Monday, August 20, 2012

A Slice Of The Pie Of Life

It's been unbearably hot and business has been slow.  Ubaldo, Margaret, Alicia and I have tried to give one another a break so that we're not dealing with the heat for too long.  This is truly the "Dog Days of Summer."   Hot.  It's just hot.  Nothing and no one moves with much speed.  We're just waiting.  Waiting for a break in the weather.  Anything.  Just a break.  It's just too hot.

But people are still shopping.  And they are smiling and saying, "don't worry, it's hot everywhere."  They're faithful and great people.

Business and the stuff of life mix.  They seem to mix better in heat.

Today a couple who have been customers for years, came in and we talked about life.  They always ask about Jed.  They shared about their grandson.  Their grandson was born incomplete.  He's 12 now and  he can't do anything.  Nothing.  The son just put him in a home.  The grandparents weep.

Another customer sold me wonderful things as she shared some of her varied international life.  Her travels, her husbands, her boob jobs,.....the murder of her brother.

This little shop of mine is a slice of the pie of life. 

I listen to people.  I share some too.

What I come away with is joy.

Joy that we, the human race, just keep on keeping on.

Also today a desperate man came into the shop wanting me to buy books.  Another a curio cabinet, another some jewelry.  They all have a similar story...their life is hard.  I can't save everybody who comes in with something to sell.  I'm working on saving myself, and Jed, and Ubaldo, James, and Jean....you get the picture.   Often I give lectures.  Today's book gentleman just needed $40 or he would lose everything he had.  I got a little tired of his whining and asked him if he would be losing his arms and legs?

He looked at me shocked and said, "no."  Needless to say, I told him about Jed and lectured him a bit.  They know what their going to get from me, but they just keep coming back.
What I get here every day, is a slice of the pie of life. 

The pie is delicious, but sometimes it's just too sour to handle.


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