How many times during the course of a day do you hear the phrase,
�How are you doing today?�

How many times do you give an honest answer?

Thought so.

I have always been compelled to respond to a question with as comprehensive an answer as possible. My trouble is I assume the person asking is sincere. Now, it�s not that I have a zillion aches and pains and my life is a shambles. But, if you happen to ask at just the right time, I might tell you I have a headache that just won�t leave me or the frickin� Jeep didn�t start this morning, something along those lines. If it�s worse, I�ll generally just sit and cry in one of the bathroom stalls at work.

Now, when I ask, I mean what I say. If you don�t have enough money for your morning coffee, I want to know so I can go out and buy one for you. If your kid is acting up, I want to sympathize and if your partner is being a total fuckwit I want to sit down in the grass with you and cry for our hard luck. Questions like this help me to gauge your attitudinal temperature on a given day. They give me the tiniest bit of insight into what you�re thinking and feeling, even if I find it in the briefest of hesitations that occur before you think twice and toss me the ol� �fine thanks� routine.

How this question is answered is also a good indicator of how close you are to the person asking. If you�re willing to spill a few juicy bits, odds are you trust me more than the average colleague or acquaintance. And that�s good. The other alternative is you see me as an easy mark for a coffee or the loan of a few bucks until payday. That�s not so good. (Get me, I�m a marshmallow!) Ultimately, I want to help out anyone who crosses my path, it�s just the way I am. And yes, while this leaves me open to being used, abused and tossed away, it�s not going to change the way I am at my core. It�s just one downfall I�ll have to learn to live with.

So, how are y�all today?

Posted at 10:59 a.m.