Leaps Tall Buildings in a Single Bound

Had an excellent day at work. Pulled into the MARTA lot and cruised past the entrance to the train station. Like a gift from heaven a TSA worker came out, walked ten feet to the first parking space and got in his car to leave.

BINGO!  It's gonna be a good day! Made it to the Sardine Shuttle with not only thirty minutes to spare but a friendly driver to boot.

EXCELLENT!

Around five one of the server's came walking to one of my tables leading a man to it. She remarked "Look who I've got for you, Kelly!"

I kinda thought that was a strange thing to say but went over and greeted him. I got him a beer and took his order. I went to get some bread for him when the server told me he had asked for me by name. I had never seen this man before in my life! Then she said "I asked him how he knew you, because I'm nosy and he said he reads your blog."

WHAT?!

When I took the bread back out to him I asked how he knew me? Seems he grew up in East Point where I did, went to a neighboring high school and in fact DOES read my blog. That's crazy!!

We have lots of friends in common and it was really nice chatting with him as he ate. He was headed for London and wanted to come by to check out the restaurant.  Super nice guy, left me a fifty percent tip and made my day even MORE excellent!!  I knew that TSA guy at MARTA was a good omen!

Yesterday I was talking with the young host at the host stand. He's a cute kid, probably only twenty or twenty one. I first met him during training when had to do a shift at the host stand. He has a good sense of humor and thinks I'm hysterical. (very smart kid)

I commented that it amazed me how many times when a customer is leaving and  say "Have a good trip" to them,  about every other one will automatically say "You too!"  They probably walk away and think what a stupid thing that was to say (at least I do) but is just a knee jerk reaction response.

I told the young host sometimes I feel like when they say it I should get a startled look on my face , take my glasses off, peer at them with eyes wide open in shock and say "Can you really TELL I'm Tripping...does it show?  Man, I just put some Visine in my eyes too!"

My buddy from the host stand thought that was hilarious...then again so did I. (I'm easily amused by my quick wit)

I was telling him the other day we should pair up and go on the road together, he could be my straight guy.

We were both at the stand out front one day when the PM dishwasher came in for work.

Number one, I wouldn't wish the job on my worst enemy. By the time they get there the AM dishwasher has been gone for an hour or so and dishes are sometimes piled up so high you can't even stack another dish.

I told my buddy at the host stand if that was my job, they'd have to drag me to work in leg irons and chain me to the machine back there . But this guy shows up every day, smiles and says hello to everyone then heads to the back for what I would call "My little corner of humid hell."  My buddy said "I know, right? And to think I hate MY job sometimes!"

I followed up with "Crap if he can take THAT job and still be able to smile about it, he should be a stinkin' motivational speaker!"

A few days later the dishwasher once again showed up for work, once again greeted everyone and headed back to his little corner of humidity hell.  The place I work is extremely professional, they have a rack of dry cleaned chef coats for all the kitchen staff, including dishwashers in the back hallway. The dishwasher usually ties a clear plastic apron on over it so they don't leave absolutely sopping wet after their sometimes ten hour shift.  The plastic aprons were all out and hadn't been delivered yet so he made his own apron out of a black plastic garbage bag and tied it around him. My buddy and I were in the back dumping off more dirty dishes when we noticed his homemade apron. I told my buddy it almost looked like a Super Hero cape!

I don't know how this guy does it. And to think I used to think MY life sucked!

My buddy agreed with me and interjected his long gloves even made it look even more like a Super Hero costume.

We started talking about what his motto would be...

"Faster than a Pressure washer, stronger than the chlorine fumes in his bleach, able to tackle stacks and stacks of dishes in a single shift!"

So tonight I mentioned to my buddy at the host stand, "Where's Captain Clean?"  About thirty minutes later our Super Hero walked in...again.

I'd have to be dragged back every single shift but he comes in like it's the greatest job in the world.

You gotta hand it to the guy.

I told my buddy I was going to take a picture to use in a blog about our Super Hero.

He was gone on break so couldn't get one. Hopefully he'll come back!

About thirty minutes later he got back but didn't have on his black cape.

About twenty more minutes went by and when dropping off some dishes noticed him tying back on his "Cape."

I told my buddy up front at the host stand  "He just went into a phone booth and changed back into his Super Hero costume!"

When it was slow went to the back with my cell phone and took a picture.

Heck, he even posed for me!

Here's the thing. This guy needed a job, found one and took it.

I'll never complain again!

