Besides searching for jobs today, I knew I was having lunch at India Palace with three of my former co-workers, Brenda, Nancy, and Sarah. I was really looking forward to seeing them; as I previously mentioned, I think that the people I worked with at that company had been the best I had ever worked with in my entire career. When I arrived, I was totally surprised to see Jeff, Gil, and Chuck; and about 15 minutes later, Tom arrived.
It was a wonderful birthday surprise. I asked everyone how they were, and then I heard a minute later, "We don’t have to ask how you are." Of course, everyone read about my life here
on a day-to-day basis. I then picked up my foot and said, “Yeah, I know. So, does anyone want to see my toes?”
It was good food, laughter, and there were presents, too. Brenda gave me a Hello Kitty case and inside were a pair of beautiful pink earrings; Nancy gave me a Marilyn Monroe shirt from Delia’s. Jeff gave me a huge pink orchid; the one he gave me last year had just bloomed this week.
Usually, I have a brown thumb. I can nurture children, feral cats, and herbs without thinking about it; however, regular house plants cringe when they see me. Jeff’s orchid was the first plant that I kept alive for over a year; so, when it budded and then bloomed this week, I took it as a sign that I might add “orchids” to my list of nurtured things.
Gil pointed to a lovely small vase on the table and said, ‘I bought you flowers.” He said, “I know you like old things, so I found the oldest vase I had.” In the beautiful square green glass vase were eight perfect peach tea roses.
I asked, “Where did you get it?” He said, “From the basement. The vase must be 40 years old.” I remember thinking just then, “Wow. He knows I like old things.”
When I drove home, I thought how wonderful they were for taking time out of their busy schedules with some driving many miles to gather for my birthday. As I pulled off of Route 495, I thought about the presents; it wasn’t really about the presents as things. It was that each gift was truly a reflection of who I was; and, can there be any greater gift that having friends who know you so well and love you for who you are for better and for worse?
After I got home, I got on my bike and rode 35 miles with Bill (a.k.a., Batman). Yes, I am Batgirl. Hey, we old retired people like nicknames, okay?
Once I got home, there was some confusion about exactly where Iz was going. John was taking her somewhere, he wasn’t taking her somewhere, and then he was. He seemed to be a bit peeved when I insisted that Iz stay with me since she seemed to be upset over going off with him; something seemed off, but I didn’t know what it was.
It only got more confusing when Melissa called me and said, “I’m coming up there right now to take you out to dinner.” I had been out to lunch and had been out for a long bike ride, and I said, “Oh, well, thanks. But, John’s off with Iz, and I was going to go get some salmon and some wine and just relax at home.”
She was very insistent. So insistent that I had flashbacks to the 70s in which the woman in the Yuban commercial says, “Jim never has a second cup of coffee.” Though I was saying to myself, “Melissa never does anything spontaneous.”
Well, I still didn’t believe she was in her car and on her way to my house. I said, “You’re really at home, right?” She said, “No. I’m on my way up there to take you for dinner.” Again, queue Yuban commercial.
She sounded a tad exasperated by then. I didn’t think I was being difficult. I knew how busy she was with her job and her two kids, and part of me didn’t want her driving all the way up just to take me out for dinner when I thought she should be chilling at home in front of a “West Wing” marathon.
Finally, she said, “Look. All the Lovelies are meeting at O’Hanlon’s for dinner. I’m getting you and then we’re going there.” I think my mouth dropped open. Previously, everyone had emailed that they were much too busy to gather in May; little did I know then that it was part of their master plan.
I said, “Really?!?!?!?! God, that’s so nice.” Melissa said, “Now get in the shower. I’ll be there soon.” Again, like my friends from “work,” I knew all the Lovelies led busy lives, yet they were all driving to my favorite pub in town to celebrate my birthday.
At one point during dinner, Melissa said, “Jeez, I thought you watched CSI.” I guess she meant she was surprised that I didn’t figure any of it out. The only thing I figured out this afternoon was that it must be a full moon tonight as everyone seemed a bit out of character!
When I arrived at the pub with Melissa, they were all seated. There were lilacs and irises from Laura’s garden in a vase; Laura said, “I knew lilacs were your favorite.” There was a balloon tied to my chair and a lovely hanging plant on the table; they immediately began to sing "Happy Birthday."
Today, a wonderful lunch was followed by a terrific bike ride and was finished off with a Lovelies dinner. I said last night that I thought cats knew when you needed their affection most. Ironically, it seemed that my friends knew I needed affection, too, and, today, they all got close to me and purred just like Plume did yesterday.
There was Gil, who after reading my blog for the first time, told me that my talents were wasted on writing the release notes when I worked for him. Today, he told me that even if I got another technical writing job, it wouldn’t seem right like the job for me; where would my creativity go?
Then there was Marcia, who wanted a detailed description of my trip to New York City. Before I could begin with “I got the 3:30 train,” she asked, “Did you really go by yourself?” I said that I did; she said, “Really? You’re so f*cking awesome! I don’t think I could do that.”
Presents are wonderful. They usually come in boxes with bows. But, today, I realized that gifts also come wrapped in oxford shirts and jeans, too.
People say good-bye in your life. Sometimes they leave too soon, sometimes they don’t leave soon enough, and sometimes they leave before you even get a chance to know them. As one friend said to me today, everything you need is right here.
He was right, because regardless of a few of the things I felt like I was missing in my life right now, I could have not felt more loved today by my friends. Thank you, Nancy, Brenda, Sarah, Jeff, Tom, Chuck, Gil, TomS, Melissa, Cathy, Anne, Marcia, and Laura for loving me as you do and showing me that most everything I could ever want is truly right here with all of you. ♥
Happy Weekend, Everyone.
And, remember, no matter what age you are, always think in cat years. So, I’m only 7, even if my driver's license begs to differ with 48.
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