Naive Me

After my short-lived stint at Liberty Mutual, I was caught between a rock and a hard place when it came to finding a job. I needed to find something to do to keep me busy until Hubby's R&R, which was supposed to be in just a few days but got pushed to October, but I also needed a job with the flexibility to take three weeks off while Hubby was home. After graduation in August, finding a job and taking three weeks off after working there for only three weeks seemed pretty impossible and irresponsible to say the least. I am not the type of person who can just sit at home a do nothing all day, I would go crazy; I needed to find something to do. I played with numerous volunteering ideas from working at the VA hospital to coaching field hockey. Well, the latter stuck. I got in touch with my high school coach and she was thrilled at the idea of my helping out with JV and Varsity. Since late August I have been down at the school every afternoon, going to the games and trying to get the girls in shape. It has been great, I love feeling like I am helping out and doing something worthwhile. Most importantly, coaching has been keeping me busy. Which, as I have said numerous times before, is the most critical thing for me to do since Hubby has been gone. Not only that though, it gives me an alibi. 

Now, I don't mean that in a conniving manner. Whenever I see someone I haven't seen in a long time, the question always arises. "So what are you doing these days?" or "What brings you back to the area?" When I first came home my ignorant, naive self would tell the truth and explain in detail why I, a recent college grad, was living back in my small podunk hometown, with my parents nonetheless. From about December to May I explained it. "Well, I got married last summer and my husband is in the military and he's in Iraq right now, so I'm living at home with my parents until he comes home. I took some time off of school so now I'm finishing up my classes online." Silly me. 

My mom and I went to the Fall Fest in town this morning and I was confronted with two women that I haven't seen in years. My sixth grade language arts teacher and a former boss' best friend/mother of a guy I went to high school with. Obviously in this situation, they both asked the question, "so what have you been up to lately?" and "what are you doing back here?" I smiled and replied, "oh, well I've been assistant coaching JV and Varsity field hockey at the high school. It's great, it has been a lot of fun." That was that. Both women smiled and replied something on the lines of "that must be great Silv (the coach) must love having you." No explanation of Hubby's being in Iraq, no fake, awkward sympathy, just a smile. I just wish I had thought of this sooner. 

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