Dear Paul,
We’ve never met, but I feel like I know you. You see, my office extension used to be your work number. I know this because even though this number has been assigned to me for a year now, I still get calls for you on a regular basis.
You’d be amazed how much I know about you, Paul. It’s eerie in a way. At least to me it is.
I know you not just by Paul, but by Mr. Paul A….. That’s how your former business associates ask for you.
I know the name of the company you worked for. I tried to locate you so I could forward your calls, but apparently you no longer work there.
You get lots of calls from telemarketers, and they are almost always medical suppliers. Are you OK, Paul?
I find myself wondering about you from time to time. Did you retire from your job? Did you quit, or were you fired? Were you forced out because of your medical condition? Do you have health insurance?
We used to be a nation divided by those who had insurance and those who didn’t. Folks like us put up with the shittiest work environments because we had to keep our insurance. To change jobs meant risking losing our coverage because of a pre-existing condition. It saddens me to think we’re going back to that place because our elected officials don’t believe health care is a right.
But I can’t only blame the white men in suits in D.C., because we are the ones who put them in office. Are we really so hard-hearted that we would pass laws forcing a woman to bear a child with severe deformities, then make it ridiculously expensive, if not impossible, for her to obtain health care for her baby?
I’m also a blogger, Paul, and I know that a significant portion of my readers are optimists convinced we will eventually allow our better natures to take over. I am the opposite; I see a nation of people who, instead of blaming the fat cats who ruined our economy, chose to blame each other and give those fat cats still more of our sweat and hard-earned money. You don’t easily overcome that kind of stupid.
I hope you’re OK, Paul. And if you’re not, I hope you’re one of the lucky ones with the means to get the care you need.
Now forgive me but I must take my leave, and shoo my readers back to their shitty jobs.
Dogpaddling Through Life 
I have a sad feeling when I ponder about Paul and so much other people like Paul… and I fear for my future and the future of all of us…
I take solice in the fact that I’m older and, regardless of what happens, I won’t have to suffer through it for long.
I was thinking of you last night……I like the momentary escape of your zstalker-gene for the Mr Paul A………….
I am often reminded that even though there are billions of people on this planet, I know very few of them. I try to put myself in the position of others and see their view of the world.
Sad to think of Paul being a victim of no health coverage. Overwhelmingly sad to think of how many more may be added. Very empathetic post.
It’s a dirty little secret that sometimes people are forced out of a company because of their health care costs to the company.
When planning for retirement I took into account that I’ll have Medicare to take care of the 80% of my medical bills. I was careful to take that into consideration when allocating my money. Now that I am on Medicare I’m afraid of what our new administration will do to it. All my planning will have been for naught. These people are not only heartless they are out of touch with the financial reality of Americans. Further more, i have been paying into Medicare my entire working life!
No matter how much you pay, it is never enough for the greedy.
I finally ot a cell phone and the previous owner of the number must have been a terrible person. There are numerous women looking for him, many people are owed money, and his credit is sown the toilet. It is so annoying.
Maybe you could be his prison pen pal. He should be easy to find!
What a cool letter to Mr. Paul A.
Years ago when I moved here I used to get phone calls on Friday night @ 11:45 pm. The young man on the phone was looking for Tyler to come pick him up. His name was Jason or Justin…..well the funny thing was Jason or Justin used to call ‘just because’ after a few months. he had my first name & number in his phone & we would chat about working at Kelsey’s & his girlfriend….it was so cute.
When I had to get a new number after my then fiancé had assaulted me; I was very sad….it all happened so quickly I never had a chance to write Jason or Justin’s number down & we lost touch…. I wonder how that young man is doing……
Funny how complete strangers can actually cross paths via the telephone!
Sherri-Ellen 🙂
How interesting about your friendship! But the assault ending it is doubly sad.