Out and About (Sort of): On a Scale of 1-10 by Howard Freedlander

I can recall countless times when a medical professional asked me to rate my pain or discomfort on a scale of 1-10. If I cannot be absolutely sure, I always default to 5 or lower.

Frankly, I find the question a bit silly. If I seem disrespectful of the medical pros, I offer a universal apology. Pain and discomfort come in waves. It seems to subside when you are awaiting the arrival of a provider.

Now, I will apply the scale to daily events, ones that are particularly annoying, and some that are pleasurable. Simply, I will focus on mental angst.

Remaining in the medical arena, I suspect that most of us have endured dreadfully long waiting times in an emergency room. It is a nationwide problem based upon too many patients and scant staff. The unquestionable rating would be a 0.

Since we find ourselves immersed currently in the political season, I would rate the ads and robo calls a 5. Readers might consider this score too generous. I hesitate to be too critical since the ads introduce candidates to the public and provide insight intended to be favorable.

Moving on to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, specifically the summer onslaught of motorists heading breathlessly to Ocean City, MD and Delaware beaches, I would grant the experience a 2, maybe a 1. The mental stress of slowly crossing the Bay Bridge is incalculable. And the impact on Route 50 is miserable.

Targets for ratings are many. Air travel scores a 2 or 3. Airports are congested. Travelers are pushy and impatient. The planes are packed. If your row companions are not family, you may find yourself sitting next to an unknown obese person who feels empowered to dominate the armrests. Lest I forget, laboring in a line awaiting use of the restroom on a plane tests your patience and fortitude.

Hoping to enjoy a pleasant meal in a restaurant can sometimes turn out to be a wretched experience. If the chef is having a bad day or night, the food could be average or worse. Just the opposite also could be true. And the wait staff too may be suffering from lack of appreciation, resulting in disgruntled employees. My score? It can range from 3 to 10.

My angst is rising as I write this cathartic commentary. Cell phones, to which I have an admitted addiction, can be a source of annoyance in a restaurant or in a line awaiting service. I ascribe one overriding characteristic to self-centered cell phone users: extreme rudeness, a public nuisance. My rating is 0.

I’m on a roll, stepping on toes and egos as I write my weekly view of life. The art of listening is non-existent at times. Daily I may comment on just about anything, hopefully thoughtfully, to a friend or neighbor. Hardly taking a breath, the person relates a similar experience and then pontificates exhaustively for up to five minutes. Why am I annoyed? The person rarely asks questions or inquires about the details or nuance of my comment. It matters not. On a scale of 1-10, the ostensibly two-way conservation achieves a 2 or 3.

Though I may have alluded to traffic when griping about the Bay Bridge on summer weekends, I have found Annapolis drivers, as opposed to ones in Easton, in thrall with their steering wheel horns. I have borne the brunt of the obtrusive horn for reasons I can’t figure out. Am I driving like a tentative senior citizen? I don’t think so. I rate Annapolis drivers as a 4.

At the risk of tilting at windmills, I grade our recent summers, offering high temperatures and stifling humidity, a 2 or 3. They are becoming increasingly worse due to climate change and global warming. The evidence appears on our doorsteps in the form of miserable heat—and the ever-frequent use of air conditioning. Fans bring only fair relief. And I rate climate-change deniers as a 1. They refuse to accept reality. Public will is lacking.

A chronic source of anguish and worry is aging. Acceptance of physical and mental constraints poses a daily challenge. Looking into a mirror and marveling at that wrinkled person looking back is an act of perseverance. Aches and pains are one thing; walking more slowly and deliberately (using a cane in my case) can be discouraging. Since aging is a fact of life, a rating best applies to how a person handles the good and bad. In this case, I will rate myself and default to a 5.

Readers can rate this article. I cannot do it.

Postscript: In this column, I mistakenly characterized mental angst associated with daily events with low numbers on a scale of 1-10. These rankings should have been on the higher end of the scale. I apologize for the confusion.

Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. After 44 years in Easton, Howard and his wife, Liz, moved in November 2020 to Annapolis, where they live with Toby, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel who has no regal bearing, just a mellow, enticing disposition.