Today has been a great day for people. Early this morning one of my weekly visitors came in. She sells me newspaper ads. Any visit with her is delightful. Sad news/Happy news, she and her family are moving back to their home state. I am very glad for her. I will miss our conversations. She is a ray of sunshine.
After she left a man came in. He was looking for a snack and coffee. I thought he was Japanese. Proudly pointed out the Japanese candy I sell. Oops, he is Chinese. He sat down to drink his coffee and chat. He stayed for about an hour give or take. He is in our little town to learn things about city government. He is with a group that spent 7 weeks at the University of Chicago. They learned how our government works. Now they are visiting towns to view the town offices. My favorite part is he is from a city that is larger than Chicago. Within that city there are several sections/districts. He is in charge of a section with over two million people. Makes sense to send him to our town of 4100. He is amazed by our town. I think it must be like seeing a unicorn. He was telling me about people he met. I would comment on the people. He said do you all know each other? I said no. I am involved with my community so I attend meetings and get to know people. It was so interesting. He is a government employee and received some perks. They can buy a house for less than the cost of building it.
Here are things I was surprised to learn:
80% of the people own houses
Most people own cars
Government workers can only have 1 child unless they were an only child. If his parents had only had him, he could have 2 children. He was not an only child so he could have 1. His son will be able to have 2 children.
His retirement is provided by the government, they pay a small amount. He will receive 70% of his pay when he retires. Healthcare is free.
Do not say, Isn't everything provided in your country since you are Communist? He stared blankly at me.
They have McDonalds.
No Property Taxes. He asked me about Property Taxes, how much we pay. I explained our taxes are high because we do not have larger companies to bring money into the community. They do not pay taxes. (Because they are a Communist Country.)
The city he is from is near Hong Kong. He asked if I had heard of Hong Kong. Duh! Probably could not find it on a map, unless it was clearly marked, but I have heard of it. Told me the largest mountain in the world is in China. Once again, duh!
It was an interesting visit. If he was here to spy on our town, I do not think I gave him any info that will help overthrow our town government. He is here for a few more days. Hope I get another visit.
This afternoon Angelo and Makayla came in. I really should be a welcome center. I give out so much information and can really sell my town. Because I love it so much!!! It should also be a high paying position. Anyways......I started my usual chat. Are you passing through. Angelo says, no. He is thinking about buying a house here. What??? This makes me happy. I love when people randomly move here. His daughter attending the Art Institute (Photography Major). He lives in the southern part of the state. He will retire soon. If he lives here, he can jump on the train. He told me what the price of a train ticket is. I asked him if he realized he could buy a monthly pass. He is very excited about that.
Angelo said he just went to look at a house. I asked which one. He said it was a house that a 102 year old man lived in who recently died. I said, Harlan's house on James Street? You know I was right. We talked about the house. I told him about all the wonderful things to do here. Gave him a couple of ideas of where to go for dinner.
As a disclaimer, I told them not to expect everyone to be as friendly as I am. They laughed. I said it is a small town. People can have their clicks. He understood. I cannot tell you how excited I am at the prospect of someone moving here. It is ridiculous how happy it makes me. The fact that he can tell my town is a good place to live, reinforces that I am right.
A few weeks ago a lady came in my shop that just closed on a house in the country. Once again, I knew the people that owned the house she purchased. She lives near Wrigley Field. She is married with 4 kids. She and her husband work at a University. They live in a bungalow. Her parents live an hour south of here. It was such a long drive to visit, they bought a house in the middle. Seriously! They thought it would be great for their kids to have a big space to run around. They have a big farmhouse. She was looking for coffee and wifi. I had both. Since they work at a University, they have quite a bit of time off. They expect to spend quite a bit of time here. She brought two of her children in last week.
I told her about our Christmas Parade. They are going to try to make it down for that. Wait until they see our Christmas Celebration. It is like stepping back in time. This year we will have an awesome Santa House. A Christmas Tree forest. Some good stuff. We hope to decorate the Santa House soon. Before we get into sub-zero temps.
Wanted: A high paying job. Flexible hours. Lots of vacation time. Person must be able to talk about town history and all it has to offer. Someone who can start a conversation with a brick wall. Person will have their own office, be able to wear comfortable clothing, have fun lunch meetings.
