Phobia: an uncontrollable, irrational, and lasting fear of a certain object, situation, or activity.
I have only two of which I am aware — acrophobia, fear of heights and my main one — CLAUSTROPHOBIA, FEAR OF ENCLOSED SPACES.
As a young child I can remember being afraid of being caught in things I could not get loose from. My mother made all my clothes for years and I remember once when she was fitting a dress to me the zipper got stuck and I could not get it off. I tore that dress to pieces as she was trying to get the dress off me in one piece. Then there was third grade when they wanted me to go down the tunnel slide in school for a fire drill and I ran away and they had to call my Daddy. Then I as grew up I thought my fear of something like this would go away or at the least get better but no. It became more pronounced.
Once one of my sister's boys was at our house and he had a pair of handcuffs, toy ones I thought. He clicked them on me and got this really scared look on his face. I said ok lets get them off now. He told me, in a shaky little voice, "Aunt Peggy, I don't have the key." At that moment I realized the handcuffs were real. Trying to collect myself, I JUST LOST IT! I got into my car and drove straight to the police station and went inside cuffed. After several minutes of laughter, the policemen on duty realized I was in a panic. They had no key to fit so one of them put me into his patrol car, drove around the square, twice, and then to the fire department and had them cut off. Now I have an embarrassing phobia.
The next in line of embarrassment was the day I got stuck in a bathroom stall at Office Depot. I tried all I could do to get that little swinging door open and it would not budge. I called out for several minutes and finally laid flat on my stomach and crawled out on my belly like a reptile. PTL nobody came in as I was slithering out. Of course I had to buy a new shirt to finish my shopping trip, dirty floor.
After saying this I can tell you the absolute worse of the mishaps of all. Several years ago, on our wedding anniversary, our children gave us a surprise party and paid for us a trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas. We love that little tourist town and we were so excited. First thing I did was get a sauna and a massage. She asked me to put my face in the little hole on the table, ugh no. Could not do that either
There are so many little antique shops and antique auctions in the downtown area of Hot Springs and I love to browse for hours. After supper one night I talked Roy into going downtown and let me peruse one particular shop I had found. It was getting later in the day but the store's hours were for a couple more hours so I go in as he sits on a bench outside. This sort of thing is not his favorite. I was the only shopper in the store and I walked to the back to look around and I heard the door close and then a click. I walked back up front and the lights were on but the door was locked with a closed sign. I WAS LOCKED INSIDE!
I ran to the door and pecked on the glass until Roy saw me and realized what had happened. I was beyond a panic I was in full mode of a panic attack and could barely breathe. He tried to calm me down before I picked up the little table by the door and threw it through the glass. By this time people were gathering to see what was going on, it was a real circus. Someone called the police and he shows up with a buddy and both have a good laugh. It was not funny. He told me not to break the glass and I told him he better open the door. After about an hour of incarceration, he got in touch with the owner and she came and opened the door, apologizing for leaving me inside. And, would you believe they had the nerve to ask me if I had taken anything from the place while I was locked up? They had taken 10 years off my life and nearly caused me to become a “breaking and leaving.” They should have given me something to pay for my therapy.
Peanut Butter Cookie Cups
Prepare one package of peanut butter cookie mix according to directions and roll into 36 one inch balls and place in a muffin tin cup. Push a Reece's Pieces peanut butter cup into each ball and bake for 35 minutes at 350*. Let cool and enjoy. Kids will love these, and I do too.
