I don't know if it is H1N1, the Swine Flu, or the actual bubonic plague, but I have been flat on my back since last Thursday. I did a house party yesterday afternoon and I looked so bad that the hosts sent me home right after my pitch. They even bundled up my buttons and bumper stickers and the donation basket and sent them home to me with one of the guests when the party was done. Oof. That's pretty bad.
Late last week I got a note on facebook from one of the big shots with the campaign asking if I'd be around to take a phone call Monday morning. Sure, says me. I'm always available to take a call when the No On 1 people call. I may be a renegade of sorts, but I do try to be a team player when I can.
But then I got paranoid. Years of insecurity, coupled with a delirious brain from this flu conspired to get me to think the worst. I wondered if I insulted someone, if I filed something wrong, if I screwed up a pitch or got something backwards and I was about to be bawled out. I searched my (fevered, remember, I'm sick as hell through this) memory for instances, real or imagined, that might cause the big shots to be upset. Exhausted and still not sure what I might have done to be called to the principal's office, I resigned myself to whatever chastisement was coming my way and set my alarm to be by the phone.
I woke up and made coffee for the first time in four days. I sat on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket sipping some orange juice and squinting at my computer for the day's news when the phone rang.
Flu-addled me: Hullo?
Very perky woman: Hello is this Dawn?
Me: Yes, this is Dawn.
Very perky woman: Hi, Dawn. This is (Maine 1st District Congresswoman) Chellie Pingree calling from the No On 1 Campaign to thank you for all you've been doing.
Me: stunned silence
(tick, tock, tick, tock, tick)
Me (startled to life and scrambling for my mental feet) : Oh wow! Hi Chellie! Wow!
Chellie (still very perky): I understand you've been pretty busy up there with the campaign.
And so we chatted, somewhat awkwardly, for a minute or two. I have no idea what I said. Something about house parties and having the flu. Something else about thanking her for helping out, being busy in Congress, that kind of thing.
And then it was over.
I sat and stared at the phone.
Nobody yelled at me.
In fact, someone pretty important just thanked me for the stuff I've been doing. Wow.
I rapidly called a person or two who might be interested in such a thing and updated my facebook status to reflect the morning's events. Wow and damn. That's pretty cool. I'm not her constituent, but it was amazingly cool to have a phone call from Chellie Pingree to start my day. Hot dog!
3 comments:
I hope you are well soon. Take care of yourself.
It is always great to get a thank you, but especially great when it comes from out of the blue from an unexpected source. You deserve it for all the work you have been doing.
Again, thou dost not have the Black Death.
Congrats on such a fantastic phone call. Great things are in store for you hon!
That's awesome. You've done so much for the campaign, I'm glad someone recognized it.
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