I am and always will be grateful for the blessings I have and even for trials and tribulations we've been through.

It's made me a stronger even more compassionate person. Every time I see our Super Hero walk in, I think to myself..."He actually IS a Super Hero!"

So he's just a dishwasher.

Heck. I'm "Just" a waitress.

We're all "Just" humans.

Not much difference in MY book.

We're all just people trying to get by...one day at a time.

I got on the Sardine Shuttle today going to the International terminal and found a message from a sweet woman who knows me from Massey's days on the Guard in high school.

It read :

"Kelly, I wanted to tell you that I've been reading your blog and  am just amazed at your strength and your attitude. I have so much respect for the way you live your life, thankful even in times of struggle. Congratulations on your new job and your husband's new job and am so glad things are looking up for you. You are an inspiration."

This message spoke volumes to me.

I started this blog over five years ago when we were rolling Phat and just wanted to have a place to write.

The journey which followed was unexpected, unwanted but was my destiny so followed it, chronicling it all along the bumpy way.

Yes I got depressed and yes felt at the end of the rope many times and then some.

When you GET to the end of the rope, simply hang there swinging with all your might.

Live life right and Karma will always be your friend...and when it is, always "Pay it forward."

I have so many people to pay back it will take a lifetime, but that's okay too.

That, my friends is what inspires ME.

Til next time... COTTON

It Really IS a Small World After All

Made excellent time today on the way to work. Pulled into the MARTA station and right by the entrance was a guy pulling out of a spot. Yes please and thank you!!

MARTA was obviously still on a weekend schedule because I had to wait twenty minutes for a train which is supposed to run every ten. Thanks to my luck finding a parking spot had plenty of time so just checked emails on my phone and called Mama Lucia's for my work schedule there this week

Got on the first Sardine Shuttle but the driver was busy flirting with another co worker and seemed like it took forever for him to take off. Guess they were on the MARTA schedule too.

Clocked in early anyway (no thanks to them) got all my duties done and started taking tables around two o'clock. Once again the tipping gods and people leaving for Paris smiled on me and had a lucrative night.

One of my last few tables was a couple heading home to Montreal who's flight had been delayed. I thought about asking them if they knew my friend, Little Frenchy from Mama Lucia's who grew up there but thought that sounded lame. It would be like me being in an airport in Montreal and my server saying "I know a lady in Atlanta, maybe you know her!" The odds would be slim to none.

The couple was very nice and easy to talk with. After they finished their meal and bottle of wine decided to ask the obviously stupid question anyway.

 I told them it may sound stupid but had a dear friend who grew up in Montreal and maybe they had heard of her.

I told them had been her matron of honor at her wedding a few months back and met all her family at the wedding and were all delightful people.

I told the woman I was horrible with French pronunciations so wrote Little Frenchy's last name down for her. "De Repentigny"

The husband smiled and said that was in fact the name of a town they knew of. His wife then said she knew a Ginette De Repentigny who was a travel agent in Montreal.

Get out of town! Frenchy had a sister named Ginette I met at her wedding and could almost swear she had told us she was a travel agent, while swinging my son, Zach around the dance floor at the reception. She was a cute little tiny thing and took up most of my son's time dancing with him all night. They had a great live band (the groom was a musician and friends of his performed) and was hands down the best reception we've ever been to.

It was starting to slow down at work and told the couple I would step out and call my friend to ask for sure.

I called their house and the groom (now husband) answered. I asked if Little Frenchy had a sister Ginette who was a travel agent in Montreal? He said in fact she did!

BINGO!!

How crazy is that?

They had used their sister's travel agent to book their trip and had been Ginette, Zach's dancing date from the wedding.

It really IS a small world we live in!

The woman commented she couldn't believe she actually ended up knowing who I was talking about, Montreal is such a huge place.

I can't wait to talk to Little Frenchy and tell her I met someone in the Atlanta airport, waited on them and ended up with us having friends in common!

That just made my night and on TOP of that got off by ten and walked out over three hundred dollars richer.

My apprehension about this new job is quickly falling to the wayside but being replaced with an apprehension of how I can be so lucky to have a new job which is pulling us out of debt and fear of losing our home?

I need to have more faith in myself...

It's called Karma my friends, and finally for once haven't had to bite my nails raw waiting on her to come back around our way.

Tumbling into bed for a day shift tomorrow, on a week day which isn't easy. The highway will be packed with early morning commuters headed into Atlanta and the MARTA parking lot will be as we say in the south "Slap full."

