A byword on being an optimist

I was out a little while ago and met an old friend. Now I’d been out all day and so had taken my chair and as I pushed along next to her going down the street she mentioned that it was the first time she had ever actually seen me using my wheelchair. I responded by saying that that was because we normally just met in coffee shops where you could park outside and I didn’t have too far to walk. “I’m really lucky”, I said, “I have the best of both worlds really, being able to walk but having the chair when I want it”.

“You’re not lucky”, she said, “as you have to use the chair”.
“But I don’t have to...” I protested
“Yes you do” she said. “You have to use it today because you couldn’t cope with being on your feet all day”
“But I can manage without it”
“No you can’t”, she said firmly.
“I can!”
“OK, let’s say you can. Could you manage without it today and then go home and cook tea?”
“I’d manage somehow” (At this point I’m getting a bit shirty)
“OK then, can you manage without it, cook tea and then do the hoovering?”
“I’m sure I’d cope somehow” I said sullenly....
“OK, can you do all that and then do the ironing afterwards?”
“Sure – I’m sure I could” I said (but without too much conviction).
“Ah, but could you do all that and then get out of bed the next morning?”
“Um, no?”

“That’s what I mean”, she said. “You see, I can do that just fine and be fine tomorrow – therefore I think that I am lucky but you are not” ^*1

Well, maybe she’s right, maybe I do need it, rather than just wanting it to make my life easier, but despite all that, I still think I am lucky to have the choice. You see, (and I’m sure my surgeon will be able to confirm this) if you cut me in half I’ll have optimist printed right through, just like a stick of rock.

^*1This makes the poor woman sound like a right cow when it wasn’t that kind of conversation (and went on for much longer in a much gentler fashion). She was not being nasty (she is a friend after all) but she is really quite well known for calling a spade a bloody shovel…