War, What is it a good for?

I have been interning for the last 9 months at a Adult Day Care center. You might ask why in the world? You must not really have ever spent much time around a group of active, feisty seniors. They are more of a handful than a group of high school seniors. Old women survey the atmosphere like hungry cougars on the prowl. Old men can run your blood pressure up with just a look. One day in group of 65-90 years old is never a repeat of the last. They exhaust me and my 23 years. I had to start taking B vitamins...in case your wondering their are numerous supplements...number in the 100s at your local supermarket. On top of upping my IV of caffeine from two big cups a day to 3 big cups a day.

Up till yesterday I loved every minute of it. Its amazing the challenge and the reward in Social Working them. Essentially this is how it all happened...I looked over at a coworker noticing a occasional sigh, downcast face...etc...and asked, "Hey Monique, You alright?" she preceded to turn to me, give her nicest scowl and give me a lecture on how bad of a human being I was, that she had a very low opinion of me and that I was profiling her and judging her based on her appearance. The lecture ranged from simple to complex forms of insult.

Suffice it to say, that I was a bit surprised. Up until today, I was under the naive assumption that Monique and I were comrades of sorts. Yet, in this world of human frailty I never am failed to be surprised by how often you can anger and miscommunicate without trying. What exactly did I do? In my opinion I was being a friendly coworker, concerned about the low lying body language of a comrade. But to her what nerve exactly did I strike?

Well Cyberspace, Thanks again, for sharing my sorrows and wonders!