Odd Socks ?

yeah write #46

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I always get those seven pair packs of socks at Christmas. Over the years, I’ve had ones with different coloured toes, ones with different coloured logos, ones with different coloured toes and logos. You get the picture.

This year, someone even thought it would be great to buy me ones with the days of the week on them – just incase at the age of 42, I’ve forgotten what they are called or even what day it is. Actually, come to think of it, I do sometimes forget what day it is …hmmm.

Here lies the problem. Before I had these socks, every morning I would randomly pick a pair from the drawer and not really care one jot whether they were the red toe ones, or the green  logo ones, or even the brown stripy ones – even if they are a bit awful. Now, I pick out a pair and as I go to put them on, the day of the week catches my eye. This is seriously starting to un-nerve me.

There is something just not right about putting Wednesday’s socks on when it’s Monday. Or Tuesday’s, when it’s Sunday. Something deep inside of me shouts NO, DON’T DO IT.  I have to spend the next few minutes opening every pair of socks out until I find the ones with today’s day on them.

Well at least I do up until a point and then reluctantly accept it doesn’t really matter. I reassure myself slowly, they are only socks for god sake man, pull yourself together. I then gradually, still feeling that bit uneasy move on to the rest of my apparel.

Conversely, this game of sock roulette also provides a major buzz when you actually choose the right day. Oh, what joy – it’s Friday and I’ve chosen Fridays socks – it’s like I’ve won the sock lottery or something. I mean what are the chances, seven days – probably fourteen pairs of socks in the drawer. (Gets fingers and toes out) Ah, but wait, what if all the days of the week socks aren’t in there because they are in the wash. That changes the odds dramatically. Shit I’m taking this too seriously and I cannot remember how to work out multiple probabilities anyway, Argggghhhh.

Anyway, this is no doubt a good example of the kind of OCD type behaviour that is considered ‘normal’. It bothers me, but I can cope with it (just). If I put myself in my son’s shoes (wanted to say socks there), it gives me a glimpse of why he becomes so ritualised about certain things or explains why he simply cannot cope with the type of compulsions he has. What makes me slightly uncomfortable for that brief moment, would continue to play on him, and get to him and drive him into a frenzy.

If it were him, the whole house would be turned upside down to find the right socks. Even to the point where if they were in the washing basket he may not even be able to go out that day. Thankfully, socks are not his issue, but his perception of cleanliness and germs can sometimes drive him to that place beyond coping, where a true obsessive-compulsive nature starts to affect your life significantly.

Me, I am wearing Wednesday’s socks today – and guess what – it’s Wednesday !

However, the question remains did I win the sock lottery today or turn my drawer upside down to find them ????