Showing posts with label People That Come In. Show all posts
Showing posts with label People That Come In. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Friday, November 7, 2014
Verediane
She came in when a shared friend asked me if I would like to sell her books out of my shop. I had been looking for the book so it was an easy yes. She brought in a few books and we chatted a few minutes. She is a small lady, a beautiful accent, quiet spoken. I started reading her book immediately. It was a small book and a very quick read. The question still is shocking to think how she went from growing up to Rwanda to living in our village. I enjoyed the book. Wished she had written more details and made it much longer.
The next time she came in my shop, I wanted to hug her. I no longer say the same person. She is still small. She just appears like a giant in my mind. It is odd to read something to personal about a person and then meet her. I told her I enjoyed her book. We had an awkward conversation. I gave her money for the book, she was on her way.
Today she stopped in again. We decided she will stop in weekly. I tried to convey to her how she appears like a hero to me now. I said I feel awed by what she lived through. She said it was just her life. I told her after reading the book I was overwhelmed by what she had lived through. I said she was like a hero, bigger than life. She laughed. She said it was just what she had to do. She had to keep them safe. I said being a Mom. She said yes, yes. That was always on her mind.
We are starting to get to know each other. She said she has not worked since she came here. She has siblings still in Rwanda. She does not know if she will ever be able to go visit them. She said she left the sadness there. She does not know if she could face it there. Her siblings live poorly. They did not have the opportunity to attend college. They live off the land. She said not in a good way. It is more desperate. She said it is like they live in hell, she lives in heaven. She said a few times this is heaven. She said she thinks that there is probably such a sadness with the people there. The sadness will keep them from having the strength to aspire to have more. They are worn down.
I told her it was the first book I read about Rwanda. She asked if I watched the movie Hotel Rwanda. I said no. She said she did not want to watch it. Her book is called, You Are Not Alone. I asked her if it was her faith that guided her. She said, yes. She believes everything happens for a reason. She was meant to live through it and be here. She was meant to write the story to help people understand. Verediane tells her story in a positive way. No anger. Matter of fact. That was her life and what she endured.
I look forward to my weekly visits with Verediane. She asked how I opened a candy store. We talked that everyone has a story. Some stories are just more powerful. We will slowly get to know each other. The people that walk in the door!!!
The next time she came in my shop, I wanted to hug her. I no longer say the same person. She is still small. She just appears like a giant in my mind. It is odd to read something to personal about a person and then meet her. I told her I enjoyed her book. We had an awkward conversation. I gave her money for the book, she was on her way.
Today she stopped in again. We decided she will stop in weekly. I tried to convey to her how she appears like a hero to me now. I said I feel awed by what she lived through. She said it was just her life. I told her after reading the book I was overwhelmed by what she had lived through. I said she was like a hero, bigger than life. She laughed. She said it was just what she had to do. She had to keep them safe. I said being a Mom. She said yes, yes. That was always on her mind.
We are starting to get to know each other. She said she has not worked since she came here. She has siblings still in Rwanda. She does not know if she will ever be able to go visit them. She said she left the sadness there. She does not know if she could face it there. Her siblings live poorly. They did not have the opportunity to attend college. They live off the land. She said not in a good way. It is more desperate. She said it is like they live in hell, she lives in heaven. She said a few times this is heaven. She said she thinks that there is probably such a sadness with the people there. The sadness will keep them from having the strength to aspire to have more. They are worn down.
I told her it was the first book I read about Rwanda. She asked if I watched the movie Hotel Rwanda. I said no. She said she did not want to watch it. Her book is called, You Are Not Alone. I asked her if it was her faith that guided her. She said, yes. She believes everything happens for a reason. She was meant to live through it and be here. She was meant to write the story to help people understand. Verediane tells her story in a positive way. No anger. Matter of fact. That was her life and what she endured.
I look forward to my weekly visits with Verediane. She asked how I opened a candy store. We talked that everyone has a story. Some stories are just more powerful. We will slowly get to know each other. The people that walk in the door!!!
