Here’s To Ya!

Friday was insane–500-and-counting covers, and we were short by two hosts. Managers were on a tear to make everyone tow the line. I had my PA–Performance Appraisal–in the afternoon. It was fine, but just the idea of one is nerve-wracking.

I finally headed home, walking my usual walk. The parrots were out again on their stands, kids were playing basketball, roses were colorful but fading, and previously fragrant honeysuckle was wilting.

It was 91 degrees with an equal percentage of humidity. I do love a city in summer.

I managed to get it just right timing-wise, however, to pick up my dry cleaning and still catch the bus home to my neighborhood.

An elderly couple stood in line ahead of me to catch the bus. The woman walked with a cane; her stooped-over partner had a pull cart full of groceries. I wondered how they would navigate getting on the bus.

I need not have worried, they had clearly done this before. Before I could even offer to help, both knew just where to hoist themselves while grabbing onto the door’s railing. Once on the bus, they sat contentedly, side by side.

As the bus rolled into traffic, various passengers lost themselves in their reveries. Others plugged headphones into their ears and imagined their lives as music videos.

The elderly couple just sat. Silent. Until the woman pulled out an antique silver flask, carefully unscrewed the top, and took a long swallow.

I stared. I didn’t even pretend not to.

“Better put that away,” whispered her partner, nodding toward the driver.

“Oh, well, I guess,” she replied.

I continued to stare as she took a second sip, and then she screwed the top back on and stuffed the tarnished vessel back in her bag.

It was one of those perfect moments when a preconceived perception smashes into an opposite reality.

Let the weekend begin.


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10 responses to “Here’s To Ya!”

  1. Roy Avatar

    Shocking! –ro94ag11

  2. Nix Avatar

    Great entry, I love moments like that. ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Natalie Avatar

    That is just too funny! It just blows away all of my preconceived notions about cute little elderly couples. =)

  4. Jaz Avatar
    Jaz

    Awesome. LoL Just awesome. Love the posts and your writing by the way! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. cathleen Avatar
    cathleen

    I love your writing too.
    Just so happy when there is a new entry. ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Agent Rant Avatar

    So how were you appraised? I am sure it was great, after the nerve-wreck.

  7. BM Avatar

    Your blog is fabulous. I can identify with so much of it. You also seem to be a great mom, and a kick ass member of the biz.. ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. SkippyMom Avatar
    SkippyMom

    It’s funny, because that is how hostesses and waiters are perceived too….judge by customers without actually knowing that [perhaps] at one point they were a high level executive in publishing, eh?or have an MBA? The old adage “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” really rings true…but I guess that is why you wrote the post . It was cute – says something about longevity and a ‘nip’ now & again.

  9. yoshi Avatar

    I hate having people judge me, its really easy to mess up. At my restaurant, if you forget 3 key things, youre fired on the spot. About the old people, they did a study where they took a 25 year old guy and had him ask for enough money to ride the bus and an they had a really old lady do the same. The old lady got a few hundred dollars and the guy didnt even have enough for the bus.

  10. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    Hehe, I don’t think it’s such an ‘opposite’ reality as much as an expansion of said reality. You saw well the talent and comfort of the pair. The flask was a jarring departure though, true.

    Thanks for a little window into the type of folks my wife and I hope to be in our dotage. ๐Ÿ™‚