bad friends and free mimosas

Like a bad habit, Eloise had become addicted to her troubles. They had somehow found a way to comfort her, almost like constant gossipy friends two mimosas in at a bad wedding reception. They were her. Until today. 

Eloise couldn’t stand her own racing brain anymore, the shrill shrieking of her judgmental thoughts, trying to protect her overly-fragile ego. And at seventy-nine, she decided she’d had enough. Thrusting her arms in the air (as fast as she could for her age) and unfolding her curled little fingers towards the sky, Eloise let out a loud “Saxophone!” 

A nurse poked her head in. 

In one of her recent pastime activities, Eloise had discovered a channel of self-help videos online. The repeated rambling of the passionate gentleman on the stage helped barge out the blasting turn-table of her soon-to-be retired old thoughts. When your mind starts to go down that same rabbit hole again, heading straight towards those same thoughts that will bring you to the same place that you’re in right now, just stand up and shout any old word that comes to mind, something that will surprise the heck out of yourself. 

“Everything alright?” the nurse asked a stretching Eloise, who hadn’t released her arm position just yet. 

Eloise nodded, a huge grin running across her face. 

“You stretching?” the nurse asked further. 

Eloise couldn’t help but laugh. 

“I’m surprising myself,” she chuckled out, “and breaking up with some very old friends.” 

- b

June 16, 2021

Photo Credit: Tiago Muraro