Are You Kidding Me?

So we loaded up our clown car today to do the job drop off thing. They let me out at work first and the clowns shifted seats. Next they dropped off the boys at work. Tim was heading into Atlanta for a meeting with a guy about a job and Massey was driving him. Not a block from where the boys work, the car broke down. Power steering went out and the battery light came on.

Fabulous!

I got a text from Massey "You're going to LOL at what just happened. Actually you're probably going to cuss and cry at our lives but whatever."

I went out back, called her and immediately said "Don't tell me the car broke down."

Take a guess what her answer was?

At least three of us got to work albeit with no rides home but worse than that Tim missed his interview.

Massey was right on two of her three comments. Yes I cursed and yes I went in the restroom and cried but the thought of LOL never once crossed my mind.

Here we were, five of us limping through with just one car and now don't even have that. Dang I felt pitiful.

It took me at least thirty minutes to compose myself enough to wait on tables. We had a party of  twenty coming in from the Cancer Treatment Center of America across the street.

It's usually the big wigs and executives, they come in quite a bit and have an account with us so just sign the check.

A young girl I've never met came in first to set up. They were booked in a back room and she propped up a "Welcome Cancer Center" sign. She stopped and spoke with one of my tables which was right outside the room. (It was a man and his wife)

When the young girl (and by this I mean early thirties) went back outside for something the man at my table asked if they could possibly move to another section and still have me as a server? I said sure and moved them to another section. He told me he worked at the Cancer Center and the twenty people coming were patients out for a family night. Since he was dining with his wife and they were headed for the movies next door, felt like he should separate work from his private life.

The party showed up, patients and their families. One extremely tall black gentleman came in with his beautiful wife and their two small children. Some had ridden the bus over from the center and a few had driven themselves. I just thought I recognized the tall dude and his wife from somewhere when it finally hit me.

I see the Cancer Center commercials all the time on TV. You know, the commercials where they feature one patient's story? I remembered seeing the one with a tall slender black man, his wife and two children. He had been diagnosed with stage three Colon cancer and went to the Cancer Treatment Center for a second opinion. They were just such a precious family and not even knowing them sent up a silent prayer.

I just thought this was the man in the commercial, or maybe I was just tripping.

 After taking all the orders and putting them in I went to check on the couple I had moved to another table. I told him it may sound crazy (and crazy isn't a far stretch for me) but did he know if the tall guy with the Cancer Treatment party had been featured in one of their commercials?

Bingo! He said as a matter of fact he had and were an awesome family.

While taking out salads to  the party, after handing the beautiful tall dude's wife hers simply said "I've prayed for your family." She looked up at me with a quizzical look on her face. I quietly said I recognized her and her family from the commercial and just wanted to let her know I hoped the best for all of them.

She put her hand over her mouth then said "Oh my goodness that is so kind of you. Do you mind if I give you a hug?"

You know what? I had a crappy day. I've had a rough few years but don't have a husband with stage three Colon cancer and two small children.

My day took a 180 degree turn when she stood up, smiled and hugged me tightly.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

My husband not having a job or any of us not having a car won't kill us. The cancer her husband has just might and maybe will.

This woman and her two small children would most probably change places with us in a New York minute.

Is YOUR glass half empty or half full?

I needed this tonight. I needed it bad.

I needed to hug someone with troubles much greater and more dire than my own and have them remind me...our glass is definitely half full.

Til next time....A Humbled COTTON