So today I ran & grabbed a quick overpriced slice of pizza over at the student center for lunch. (By the way, it's hilarious being in the "student center" again. The more things change, the more they stay the same.)

Actually, I thought it'd be a quick slice, but each of those mini food franchises had long lines of white hat-wearing hungry undergrads, so it took a while.

Why am I talking to you about pizza? I don't know. I don't have TV right now. Things are slow.

Actually, it's because while waiting in line I witnessed one of the saddest, most sobering sights ever. I heard a tray crash to the ground behind me - 'even saw the bottle of Fruitopia roll past. I figured I'd do the person a favor by not turning around and staring - that is, until I saw the look on everyone else's faces in front of me. They looked like their pet kitten had just died.

No dead kittens, but close. I turned around and this poor old lady had missed a step and totally wiped out. Picture this woman in her eighties collapsed on the cold floor, what was supposed to be her lunch splattered all over - defeat at the cruel hands of life echoing in the sudden silence.

And it'd be one thing if this unfortunate incident happened at a nursing or convalescent home. But just picture the contrast of this lone old lady surrounded by kids in the prime of their youth, on the cusp of their futures. I mean, it's still an f-d up thing to see happen anywhere, but this detail - that it happened in the middle of a college student center at the height of the lunch hour - proves God's messed-up sense of humor.

Still not convinced? What if I told you on top of everything the poor old lady's wig fell off?? I mean, I need a shot of tequila just remembering this. At least her wig hadn't gotten messed up and mixed in with the food. Wow...so thanks for that, God. But there she was, her scalp exposed with just a few thin strands of hair here and there, hairpinned down.

I wasn't kidding. In those brief moments before the nearest kids jumped to help her, it was seriously one of the saddest snapshots I've ever witnessed. Miraculously though, as people got the woman to her feet she didn't appear to be seriously hurt. You could feel everyone thinking the same thing: They wanted to rush in and help - as much to help put such a discomforting interruption to their lunch behind as to actually help her.

But obviously we all couldn't - there were about 50 people in the vicinity, and the first ten or so rushed in. So the next best thing we could do, once established that she was assisted, is give this woman a little dignity back and NOT STARE. *Sigh*

Wow, after today I totally can't wait to be geriatric. Are we really so lucky if we make it that long??

Sorry for the downer. I guess if I can extract some sort of silver lining...hm. Maybe just remember this anecdote the next time you think you're having a bad day...