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# how is it that such an occurrence can occur?
- URL: https://www.arrieta.io/such-an-occurrence-emerson/
- Published: 2025-06-19T04:54:38.000Z
- Updated: 2025-06-19T04:54:37.000Z
- Description: so there it was: Emerson filled the remaining $15.06 needed on top of the cheap plastic pretend play doctor kit... how is it possible?
- Author: luis arrieta
- Tags: notes

at 5:00pm, my 2-year old daughter was playing doctor with a toy stethoscope. At 5:10pm, the stethoscope turned into some sort of medieval weapon Charles Bronson Death Wish [slungshot](https://youtu.be/jGBwHQwCci0?si=210Zxz2h1mQ5QB3E&ref=arrieta.io). I asked her to stop. At 5:14pm, she hit her older brother in the face. It was on purpose and for the thrill of it.

I snatched the stethoscope, cut the cord with a pair of scissors, and threw the thing in the garbage. My daughter shrieked and wailed and rolled on the floor.

At 8:30pm, when everyone was finally asleep and the house was quiet, I felt the not insignificant weight of remorse. A bad papa. No, worse: a bad papa on Father's Day.

In Amazon, I found a doctor's kit for toddlers (including a stethoscope). Added the kit to the cart. When I hit "buy", a message appeared.

> add $15.06 in purchases and have your order delivered overnight

This stupid message affected me. I couldn't simply place my order and wait for the doctor kit to arrive in two days. A little perplexed about this, I decided to go out on a 30-minute run.

It was dark but warm outside. I looked for something to listen to. I found podcast with commentary on Emerson's essay On Self Reliance.

I loved it.

## Ralph Waldo Emerson as a filler to obtain overnight delivery

When I got back home, I knew exactly what I wanted: [the essays of Emerson](https://www.loa.org/books/40-essays-amp-lectures/?ref=arrieta.io).

The price was unbelievable: $20.90 for a hardcover edition of The Library of America, brand new.

So, there it was. Emerson filled the remaining $15.06 needed on top of the cheap plastic pretend play doctor kit.

Then I wondered, and still do:

**How is it possible that such an occurrence could, you know, occur in this world?**

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/18/82182efc-6d17-43fb-bbd1-197df3da9a93/content/images/2025/06/image.png)