Friday, September 12, 2014
Friday, Noonish
This is random. I am sitting in the shop, reading my Oprah magazine. A young, African American, guy walks in the door. Super polite, soft spoken. He says, "excuse me ma'am, sorry to bother you." He goes on to tell me a story about he and his girlfriend recently moved here. He does not have a job yet. They want to get their kids in the school. They need to ride the train up to Chicago to get the kids. Some of what he said I could not hear. He asked for $5.00. I did not even hesitate. I went and got him $10.00 out of my purse. He shook my hand and thanked me. He said he would be back around and repay me when he could. I did not believe his story for a minute. I have no idea what he wanted the money for. He was dressed nicely, not shabby in anyway. Drug addict or drunk did not jump out at me. I am not sure how he randomly walked in my shop. I am not on the main drag. I am the only retail shop on my side of the street. I watched him walk away. He had a spring in his step. He headed away from the train station. That did not surprise me. I never believed he was getting on a train. There is not a train due for hours. If I had to guess, I would say he went across the street for some food. I really am not a sucker for everyone with a sob story. People come in asking for donations for random causes quite often. I do not automatically give them donations or money. I have compassion, I just cannot help everyone. What I am saying is there is not a sign outside of my shop that says, Sucker. I do not think I have been marked by hobos as a safe place for a free meal. At least, I do not think I have been marked.
In cities people come across people asking for money frequently. In my little town, that does not happen. It felt like a test. I knew it was the right thing to do. At least today when I gave away money, I have made more than I gave away!
In cities people come across people asking for money frequently. In my little town, that does not happen. It felt like a test. I knew it was the right thing to do. At least today when I gave away money, I have made more than I gave away!
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Her Name Was Selena
I have not had a busy summer. Does not put me in a positive frame of mind for blogging. Today I had a pleasant visit. Her name was Selena. She was young. I will guess low 20's. She was taking pictures of our adorable store fronts. When she came in she said it was her first time in our little village. I asked her where she was from, up North. She is on her way to California. Near Los Angeles. She is taking Route 66. She is traveling alone. I asked her if it made her nervous to drive all that way. She said, No, God will protect me. He wants me to do this.
We chatted. She asked me about the candy shop. I explained I felt that I was meant to open the shop. (Been questioning, why lately.) We talked more about her move. She is a Speech Pathologist. She will work mainly with Hispanics. She said in California it is a law that she has to do their treatment in English. She said it makes her sad. The families won't understand their language. We talked about how in America people look down on citizens who still speak their home language. It was just a casual conversation.
She told me she had not planned to come in my shop. She felt like she was nudged to come in. She said God wanted her to tell me that I am very brave. That I am a strong person that does brave things. I thanked her. I said opening this shop was the first brave thing I had done. Most days it feels like maybe it was not brave at all. She said God wanted her to remind me that I am doing important things for my community. Selena asked what I would like for her to pray for me. I said for my shop to succeed.
We hugged. I pointed out some things she should look at in town. She was on her way. Nice little story. Would have ended here. Except while I was writing this a lady came into my shop. She writes children's books. She has written a couple of books about touring Route 66. She stops at shops on Route 66 and sells her books. Might have ignored her. Felt like it was a sign. Had to buy a few of her books. Will see what happens.
We chatted. She asked me about the candy shop. I explained I felt that I was meant to open the shop. (Been questioning, why lately.) We talked more about her move. She is a Speech Pathologist. She will work mainly with Hispanics. She said in California it is a law that she has to do their treatment in English. She said it makes her sad. The families won't understand their language. We talked about how in America people look down on citizens who still speak their home language. It was just a casual conversation.
She told me she had not planned to come in my shop. She felt like she was nudged to come in. She said God wanted her to tell me that I am very brave. That I am a strong person that does brave things. I thanked her. I said opening this shop was the first brave thing I had done. Most days it feels like maybe it was not brave at all. She said God wanted her to remind me that I am doing important things for my community. Selena asked what I would like for her to pray for me. I said for my shop to succeed.
We hugged. I pointed out some things she should look at in town. She was on her way. Nice little story. Would have ended here. Except while I was writing this a lady came into my shop. She writes children's books. She has written a couple of books about touring Route 66. She stops at shops on Route 66 and sells her books. Might have ignored her. Felt like it was a sign. Had to buy a few of her books. Will see what happens.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
His Name Is Gary
When someone says, "can I tell you a story," is it bad that I think about this blog? When it is a great story like the one I heard today, I am ready to push the person out the door and get to my computer. Unfortunately, I had some work to finish up before I could write. There are days I work hard in the candy shop. I know, you don't care. You want the story.