On the good side I'll be home again by seven tomorrow night!

I'm not too sure what I've done which is all that great to deserve all this happiness, but guess I'll just keep on doing what I've been doing. It's worked for me so far!

Til next time...Contented COTTON

My First Semi Celebrity

Woke up when the alarm sounded on my cell phone this morning. Got up immediately remembering how I had turned it Off instead of Snooze the other day. Left the house right on time. I had to clock in at eight thirty so being Sunday with no business day commuters using the MARTA lot allowed myself an hour twenty minutes to get there, park, catch the train to the airport, catch the Sardine Shuttle to International, go through security and fast walk across the atrium climbing the escalator steps two at a time to Ecco.

Clocked in eight minutes early!

The Jehovah Witness peeps have been swarming like purple flies the entire last week at the airport for their International conference being held here in Atlanta. For a religion that doesn't celebrate holidays they sure looked like they were. I got kicked off the Sardine Shuttle for the first time the other day because they had it all filled with their bags and huge yard signs. I made the second bus with a lone straggler toting her sign.

I know a few JW's and even worked with a couple. My most vivid memory is when they built a "Kingdom Hall" about a mile up the road from our house. My two younger kids were still in elementary school and I was working for the After School Program in their school. The ASP art teacher was a JW and one day my son, Zach asked her during art class why they built their church without windows? He continued on , while painting his art project and asked if they were they doing secret experiments in there?

Zach is WAY too much like me!

I'm feeling more comfortable with every shift and kind of getting used to working in an airport restaurant. It feels like working in a hospital. There's no day time or night time. No weekends or holidays. The busiest airport (like a hospital) in the world always has people in it.

I learned me yet another trick yesterday. When I open with peeps who really don't know that well I simply walk across the food court and get "Whatever" from "Wherever" close by and bring it back to eat before we open.

Yesterday morning opened with two peeps I really like and once we got through setting up said they were going to Concourse C to get food from Atlanta Bread Company. We get up to nine bucks of free food from certain places so like a lost puppy, followed them. I LOVE Atlanta Bread Co. !!

Unfortunately I was chatting with them the entire time there and couldn't find it again if I had a compass and map.

The good news is I got one of my favorite sandwiches ever, Chicken Waldorf and a bowl of vegetable soup for free ninety nine.

Today I opened with just one of them and got all excited when we got ready to open early and she mentioned making the trek to Atlanta Bread again.

I tried to pay attention to all the twists, turns, different elevators and which plane train we took and which way we turned when getting off but just gave up. I got me a freebie Bella Chicken sandwich, huge cinnamon bun and a fresh banana to boot!

At this rate I'll be up to my fighting weight in no time.

This place all depends on departure times and preferences of destinations.  You don't get slammed with peeps traveling to Yemen but Paris, Italy and Amsterdam will profit you greatly.

It started slow, good thing with my little belly full of good grub! By two o'clock the Italy and Paris flights were nearing, things picked up and by six walked out with over two hundred dollars.

One of my last tables was an older couple who told me they were flying to Italy. They were very nice and after the man ordered the Trout told them it was caught locally in Rome, Georgia. The wife said her son lived in Rome and managed a baseball team. When they paid the bill,  noticed on the card his name was  John Scheurholz.

 Dang, he was president of the Atlanta Braves organization!

When returning his card with the check asked if he was with The Bravos? He smiled and said he was. I told him my sister was their biggest long time fan. He nodded but when I added, oh she's loved you guys since  Rico Carty

Bob Didier

Felix Milan

Phil Niekro

and Hammering Hank!

That got his attention.

He commented I certainly had a dedicated sister to the team.

He don't know the half of it!!

I told them both to stop back by on their way home from their trip.

After they left, thought of a story about my sister's older son, also a huge Braves fan. When he was little, very little my sister and her husband bought him a rocking horse for Christmas. This was almost twenty five years ago.

Steve Bedrosian played for the Braves back then. On Christmas morning my nephew was all excited about his new rocking horse and his dad said as he was rocking away on it, "You need to give it a name."

My nephew Casey (Casey at the bat) simply and quietly said he already had. His dad asked him what he named it and he said "Bedrock."

I keep thinking I'm jinxing myself by talking about how great I'm doing but have  just decided to accept the fact that "Karma" finally rolled around our way.

It's so pleasant to go to bed without the fear of foreclosure, it's not even funny.

Rolling into bed and back to the airport tomorrow.

Til next time...COTTON