Beech Tree News Network

“If two people in a relationship are just alike, one of them is unnecessary.”  Forgot where I read that, but it’s true.  Both Garey and I are very necessary to our relationship.  Nothing proves that more than the recent survey Garey took with the VA via phone with a VA representative.

I want to pause here to say that Garey and I realize that many veterans experience trauma they never overcome, and these surveys are important to help determine their state of mind.  Garey, being Garey however, answered the rep’s questions as only he could.  When I questioned his answers, he said, “I know I’m crazy, but just enough to enjoy getting by in this old world.”

Questions about health:

Can you dress yourself?  Answer: Yes

Can you prepare a meal for yourself? Answer: Absolutely.  I taught my wife how to cook.

Can you bathe yourself?  Answer: Yes

Can you do your own laundry?  Answer: I can, but I don’t want to.  My wife takes care of it.

Have you fallen in the last year? Answer: Ohhhh Yeaaaah! Had to be Lifelited to Nashville. (Bet she wasn’t expecting that answer.)  “I’m much better now,” Garey assured her.

Questions about emotional health:

Does your spouse ever talk mean to you?  Answer: No, she’s just as sweet as can be.

Does your spouse scream and yell at you? Answer: No

Does your spouse beat you?  Answer: No Ma’am.  I don’t hit her, and she don’t hit me.

Does your spouse give you assignments or a Honey-do list? Answer: No.  We made a deal, nearly 49 years ago now, that I don’t give her assignments, and she don’t give me any.  Once in a great while, she will ask me to reach something down for her, because she’s short.

Questions about mental health:

Are you depressed? Answer: Oh, no Ma’am.

Have you ever tried to hurt yourself?  Answer: I ain’t never hurt myself on purpose.

Have you ever had suicidal thoughts? No Ma’am.  If you find me dead, you better start lookin for somebody.

Garey was telling me about this interview after the fact.  When he got to the previous question and answer, a sudden realization dawned on me.  “You really never have ever thought about killing yourself!” I said, in amazement.

“My memory ain’t what it used to be,” he said, “but no, I don’t ever remember wanting to take my own life.”  (On a personal level, that just blows my mind.  I honestly believe he is the only person I’ve ever known who has never had a suicidal thought.)

Questions about overall happiness:

Do you consider yourself happy:

All the time?

Some of the time?

Unhappy all the time?

Answer: Happy as I can be all the time.

Lest you think Garey never has a bad day, there are times he gets upset about things, especially if you throw a stupid person into the equation.  Stupid people tend to upset him.  Garey upsets me sometimes, and I upset him sometimes, as well.  He just tends not to let that affect his happiness.   I’m sure you’ve met people with a “glass half-full” attitude.   Well, Garey is a “Give me your glass and I’ll add some of mine to it” person.  Some people are just happy, due to no fault of their own.