PASS THE BATON

Part of rearing a child today is preaching to them to make good choices. So, how are we supposed to innately know good from bad choices? There a few basics: hot versus cold, pee before bed, smell the milk, etc. But still, someone had to learn the hard way and passed that baton to the rest of us. Good choices are obviously not as blatant as we may think. That baton gets dropped. Bad choices are rampant explaining clearance racks, foreclosures, rehab facilities and control top panties.

How exactly does one learn to make good choices without learning from all the bad choices? I have made plenty of bad choices and continue to remain jail and STD free.

My bad choices, you ask? Well, there was the first husband. That's a whole other story. Once there was this shiny black skirt for $6 that made me look unbelievable thicker than I was when I got it home. I would try it on every 2 or 3 weeks thinking it would get better. It didn't. And I can't forget that late night phone call to a physic from a TV commercial. At the time, these all seemed like great choices. Apparently no one passed me the baton.

I've also witnessed bad choices, so I know I'm not alone here. I watched my husband order steak from an authentic Mexican restaurant. He then complained it was not like the steak from the steakhouse. I've observed a friend let his wife color his graying hair from a color kit she purchased at a dollar store. He went to the office in shame over his burgundy do. I just cringe when I think about my uncle who just married a woman he met on the internet.

I am in awe of these choices and find myself in a quest to save all and pass the baton.

A couple of weeks ago around the old water cooler on the happiest of Mondays, my co-workers were busy gripping about the typical gripes. Tired, hate this place, didn't win the lottery, blah, blah, blah, when one of them made the astute observation that they made a bad career choice and ended up here.

"Well," I suggested in my most parental voice, "you still made a choice today by coming here."

"That's true," he accepted, "but who's to say it's a good choice?"

"We all have choices," I retorted, "instead you could have chosen to trade sex for crack downtown this morning."

I'm not sure if he grasped the baton at that point, but at least it hit him on the head. Then again, I have to remember that $6 shiny black skirt.

Learn more about this author, Amy Jo.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Humor: Life?
We want to hear your view. Write now!