Long Entry, Happy Ending
Neil Young has to go back to the shop. Yesterday, I was running a little late for work, but it was manageable. I tried to start the car, but it would, so I had to get Pi to give it a jump. I figured I didn’t shut a door all the way, and the light was on. After maybe half a mile out, the car lost power again, leaving me stuck on the side of the road until Pi could come save me. We had to jump it three times just to get it back home. At least it’s home and not stuck at work or anything.
Pi and Shleprock think it’s the alternator. I just have to figure out how to get the car to Shleprock’s shop. It’s only going to cost a hundred and thirty bucks, or something like that to fix. Could be worse. And Shleprock said pretty much as soon as the parts come and the car gets there, he’ll be able to fix it.
Like I said, it could be worse, but this couldn’t have come at a worse time right now. I’m just a little bit behind on pretty much all the bills. Oh well.
On a different note, at work I saw a guy I went to high school with. I haven’t seen this guy since we graduated. We were never really friends, but our graduating class was only ninety people. We knew each other. Anyway, I showed him a picture of Tots, and how I don’t work at DD anymore. He told me about how he’s going to jail in February. You know, the basic stuff. Other than going to jail, though, he seems okay. He doesn’t look much different than the last time I’d seen him. All in all, it was nice to see a familiar face after so long.
A little while later, a lady came in, said hello. I said hello. She poked around a little bit until she came up to the counter. She took one look at me, and asked, "Do I know you from somewhere?" I wasn’t sure, but told her that I worked at DD in North Puddles. Her face lit up. She said, "That’s it! You used to give me cups of ice all the time. Do you remember me?" I did.
(Back story, three or four years ago, I met this lady. She was always really friendly, kind of funny, overall pleasant person. Unfortunately, she had cancer. For the longest time, she would come through the drive-thru and ask for two large cups of ice. She had a hard time eating, so the ice was something she could chew and suck on. It helped ease her stomach somehow. A few people I worked with then didn’t like giving her ice and only ice, two large cups, even. I knew her story, so I never grumbled. Anyway, the last time I saw her, she was leaving for California for her cancer treatment. On a day I wasn’t working, she stopped at DD and gave my friend Pal fifty bucks, thirty for me and ten each for Pal and Crazy Jake. I never got to thank her, and I hadn’t seen her since.)
Flash forward, to yesterday. Shell, we’ll call her, is doing very well. She’s back from California, healthy, married and has two stepsons that she loves and love her. Isn’t it great to hear a happy story like that? She lives in Massachusetts now and is very happy with her life. I got to thank her for the generous tip, because I hadn’t forgotten about her. (The tip meant a lot to me as I was totally stressed about money and very pregnant, and very surprised at her gesture.) I said to her, "The last time you saw me, I was pregnant." As I said it, I pulled out my phone and showed her the background picture of Tots with a big silly smile on his face. She said the usual how-cutes, but then snatched my phone so she could put her number into it. We talked for a couple minutes more about our lives, but then it was time for her to go.
I’ve thought about her a few times, wondering what happened to her. Did she get better? Was she back or did she stay there? Would I see her again to thank her? Not only did my questions get answered, they were answered positively. It really brightened up my whole day.
It’s funny when people come into your life, no matter how small a part, and you keep a piece of them in your brain or your heart.