Gary comes in. He is excited about coming to the shop for the first time. That is not unusual for a child. For an adult it is. He started looking around. Mentioned what a great addition this is to our town. I'm thinking, well if people like you never come in, not sure how great it is. Gary said, "I used to be blind." Maybe you saw me walking around with my dog. I said I had not. I asked if he had surgery to correct his blindness. He did not. Gary has multiple sclerosis. He has overcome many obstacles with his disease. There was a time he was in a wheelchair. He had feeding tubes. He had several trachea tubes. It is not uncommon for people with MS to lose their vision. The optical nerves in their eyes can slowly die off. That is what happened to Gary. For two years he was in total darkness. On a Good Friday he woke up and could see. Clearly see. He said he had never seen his dog. It scared him and he screamed. Scared the dog into the other room. His vision is now 20-15. The doctors consider it a miracle. He regenerated new optical nerves. He said they can still see the dead nerves. Now people can get some of their optical nerves back. The miracle is he got all of his back. The doctors said normally when it happens people still wear coke bottle glasses. Not Gary. He has a very mile prescription.
He got to keep his dog. Her name is Hoosier. They still walk 4 miles a day. Gary said each night he makes a plan of something he wants to do the next day. Today the plan was to come to my shop. He said he likes to make people smile, tell his story. He was able to start driving again. No restrictions. He can do his own grocery shopping. Gary still has MS. He is not sitting around wondering how it is going to hit him next. He is out there enjoying life. Today he walked into Coco's and told me his story. He made me laugh, smile, and have goose bumps. Glad he stopped by.
Gary comes in. He is excited about coming to the shop for the first time. That is not unusual for a child. For an adult it is. He started looking around. Mentioned what a great addition this is to our town. I'm thinking, well if people like you never come in, not sure how great it is. Gary said, "I used to be blind." Maybe you saw me walking around with my dog. I said I had not. I asked if he had surgery to correct his blindness. He did not. Gary has multiple sclerosis. He has overcome many obstacles with his disease. There was a time he was in a wheelchair. He had feeding tubes. He had several trachea tubes. It is not uncommon for people with MS to lose their vision. The optical nerves in their eyes can slowly die off. That is what happened to Gary. For two years he was in total darkness. On a Good Friday he woke up and could see. Clearly see. He said he had never seen his dog. It scared him and he screamed. Scared the dog into the other room. His vision is now 20-15. The doctors consider it a miracle. He regenerated new optical nerves. He said they can still see the dead nerves. Now people can get some of their optical nerves back. The miracle is he got all of his back. The doctors said normally when it happens people still wear coke bottle glasses. Not Gary. He has a very mile prescription.
He got to keep his dog. Her name is Hoosier. They still walk 4 miles a day. Gary said each night he makes a plan of something he wants to do the next day. Today the plan was to come to my shop. He said he likes to make people smile, tell his story. He was able to start driving again. No restrictions. He can do his own grocery shopping. Gary still has MS. He is not sitting around wondering how it is going to hit him next. He is out there enjoying life. Today he walked into Coco's and told me his story. He made me laugh, smile, and have goose bumps. Glad he stopped by.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
School Trip To Coco's
Some of the kids had not been in Coco's. Too many!! Some did not know there was a candy store in Dwight. They do now Parents. No more hiding that dirty little secret.
As always, I am reminded there are still so many great children. There were children that only had a little money, there were children that had more than they were to bring. I helped out some of the kids that were just a little short. One little girl that is a regular here, came up to pay with her friend. They each had a candy bar. I said, are you paying for both of you, she said yes. I told each of them to go get a free water. I thanked the girl for being so kind. Her Mom works at the bank next door. I will be sure to tell her she has a daughter to be proud of. I think I already know why her daughter is kind. This year, unfortunately, some kids have found my shop that are not sweet. They leave garbage out front. They have done some damage to the yoga studio steps. They pulled the yoga studio sign done. Makes me sad. Fingers crossed they do not destroy our flowers. All the stores on our little block have petunias planted this year. What a happy street we are!
Fingers crossed all these kids start showing up to Coco's on a regular basis. I sure do need it!
Friday, April 18, 2014
Have A Little Faith
Warm weather is back. Maybe it will even stay around this visit. I can open the front door of my shop. There are chalk drawings back on the front sidewalk. Kids are out and about again. More junior high kids have discovered Coco's. That is good and bad. I am used to my regulars. They are good kids who enjoy having their place. I can and do trust them. If they are short a few cents, they will pay me back the next time they come in. Without my asking. They always remember. With more kids coming around, there are bound to be a few thrown in the bunch that I can't trust. Some that I will have to watch more closely. Some that will not have credit with the shop. They are going to throw their candy wrappers on the ground. They will be destructive. They will not draw cute flowers with the chalk. I can take it. If they are too rotten, they will be banned. Not going to spend too much time stressing about wild children.
