church, not because they love God, but "just in case" something happens, they want God on their side. The one thing there is no "just in case" about is death, so it figures that buying a cemetery plot is a sure thing.

How many retirees have four-bedroom homes with pools "just in case" the kids come for a visit? With the cost of insurance and taxes, sell the house, move into a condo, take a trip and when the kids come; if they come, rent a motel room. They will enjoy the pool at the motel and you and your children will have a better time. You could even keep a child or two overnight and give mom and dad a night alone.

We back up the computer, unplug our televisions, stay out of the bathtub and off the phone when the lightning starts to flash "just in case" it should strike our home. This is all very smart and prudent since we live in the lightning capital of the United States. What is foolish is to ignore the safety precautions when the skies are sparking and we are still trying to figure out which way the putt is going to go for our double bogey "just in case" we might win 50 cents.

We do foolish and wise things "just in case." It is wise to have hurricane supplies, it is silly to keep new pajamas in a drawer, it is wise to buy a crash safe car and it is silly to throw away usable underwear. The trick is figuring out what is silly and what is wise "just in case."

Mary Partington lives in New Port Richey.

[Last modified July 9, 2006, 06:13:55]