Darswords

Left alone, to my own devices… starts my stream. Is that the saying? Are we talking cellphones and laptops or is ‘devices’ even the word being used? Yep. That’s the word. But it doesn’t seem to be alluding to our electronics.

What it is about means more to those of us with ADD/ADHD. We can, whether left alone or not, get into a lot of trouble.

Take for instance, me, nine-months pregnant with my second baby. My first husband was away on a work assignment. I loved rearranging my furniture. With nesting bug setting in, it was worse. With carpeting, the full entertainment center should slide where I need it to. Not.

Suddenly the center snagged and tilted. The heavy TV threatened to fall off. One hand balanced the top shelf, the other held up the television. One foot holding the center in place. So I only had one foot. I angled it between the free wall that separated the living room from the kitchen and then I managed to grab the phone (no cellphone back then) with my toes. I pushed the buttons of the friends who lived nearby with my toes.

Though it seemed like hours of balancing, it had to have been less than five minutes. I think my oldest was still down for his nap when my friend tapped on the door. He came in when I loud-whispered, “Come in.”

I received the lecture about doing such things without another person around, especially when pregnant, as my friend rescued the TV and moved everything where I wanted it. He was like a second dad. He and his wife were such good friends to us. So he knew I would probably not hear the speech, but he felt obligated to give it anyway.

We both knew my husband wouldn’t even notice the new arrangement. And we both knew I’d do it again if left alone to my own devices.