Saturday, April 29, 2006
Last Day
After finishing writing here at the BOO, yesterday, I had a wonderful conversation with my friend Cynthia. This was a wonderful "pick me up" before I headed into my last day at work. Cynthia is doing well and may have some part time work for me in the future.
And the sun was so bright and beautiful that I just mosied my whole way to work.
On Burnside near the Park blocks, I saw a skinny poor young man begging for money from a man who chastises his fellow human being. As if things weren't hard enough for the guy, the man he begs from treats him like shit for his condition. Like he needs that. "I'm not only NOT going to give you money, but here is some verbal abuse just so you don't walk away empty handed," is what the message was from this man seems to be. I pulled a whole bunch of change out of my pocket, walked right in front of Mr. Verbal Abuse, and dropped it into the cupped hands of the poor skinny man whose expression gave me thanks in exchange.
I by-passed the little piece of what can be compared to a "personal hell," and went right to Moonstruck where Danielle hooked me up with a nice hot chocolate, and I think of you, my dear. And then I'm there, and I don't want to be there. I don't want to be at that place anymore. After about 45 mintues worth of work, I wanted to leave, but Carolyn talked me into staying. They were short on staff for the day.
I took my first break by grabbing the two books I'm reading then going out front to the comfy chair on the "free stoop" where we put all of our free stuff and took a little rest. I've done this type of thing before when the conditions were right. Then the assistant manager came out and informed me that it didn't look good for the store that I was sleeping out front in the comfy chair when my unsightly self would be much more appreciated out of sight. OK, I'm starting to speak with a little anger, but this was my LAST DAY folks. Plus, I've done that numerous times before and so have many others and...well...sales never went down the projected 95% that they assumed they would. In fact, most people find the laid back atmosphere (which isn't as laid back as it appears) welcoming. No pressures to buy. You go in, find treasure from people who don't take any of this too seriously. Anyway...like I was saying, it was made clear that my little stunt was unappreciated. "Whatever!" I repeated several times through gritted teeth, put away my books, and left my bag in the store as I walked out for a 45 minute walk break added to the 7 minutes already spent sleeping on the chair.
During this wonderful walk, I got to see Beautiful trees and flowers and plants. I got to sniff several iris's which are my favorite flower. The scent of iris is so soft and sweet...mmmmm! I talked with my friend Leigh Anne during this journey who suggested I go get a truffle in order to deal with my tension. HEY...IT WORKED! Wild Huckleberry Truffle from Moonstruck...[pardon drool on shirt]
Where was I? Oh yeah! I got back expecting conflict with the assistant manager on my last day, and it didn't happen. I found out later from Carolyn that she was upset with me. I told Carolyn I was upset too for the above mentioned reasons. Feh! It's over with.
My lunch was sweetened with a call from my Lover-Love, Mikhelle. We talked for half an hour and my lunch lasted almost an hour...Life is so Good! I Love Mikhelle so much and I am so glad we got to spend that last little bit of my work together on opposite sides of turtle's back with her.
After the assistant manager left for the day, and it was down to us final three, I was asked to sit in the back as Carolyn had other work to take care of. Due to my lack of enthusiasm, my defiance, and the fact that everything was pretty much done in the back, I mosied out to the "free stoop" where the only things left were a beat up coffee table, a beat up metal two drawer file cabinet, and a nice comfy sofa. Next thing I knew, there was a tractor beam pulling my ass to the torn cushions and I was sucked into the corner where it was coming from, one arm splayed across the back of the sofa, the other over the arm. As I laid there and called my honey and left a message about the beauty of the moment and looking up through the leaves with my feet up on top of the metal file cabinet, I noticed a sign taped to the back of the sofa that said..."free." I watched all the people walk by not interested in picking themselves up a free Indian, when I realized that the sign must mean that I am "free," as in enjoying a freedom. And the time is coming to fly, and it is only an hour or less away.
I bagged up all of the last treasure I would be buying there which was pretty damned cheap because I couldn't find anything I wanted to add to it. Most of it was books they were trying to throw away that I kept from going into the recycle bins when I was still driving.
Then Lisa appeared in the aisles of the store. She informed me Felicia was running around, who ran in circles with her friend Delores before finding me in one of the aisles she by-passed. Lisa took me out to dinner, and I was thankful, but even more amused. Melodie had made Lisa sound like she was some form of Satan Incarnate. As Lisa meets all of the people Melodie informed of Lisa's horribleness, they always say how nice she is. Lisa took me out to dinner with Felicia and her friend to celebrate my last day in this form of hell. It was a sweet capper to 21 months of work.
Soon, my last connection there will be gone, the last paycheck. I believe that I will just go in, pick it up without any form of incident or celebration, and I will walk out the door and into the rest of my life and whatever that may be. My connection with Mikhelle, for sure, Felicia, friends, projects, writing, speaking, helping, radio, TV, art...I won't be getting bored even if I don't become immediately employed. I have a few odd jobs lined up, too.
It is still a little hard to focus on the future without that last little scrap taken care of. Monday or Tuesday, depending upon our timings. No more rape energy, folks. No more rape energy! Enough is enough.
Today, I wore shorts, a red t-shirt, my red shoes, my felt hat, the bracelet David Liberty made for me, a white and blue flowery scarf, and I know I must just confuse the fuck out of some people, which is good. But today, it is not armour. Today, it is just a piece of Beauty. Life is Beautiful, and I look forward to every minute of it.
