Yes, I Know This is Stream of Consciousness, but I am NOT as Unintelligible as Joyce

It was Poetry Sunday here at Coffee Place. My shift started at 1 pm, and the poetry people arrive a bit before 2:30. I was here by myself with a crowd of customers and a growing backlog of unmade drinks. Also, the ice machine wasn't working, so that was an added bit o' fun.

Well, these three people came in and ordered two raspberry iced teas and a coffee. I eventually got their drinks to them, and promptly forgot they existed, since there was plenty else to do. Later, though, the lady called and identified herself by that order. She said they had left some Very Important Papers, and could I check to see if the papers were still there? They were, along with some sunglasses, so I put them in the drawer behind the counter, and she said she was coming back for them. They walked in ten minutes later. I returned the Very Important Papers and sunglasses, they walked out the door, and it was all good. Then the guy walked back in and handed me a tip. I figured, hey, that was an easy buck, but then I looked at it. It wasn't a 1. It was a 10.

Wow. And on my last Sunday at Coffee Place, too.

Also in the wow file is what happened yesterday. A guy came in who was once a friend. We're talking the '98-'99 school year. Music history at the local community college. Like I said, he started out as a friend. He turned into a stalker of sorts. Well, he showed up at Coffee Place last night while I was working. The last eight years have done interesting things to this boy. Most notably, he seems to have acquired a tail. A large, bushy, squirrelish tail. Um.

Did I mention that today was my last Sunday working at Coffee Place? Yes. God took a day off, and now I'll have one, too. Of course, God's been pretty busy ever since the incident with the proverbial apple, or pomegranate if you happen to agree with me & enz, or fig if you follow the traditions of the East. Which seems much more fitting than an apple, but, ew. Sorry. Nothing appealing about figs. But that would explain why God hates figs. ;)

Speaking of the traditions of the East. Remember that Orthodox Adventure I had almost two years ago? (It was November 2005) Well, it seems I'll be going back there soon. I'm going to become Orthodox, you see. The story behind this is long, going back at least into my college years, though I can see little moments in high school and even earlier that point this way.

Interestingly, this church is right down the street from work. The real job, I mean. Ok, actually, I live right in the middle of everything in this town. I could walk to Coffee Place if I wanted. I do walk to work. I can easily walk to the Antiochian Orthodox Church that I visited two years ago.

Walking, walking. I've been doing a lot of walking. In the three months since the move, I have lost 12ish pounds without even trying. Combined with the ten I dropped a year ago, that's nearly 25 pounds. I am nearly back to where I was after my 5 weeks of ramen, rice, watermelon, and mocha ice cream bars in China. This is a goal I thought unattainable. Of course, most of this year has been an exercise in reaching unreachable stars.

I'm still pretty hung up on last night.

HE HAD A TAIL.