Gonna Miss My "Booty" ful Friend

Tonight was the last night at work for one of our bartenders who is one of my absolute favorite peeps. She's a beauty, inside and out. She has the work ethic so many young people never grasp or even seem to want. She has a huge heart and even though I am probably older than her own mother  has always made me feel young.

We have exactly the same views on everything ranging from moral values and ideals to politics and the love of dogs.

She has always reminded me of the Walt Disney version of Cinderella.  Beautiful blond hair most always swept back at work by a cute up do or fancy hair band.

She has a booty that I constantly kid her about....Baby got back and I cannot lie.

 I usually always do  the sandwich  sign that goes out front of the restaurant because I love to write... whether it's a short story, blog or  just block letters on a sign. Even when I am taking orders on my order pad, if it's sloppy I rewrite them all before even putting them into the computer.

I was doing the sign out front one day during some sporting event...I  think it was the Olympics. I had  neatly drawn the five Olympic rings and asked her if it was okay  to write "Come enjoy watching the games and a glass of wine with our "Booty"ful bartender!"

She laughed but totally nixed my idea.

I will miss her but know she is making the right move.

She fell in love with  a great guy  who is another good friend of mine. They moved in together and got a place in mid town Atlanta over 25 miles away.

Coming from a person who sets the alarm for forty five minutes before having to clock in at work and still has time to shower, iron a shirt and feed three dogs, I am surprised she has made the commute this long! I guess it helps she drives a Prius.

I'll miss my girl. Dang it's hard to let go when you feel like a co worker is part of your family...and the good ones are. Some others are like crazy relatives you have to like but roll your eyes at every time they walk away or complain.

I'm a "Lifer"...  have been a server for well over thirty years and  is my chosen profession. It's allowed me to raise three kids and for the most part enjoy going to work every day. I meet different people have different situations every day and for the most part love it.

When I think of my dear friend moving on it reminds me I am over half a century old and still not doing what I really want the most...to be a writer.

Then I look at  the above picture and  think... both sets of my grandparents gone, both parents gone and only one aunt left.

But I still have my brother and sister. God left me in wonderful hands. They both (for some unknown reason :)  love and support me no matter what spot I find myself in. It's just us now...but we had the greatest parents on the planet which luckily leaves me one of the luckiest siblings on the planet.

It's time for me to get off my own ninety five pound "Booty" and at least TRY and be a writer.

I've been practicing putting my drivel on  discs and learning how to compress files. No one wants a manila envelope in the mail anymore...they think it may contain anthrax.

If I'm lucky I may have thirty good years left.  I think it's time to get cracking... my knees already crack!

Good luck  to my beautiful/bootyful friend. You  are so smart to grab your dream when you are young.

Tomorrow is unknown,  even the next instant is uncertain. Grab life while you can!

I'm getting me an extra hour of sleep tonight...that may all I need  for today but I'm gonna start thinking about tomorrow a LOT more often.

In my home we have all bases covered. Tim is a staunch Republican and my oldest son TJ is close behind. Massey is a moderate, I am a Democrat and Zach is an Anarchist.

I told my dear sweet friend tonight as I hugged her neck for the last time and left work (totally kidding but somewhat meaning it) "Don't leave me! Now It's just me, the Latinos and African Americans in the kitchen."

Good luck, Anna and Godspeed!

Til next  time...COTTON