Can an Emoji Save a Life?

I have a story to tell about one of my past work trips with a coworker. 

Let me start off by saying I am a paranoid person. Extremely paranoid. And that my biggest fear is being alone.  Both of these could potentially have a lot to do with watching every episode of Law and Order SVU. Maybe, or maybe not? I have seen all episodes past and present. 

There was an event in Miami, Florida one year. At the time, I was about two-three months pregnant when we left to go there. Miami is beautiful, but I was paranoid about getting bit by a mosquito. I bought all the OFF the hotel store had. You know – the bug spray to keep the mosquitos away from me!

On the other end of the spectrum, Jess, my coworker, is super adventurous. She wasn’t going to let my paranoia prevent her from exploring Miami. 

She wanted to go swimming because why would you not when you’re in Miami? I definitely wasn’t going because I didn’t want a mosquito to give me the Zika virus while I was pregnant- not ever, but especially not when pregnant. Our hotel pool was closed though, so if she was going she’d have to walk half a mile to the sister hotel. 

She was determined and after all, it was only half a mile. I advised her not to, but she wasn’t going to let me tell her what to do. 

I said, “Please listen to me. If you are in danger and need me, please send me an emoji chili pepper and I will find you. I promise I will find you.” She laughed and went on about her way to the pool, alone. 

I laid in my hotel bed, watching Law and Order SVU. See, maybe that is the problem…

While I was lying there, the TV shut off. I remember thinking that it was extremely weird and then my mind started racing. There MUST be a fire in the hotel building AND I AM ALONE. Why a fire in the building would cause my TV to shut off, I have no idea. 

I ran to the door and touched the handle slowly. It wasn’t hot, so I knew the “fire” wasn’t immediately on my hallway. I opened the door and didn’t see anything abnormal. I ran to the window to look out to see if I could see some smoke outside. I didn’t. Then I realized I was being very dramatic. The TV clicked back on while I was running around being paranoid, but I didn’t notice because I was in panic mode. 

I texted Jess to ask if she was okay. No emoji yet, but I just wanted to make sure. She was fine. I laid back down watching TV until she came back to the room. 

The next day, she said she was going to the beach. The beach required an Uber and was across a bridge. She did it. She got in an Uber by herself, went across the bridge by herself, and laid on the beach by herself. I reiterated to her about the chili pepper before she left. She laughed at me again. 

Needless to say, I never go anywhere alone, not even to get gas. My husband always says, “Every time I get in your car, I have to fill up the gas tank.” Yep. That’ll never change. 

I’ve told that Miami story to a lot of people and they often jokingly send me a chili pepper emoji when they want to get out of a conversation. I always come to the rescue. You’ve heard the story of “the boy who cried wolf”, right? Unlike that story if you send me a chili pepper emoji, I will always come to the rescue! 

Irrational or not, we all have fears and insecurities, some that drive us to fear that the hotel is on fire, or to think that our adult co workers should not go swimming alone. This was a mild showcasing of mine. What are some of yours?!