Can't Bring Me Down

Recently my husband was diagnosed with Extensive Small Cell Lung Cancer, and when we realized that we would be going to chemo alot, I thought there would be other people around that could use a good word or a thought to hold onto while they were either receiving chemo or waiting for a loved one, and I have always wanted to give a meaningful Zox strap to someone and cheer them up, and what a great opportunity! Before we left in a hurry, running late for our first daylong treatment, I grabbed the first Zox I saw, and it was Can’t Bring Me Down, and I stuffed it in my purse. Well, the chemo process in our clinic is pretty solitary, and though I talked to one man who was waiting for his wife, he didn’t seem down at all! So I was bummed, for a number of reasons, when my husband wanted to stop for dinner on the way home at a diner that’s on our way. We went in and sat down, and we had a new waitress. Now I’m not the brightest bulb in the box, but I immediately realized that I had never seen a black person in this diner, never mind a waitress. We ended up having a conversation about this fact through dinner, and she told me some stories about things the racist people that usually go to that diner had said and done to her since she had been working there. I’m white and I felt so ashamed that people would treat her that way and I suppose I’ve been sheltered, but I thought all of that mess went away or at least hid itself a long time ago. So at this point I’m ready to go kick some racist redneck butt, just point them out! Right? She explained that she’s used to it and that it’s a better paying job than most at this time, and she tries not to let it bother her. I remembered my Can’t Bring Me Down Zox in my purse and I dug it out and gave it to her, telling her how I thought it might help. She was very sweet and she put it on, saying she loved it and would wear it. I don’t feel any better about the situation, thinking maybe we should boycott the diner, but we left having made a new friend and went on thinking about cancer of the body instead of that cancer of society. Not long ago we stopped back at the diner to see how our friend was doing, and her section was full so we only had a short conversation, but we saw how her customers all loved her, she talked to them like they were family, even those who might fit the racist profile, forgive me for judging, but she was very popular. As we were leaving, I looked back to catch her eye to say goodbye, but she was putting in an order so I couldn’t do it, but I noticed her wrist and she still had on that Zox, so I feel like it may have helped a bad situation. Some problems are too big to fix with a little piece of plastic, but I want to help however I can. Thanks for listening to my story! After that happened I went to the Zox website and bought a small bunch of straps, looked through the visible bit of my stash, and put together a bundle of uplifting straps that I carry in my purse everywhere I go, hoping to find someone who could use a kind word or uplifting phrase and give them one to keep.