This girl, there's something about her.

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This girl, there's something about her. She's carrying a fruit platter to a party, to a location she's unfamiliar with. And I completely screw it up.

I'm heading east on Fremont, jig left when I should have jigged right, and end up circling Rocky Butte. Which is, ahh, rather remote. I apologize profusely, but she just laughs it off, which I soon realize is indicative of her general attitude toward life. And it gives us more time to talk. And man...this girl makes my attitude to my back problems and depression and weight gain seem incredibly petty.

We start by saying that she doesn't drink much, and neither do I. Caffeine is her drug of choice, as is true of me. But then her reasons for such abstinent behavior begin to come out. She has lupus, which is a serious auto-immune disorder; it can cause serious disability and kill you in the end.

A drunk driver hit her and her mother. Her mother was killed; my passenger was told that with the injuries and the lupus, she'd never walk right again. She now runs marathons. Her attitude toward her illness, her injuries, her accident is both so matter-of-fact and utterly inspiring that I'm glad I got us so horribly lost in order to learn the lesson she taught me.

There's always somebody who has it worse than you. And they may just be handling it better.

02.02.2006 at 10:00 Reply

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This girl, there's something about her.Nice parable. I hope others pay attentention to this.......unfortunatly, it's in the wrong rag to do that.—Nathan

02.03.2006 at 10:00 Reply

This girl, there's something about her.I love your column! Your journals would make a great book!—nurseypoo

02.08.2006 at 10:00 Reply

This girl, there's something about her.God! That's the first time I've ever heard you say anything nice or pleasant, ever!! You seem like a an obnoxious little bitch who likes to use big words to impress people. Let me give you a tip.... most people do, in fact, know the meaning of the word(s)that use, but choose to speak in a more general way because it just sounds dumb and pretentious!For instance: remember when everyone would say "plethera" instead of "a lot" or "many". When people act in such a manner, it's usually to overcompensate for their lack of genuine intelligence or low self worth. Which is it? It also sounds like you should maybe find another line of work since you hate every goddamn passenger. P.S. My boyfriend and 3 of his good buddies work for the same cab company as you do and he really enjoys his fares.I really dislike you and the kind of person you represent. I will say, that I think you have a lot of potential as a writer, in the technical sense but your personality and views on life, leaves a lot to be desired. Lighten up with your judgemental attitude. You represent the exact element in Portland that I cannot stand. Try to write something positive for a change instead of whining about everybody else. Here is my e-mail if you want to respond: mswendsen@hotmail.com—Melanie Klier

02.14.2006 at 10:00 Reply

This girl, there's something about her.Since my brain is a virtual cornacopia of genuine intelligence, I'm obliged to note that "plethera" is actually plethora.I enjoy big words. I don't mind occasionally consulting a dictionary (which is a big book). Big words can be useful for providing specificity or nuance. Big words can add cultural and historical shadings. Big words are one of the reasons Mary Higgens Clark delivers less reading satisfaction than Wodehouse and Dickens.At times, I just enjoy rolling a well written chunk of big words around in my mouth.In my experience, plethora and cornacopia were used in a tongue in cheek fashion, rather than an attempt to establish intellectual cred.Perhaps I misunderstood, and failed to appreciate the efforts my companions were making to impress me.Sadly, your comments fail to resonate with the positive, non-judgemental spirit you urge upon the columnist. This doesn't provide a good example for the poor hagridden columist.I have yet to encounter an element in Portland that I cannot stand. I'm not certain, but I think I could have problems with the Amish. Are they in Portland? I hope not.Bob Dylan said something to the effect that "you must first flush out your house...if you don't expect to be housing flushes..."Pretentious guy, sometimes used big words. —zardac

03.03.2006 at 10:00 Reply

This girl, there's something about her.Way smooth & sweet, that was a cool story, and gave me the lift I needed. As far the lady who verbally whacked you for being negative, let me tell you, she has no idea of negative. Try working in fire & ems. We see the worst, try having to save the life of a guy who just shot up a hot dose after having sex with his teenage step daughter, and his wife her mother is screaming and trying to hit you for not getting there quick enough, or rescuing a mom & dad after they got so drunk they set the house on fire and the kids are burning in the next room, and you cannot get to them, but you can save mom & dad. So you should hear us, and just because you do not like the people, does not mean you do not like the job. I love mine. If people want to bitch, let them, who cares. Should you not be worrying about more important things, like say illiterate children, homeless families, things that really matter, not what someone writes in a column. If you do not like the story, do not read it, do not like the art, do go see it, do not like the movie do not watch it, do not like the music, do not listen, pretty simple. So to her I say pull you head out and realize "not everybody obviously is as cool as you think you are." Also as far as big words, if you have a problems with them get a dictionary, if you have a problem with people who have an education and are literate, well get over it.Engineer FF/EMT Robert Christian Eng. Co. 5 PRPFD Louisville, Ky. engine5company@hotmail.com —Engineer FF/EMT Robert Christian Eng. Co. 5 PRPFD Louisville, Ky.

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