…or… It’s a small world, after all.
Yesterday I got a post on our family message board* from one of my nieces, my deceased brother’s first born, who has been tapped in to our family for only a few years, as she was adopted at birth to a fine family who lived across state from us. I’ve waited all her life for her to reach that age where she could meet us, the rest of her family, and when she did, it was a beautiful thing. She is a beautiful thing. She’s one of those people that you find it hard not to stare at, because she is simply breathtakingly beautiful. When I look at her, I clearly see her mother, and I clearly see her father. She is such a perfect amalgamation of the two of them, and it fills me with wonder, every time I even think of her. She’s intelligent, has a great sense of humor, carries herself with confidence and dignity, and can play the piano like nobody’s business. All that, and she’s in, to boot. As in, she’s totally cool, man. I’m not in, you see, so I don’t know how one would say that one is in, in today’s youthful crowd. I digress. Suffice it to say that I am pleased that she has welcomed us into her family.
Meanwhile, I work for a gargantuan company that employs thousands and thousands of people, worlwide. In its heyday, it employed over a hundred and fifty thousand people. People! That’s alot of people! In fact, in a few short weeks, I will have logged twenty years with this company. Twenty Years! Goodness, where does the time go Somehow I’ve survived all the downsizing efforts and mass layoffs throughout the years. I’ve wrestled with the idea of this working life not being what I had dreamed, and come to the realization that the grass may not be greener elsewhere. I work with very fine people, who I love, and twenty years of experience and stability bring with it a decent wage, a stable daily schedule, health benefits, and a month of paid vacation each year. Things could be so much worse, so I am grateful for what I have. I digress.
So the conversation goes like this…
| Posted By: | J | ||||||
| Subject: | Probably a long shot… | ||||||
| Message: | …but sueeeus, did you ever work with a guy named K
|
| Posted By: | J | ||||||
| Subject: | Haha! | ||||||
| Message: | That is crazy…he and his wife L are my bosses at the Snappy Business Espresso 🙂
|
| Posted By: | J |
| Subject: | Yah… |
| Message: | It’s funny that you say that, because it was actually another barista that told me K used to be at that gargantuan company in your area, and I said, “Huh, I wonder if he knows my aunt,” and the guy was like, “Doubt it, that company’s huge.” I figured there was a chance, though, because small world phenomena seems to follow me.
But anyways, K’s doing well for himself. He and his wife own two coffee shops, one in downtown Metropolis (they win “The Best of Metropolis” every year) and the new one they just opened in Smallville, where I work. It used to be an old transmission shop and they transformed it into an artsy, modern “coffee garage.” It’s really spectacular, probably the best thing to come to Smallville. I love it. I’m there all the time, even when I’m not working. That’s neat that you know K. 🙂 |
…I hadn’t even considered that my niece was a barista when I made the first espresso comment. I was just being a bit flip, because I did remember a guy with a name like that, and I remembered talking with him about his dreams of brighter pastures, back when we were much younger, kids out of college with only a few years under our belts. It was the late Eighties or early Nineties, layoffs were looming, and he was going to move to another city to try out the gourmet coffee scene. I was going to open a bed and breakfast. He followed his dream, I’m sure he worked his a$$ off, and now, now he’s done it! I am SO pleased to hear this news.
This story, though long-winded, is important for me to write about, because the bottom line is that I am filled with such a beautiful and wonderful feeling that stems from being connected. I feel connected. It’s a big thing, really. We live in a world filled with millions of people living their lives, and somehow, somewhere, somewhen, we are connected. It makes me feel so good, so happy, knowing this. Feeling this. Experiencing this.
*We’ve had a message board for many years, thanks to the illustrious duo of C&D, my sister and her man. It’s like an original blog, or a pre-blog. This wondrous thing has kept my family connected in so many ways, for so many years. Our family dynamics wax and wane, and it’s all there, all captured in our message board. It’s a precious thing to me.
