Transition – the personal and emotional

As I was on my way down Thursday, I remembered that I had some food in the fridge that I had brought Tuesday morning, before I knew. I went to get that, and I saw a girl that I have talked to at various times there.

There are always people that you see all the time, and some you actually connect with, and I was starting to think about saying goodbyes, but I would actually not know where to find her, because we have not exchanged name—we only see each other in the break room. However, when I went in she was there, and I told her I was switching to home, and we talked for a while, and I am glad we got to do that. We still haven’t exchanged names, which is kind of weird, but there are relationships like that, and it’s okay.

On the way home, I was finishing up my book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Remember how I wrote that I like seeing what other people are reading, and engaging with people over books? A guy passed me on the way to his seat and he said “That is a great book! We read it for class.” Awesome.

Friday I was running a few minutes late, and I missed my driver, which was sad. I can’t promise that I will never get up early on a Thursday to go see him and tell him how much I like the sound of his voice. However, no one tried to sell a house or find a lawyer, and I did get off at Goose Hollow and walk one more time.

There were three other goodbyes that would take going out of my way. One was the cashier in the Atrium. I have been getting breakfast there about once a week, which is not really that often, so we have talked, but I didn’t think about it that much. I got my usual biscuits and gravy (it’s something I like, but don’t make for myself), and I checked out and told him it was the last time, and explained why, and his eyes got all big, and he said “Well you are lovely, and I treasure our mornings together, and I will miss you.”

I was dangerously close to crying here. I wasn’t expecting that, and it was going to be kind of an emotional day anyway. I talked about it upstairs though (no one was concentrating quite as well as they could have perhaps), and both Lisa and Laura told me that I have no idea how snippy people get down there, and so they remember the nice ones.

I have to say, that kind of makes me sadder. Okay, I have worked customer service for several years, and I know that happens when you are dealing with the general public, but this is a professional environment, and there is just no call to be rude to the people who are helping you. And he’s a really nice kid. If you are going to be mean to anyone, it should be the grill cook—he’s kind of a jerk. Yes, he has more opportunity to sabotage your food, so maybe you should just be nice to everyone.

Anyway, I got upstairs, and found there were doughnuts and cookies. I knew the cookies were brought by Lisa from Bridge City Café, because I know the signs. I thought the doughnuts were because the last four of us were making the transition, but it was also National Doughnut Day, so I’m not sure. Anyway, there was a lot of sugar around (I only had one doughnut), and Lisa had $8.00 on a Starbucks card which she wanted to use up, because she will no longer be frequenting them, so she had them put $8.00 of coffee in one cup and was pretty caffeinated. We would have been loopy anyway, but it’s kind of amazing that no one’s heart exploded. If at one point we started singing Barry White, and I possibly gave her a little bit of Misfits on her way out, it was done in the most professional manner.

When Jonah and I were going out, I said goodbye to all my coworkers, with some hugs, and I headed down the stairs, and Jonah was faster, but that was okay, because then I thought about my other two goodbyes. The both work on the first floor, one in the walk-in, who is almost always there but it is often busy, and one at the security desk, but they rotate a lot and you never know. As it was, I left the staircase, and there he was at the desk and she rounded the corner from the ladies room, so it was perfect.

Actually, Sue already knew. She has an alternative source of information on me, which does not thrill me, but she doesn’t abuse it at least. He did not know, but I explained, and you know, since he saw me on Jeopardy! we have always talked, and he tells other people and he has always remembered my name since then, and it’s nice. We shook hands, and Sue hugged me, and I was on my way out.

As I start my new work life, where I will be easily able to avoid human contact, I need to carry these memories with me. It’s not just remembering that I don’t really hate people, and that time spent with them can be good. That’s remembering backwards, which is important, but it is also carrying the memory forward.

It’s remembering to pay a compliment when you notice something (That’s a great outfit. You have beautiful eyes.). It’s remembering to ask someone about his weekend. It is remembering that someone was interested in your lunch purchase, and next time bringing back an extra for them. It is finding a good deal on flowers and buying extra and passing them out. It’s remembering that it is okay to ask someone for a ride or help with your network, and that people can and do come through for you, and then remembering that you own them dinner.

Here we go.