And the sun was so bright and beautiful that I just mosied my whole way to work.
On Burnside near the Park blocks, I saw a skinny poor young man begging for money from a man who chastises his fellow human being. As if things weren't hard enough for the guy, the man he begs from treats him like shit for his condition. Like he needs that. "I'm not only NOT going to give you money, but here is some verbal abuse just so you don't walk away empty handed," is what the message was from this man seems to be. I pulled a whole bunch of change out of my pocket, walked right in front of Mr. Verbal Abuse, and dropped it into the cupped hands of the poor skinny man whose expression gave me thanks in exchange.
I by-passed the little piece of what can be compared to a "personal hell," and went right to Moonstruck where Danielle hooked me up with a nice hot chocolate, and I think of you, my dear. And then I'm there, and I don't want to be there. I don't want to be at that place anymore. After about 45 mintues worth of work, I wanted to leave, but Carolyn talked me into staying. They were short on staff for the day.
I took my first break by grabbing the two books I'm reading then going out front to the comfy chair on the "free stoop" where we put all of our free stuff and took a little rest. I've done this type of thing before when the conditions were right. Then the assistant manager came out and informed me that it didn't look good for the store that I was sleeping out front in the comfy chair when my unsightly self would be much more appreciated out of sight. OK, I'm starting to speak with a little anger, but this was my LAST DAY folks. Plus, I've done that numerous times before and so have many others and...well...sales never went down the projected 95% that they assumed they would. In fact, most people find the laid back atmosphere (which isn't as laid back as it appears) welcoming. No pressures to buy. You go in, find treasure from people who don't take any of this too seriously. Anyway...like I was saying, it was made clear that my little stunt was unappreciated. "Whatever!" I repeated several times through gritted teeth, put away my books, and left my bag in the store as I walked out for a 45 minute walk break added to the 7 minutes already spent sleeping on the chair.
During this wonderful walk, I got to see Beautiful trees and flowers and plants. I got to sniff several iris's which are my favorite flower. The scent of iris is so soft and sweet...mmmmm! I talked with my friend Leigh Anne during this journey who suggested I go get a truffle in order to deal with my tension. HEY...IT WORKED! Wild Huckleberry Truffle from Moonstruck...[pardon drool on shirt]
Where was I? Oh yeah! I got back expecting conflict with the assistant manager on my last day, and it didn't happen. I found out later from Carolyn that she was upset with me. I told Carolyn I was upset too for the above mentioned reasons. Feh! It's over with.
My lunch was sweetened with a call from my Lover-Love, Mikhelle. We talked for half an hour and my lunch lasted almost an hour...Life is so Good! I Love Mikhelle so much and I am so glad we got to spend that last little bit of my work together on opposite sides of turtle's back with her.
After the assistant manager left for the day, and it was down to us final three, I was asked to sit in the back as Carolyn had other work to take care of. Due to my lack of enthusiasm, my defiance, and the fact that everything was pretty much done in the back, I mosied out to the "free stoop" where the only things left were a beat up coffee table, a beat up metal two drawer file cabinet, and a nice comfy sofa. Next thing I knew, there was a tractor beam pulling my ass to the torn cushions and I was sucked into the corner where it was coming from, one arm splayed across the back of the sofa, the other over the arm. As I laid there and called my honey and left a message about the beauty of the moment and looking up through the leaves with my feet up on top of the metal file cabinet, I noticed a sign taped to the back of the sofa that said..."free." I watched all the people walk by not interested in picking themselves up a free Indian, when I realized that the sign must mean that I am "free," as in enjoying a freedom. And the time is coming to fly, and it is only an hour or less away.
I bagged up all of the last treasure I would be buying there which was pretty damned cheap because I couldn't find anything I wanted to add to it. Most of it was books they were trying to throw away that I kept from going into the recycle bins when I was still driving.
Then Lisa appeared in the aisles of the store. She informed me Felicia was running around, who ran in circles with her friend Delores before finding me in one of the aisles she by-passed. Lisa took me out to dinner, and I was thankful, but even more amused. Melodie had made Lisa sound like she was some form of Satan Incarnate. As Lisa meets all of the people Melodie informed of Lisa's horribleness, they always say how nice she is. Lisa took me out to dinner with Felicia and her friend to celebrate my last day in this form of hell. It was a sweet capper to 21 months of work.
Soon, my last connection there will be gone, the last paycheck. I believe that I will just go in, pick it up without any form of incident or celebration, and I will walk out the door and into the rest of my life and whatever that may be. My connection with Mikhelle, for sure, Felicia, friends, projects, writing, speaking, helping, radio, TV, art...I won't be getting bored even if I don't become immediately employed. I have a few odd jobs lined up, too.
It is still a little hard to focus on the future without that last little scrap taken care of. Monday or Tuesday, depending upon our timings. No more rape energy, folks. No more rape energy! Enough is enough.
Today, I wore shorts, a red t-shirt, my red shoes, my felt hat, the bracelet David Liberty made for me, a white and blue flowery scarf, and I know I must just confuse the fuck out of some people, which is good. But today, it is not armour. Today, it is just a piece of Beauty. Life is Beautiful, and I look forward to every minute of it.
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