Mercury or something equally toxic

I remember in elementary school, there was always a certain nervous energy among the kids when we knew someone had smuggled a thermometer to school. We knew we weren't supposed to have them, and more than that, we knew if it broke we'd all get to go home.

To this day, I haven't a clue what happens when people are exposed to mercury. I took chemistry in high school AND university and never did I learn a fact as useful as this. I only learned to fear it.

When I was being checked for a fever it was my fear that stopped me from satisfying my urge to crunch a thermometer; from tempting the fundamental elements.

As an adult, a new concept and fear of Mercury has developed. I've received word from my astro-knowledgeable friend that the planet Mercury is in retrograde! Since the first word of this warning notified me that it was Mars in retreat, I will blindly accept this fear, as I fear broken thermometers. All I know, is that when either of these Mercuries are mentioned...there's T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

A warning I received about the current retrograde suggested that now is the worst possible time for communication. Our auras are all messed up from this Mercury-mush and it is prime time for miscommunications. I believe this to be true. The news coincided with passionate confessions, angry words, threats, tears, excommunications and a migraine. Be it Mars or Mercury or simply hormones to be held accountable, I fear this. Admittedly, I fear passionate confessions and angry words anyway, because should these concern a third party, the one with the ear is facing imminent excommunication.

Miscommunications and misunderstandings are so plentiful that I hereby vow not to express my opinion on any subject, to another breathing being, until a 'post-retrograde survivors' email lands in my mailbox. I cancelled internet accounts to discussion groups, and would probably cancel my phone and internet subscriptions were I not dependent on both for income and family ties...oh, and the precious few who are immune to planetary pulls.

I am so convinced of these effects of evil-mercury that I am certain you are misunderstanding this, right now. But my point is, we never really evolve, we just reassign our fears (and loves) to different subjects and objects. Despite our best efforts, it's the kid with the mercury thermometer who decides what happens next.