Talk About a Life Changer

I'm a firm believer in omens, even more so after reading "The Alchemist". I volunteered to work a double shift today at the airport. They've asked me to several times but considering  am now on day thirty six of my work week have managed to avoid it thus far. They are short staffed right now because the other server they hired is still in training and a couple of other servers are going on vacations. Since I dodged the double bullet yesterday decided I should  "Woman Up" and help them out.

Left the house about ten minutes later than I wanted this morning but breezed up the interstate, found a close spot quickly in the MARTA lot and made the 8:00 train. The next one wasn't until 8:30 (the time I was due to clock in) and took it all as a good omen.

Squeezed into the last seat available on the "Sardine Shuttle" and made it through the security gates at the International Terminal with fifteen minutes to spare.

It's beautiful and serene place, only been open a little over a year and has a peaceful feeling to it. It's a hassle getting there sometimes, have to leave the house at LEAST ninety minutes before my shift and am certainly sleep deprived whenever I walk in but beginning to like it more and more now that I'm getting the hang of it all.

We open at ten and things started out really slow. By noon was starting to think the day might be a bust, but that's always the way when serving...it's a crap shoot.

By two was glad I was at least was working a double and could maybe make some money on the evening shift which started at three thirty.

Right about three thirty I got seated with a party of four out on the patio. A big burly man, not overly attractive but with a beautiful wife and two gorgeous daughters in their mid twenties. They were flying to Greece to spend a month.

Here's the thing. If you've got the money to spend a month in Greece (after flying to Paris first) you're probably not pinching pennies.

They were very nice and think I did a pretty good job with them. I took a picture for them with the husband's phone and even my daughter would have been impressed, it turned out pretty good. I told them, when I took it my daughter said I took bad pictures but they liked the one I took. They spent well over two hundred dollars and the eighteen percent added gratuity was $36.00. He told me everything had been great, the food was phenomenal but the service I had given them was what really made it quite awesome. He left me an extra hundred dollars.

BINGO!

The Karma ball was rolling my direction. It wasn't real busy but had several other good tables.

My manager (bad cop) came up to me around seven and said "I bet you wish you would have worked a double yesterday instead of today."

I pulled out the receipt from my Greece bound travelers and showed him. He simply said "Nice job!"

It never got crazy busy and my little feet felt like they were walking on upturned spikes but all said and done was glad I had bitten the "Double Bullet".

At one point in the evening my manager came up to me and calmly said "So I'm BAD Cop?" I asked who told him that but simply chuckled and walked off.

Yes it was a tiring day. I got up at six thirty and got home at eleven thirty but felt like I was floating on air.

It wasn't even a busy day but had $181.00 of  my 18% tips going onto my next paycheck and made an extra $175.00 which I walked out with, after tip out.

This has been a "Life Changing Day."

This is exactly what we have been waiting for , for over five years! This job will pay our mortgage in a little over a week. The rest will go towards other bills and helping us to not only "Play"catch up but "GET" caught up.

The gravy is, I still have Mama Lucia's two days a week for living expenses and peace of mind, sleeping until forty five minutes before having to clock in and knowing the job like the back of my hand.

It's been a five year journey I hope we never have to travel again.

If I could change the past, I probably wouldn't.

It's sometimes felt like life was almost killing me but it wasn't. It was teaching me many valuable lessons.

I'm not the best person in the world and have many, many faults and flaws but try to be a good person.

When you try to be a good person and trust in God regardless of flaws and faults,  have faith and continue to strive for a goal you will reach it.

When you try to be a good person other good people will help you out.

We've had so much help from SO many people it makes my tiny head swim.

I feel dizzy tonight.

It's not like I'll wake up tomorrow a millionaire flying to Greece for a month after spending two weeks in Paris but will feel like it.

Number one, NEVER GIVE UP.

Number two, always be grateful for what you have not for what you want.

Number three, nobody said life would be easy and if they did you should cross them off your friends list.

Number four,

Oh we've had some problems, too numerous to count but been blessed the entire way by a gaggle of hosts.

The Host Himself, The Big Guy and so many others.

My wonderful sister, my rock and sounding board. My brother who is so much like Diddy with an occasional  cigar and heart of gold. My brother in law who has helped us time and time again. Friends from my childhood, high school and college years, always having my back. My employers at Mama Lucia's who didn't want me to leave them five days a week but understood why I had to. Blog readers who have not only followed my journey but encouraged me. Even strangers I've never met but hope to one day. Relatives I barely know but have stepped up and in.

I keep trying to tell myself this can't be happening and to not expect good things but just be prepared for the next, final shoe to drop.  But I'm tired of being a semi doubter.

The earth is round, and eventually what goes around comes around.

I feel like we've circled it countless times before but maybe, just maybe this is OUR time.

I don't want or feel the need to be rich, just simply be comfortable.

Thanks to God, my family, friends, blog readers and all of you out here in cyber space...

We're going to make it after all!

Til next time...COTTON