Yesterday an eighth grade girl discovered my shop. She was SUPER excited. She has not lived in our town very long. She lived in Detroit before. Imagine what a great change for her. She was in a bad area of Detroit. Now she is in our quaint village. She likes bubble gum. She came in several times and kept buying gum. This afternoon she came in again. I was doing something at the time. Not give her 100% of my attention. She sat down, started coloring, and talking. She likes to talk. She rambled on for a bit about her family. Out of nowhere she says. People think there are only two kids in my family. There are really five. Two brothers still live in Michigan. My one sister is crazy. Really, crazy. She threatened to kill me a few times. She got sent to a mental hospital. I said, I'm sorry. That is sad. She said her sister was sent away two years ago. She is bi-polar and will not take her medications. She does not know where she is now. (My worst nightmare.) Her parents do not talk about her.
Her friend showed up about that time. They got their candy and were on their way. She said she wants to use Coco's as her meeting place. I am good with that.
I am working on fliers for the shop. My new friend that works at The Paper is doing the actual graphic design part of it. She showed me samples. I showed her pictures I want to use. Today she came back with the first draft. I am VERY happy. A couple of tweeks and it will go to print. I will put them at some businesses around town. I hope that will bring more tourists in.
My word for the year is trust. I think Faith goes along with that as a nice companion word.
Happy Easter My Friends!
Yesterday an eighth grade girl discovered my shop. She was SUPER excited. She has not lived in our town very long. She lived in Detroit before. Imagine what a great change for her. She was in a bad area of Detroit. Now she is in our quaint village. She likes bubble gum. She came in several times and kept buying gum. This afternoon she came in again. I was doing something at the time. Not give her 100% of my attention. She sat down, started coloring, and talking. She likes to talk. She rambled on for a bit about her family. Out of nowhere she says. People think there are only two kids in my family. There are really five. Two brothers still live in Michigan. My one sister is crazy. Really, crazy. She threatened to kill me a few times. She got sent to a mental hospital. I said, I'm sorry. That is sad. She said her sister was sent away two years ago. She is bi-polar and will not take her medications. She does not know where she is now. (My worst nightmare.) Her parents do not talk about her.
Her friend showed up about that time. They got their candy and were on their way. She said she wants to use Coco's as her meeting place. I am good with that.
I am working on fliers for the shop. My new friend that works at The Paper is doing the actual graphic design part of it. She showed me samples. I showed her pictures I want to use. Today she came back with the first draft. I am VERY happy. A couple of tweeks and it will go to print. I will put them at some businesses around town. I hope that will bring more tourists in.
My word for the year is trust. I think Faith goes along with that as a nice companion word.
Happy Easter My Friends!
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
His Name Was Ron
First let me say, I cannot make this stuff up. The trains were running late this morning. That means I get more people in the shop to warm up. This man walks in. He is in his 70's, wearing very nice clothes and huge diamonds in his rings. I saw that only because what came out of his mouth flabbergasted me. All I could think when he first started talking was, I cannot wait to write about this. We do a little chatting. Town history, usual talk with people from out of town. He said, "I would like to share a story with you." He starts telling me about when he saw a UFO. He describes it in detail. This is a very well educated man. He said he was able to pull his car over and watch it. He knew there was nothing like this on earth. The next day he called the police to see if anyone else had reported this. They had seven reports exactly like his. Next he says, it is really too personal to talk about being taken aboard and the tests they ran on him. He starts laughing and says, I'm kidding about that part. Cracked me up.
Now I have been through this a few times. I know this man was sent to my shop for a reason. I'm waiting for it to be unveiled. Ron was in the education field. Has his Master's Degree. He said this event was life changing. He started reading all he could find about UFO sightings. He said that led him to start watching shows about it. He said it was all consuming. That led him to start reviewing the brain. Because that is where the research led him. He worked with Special Need students. He started researching more about how the brain is affected by things.
At this point, I figured out why God sent him in the door. We are going to talk about diseases of the brain. My son is schizophrenic. I almost laughed out loud when I figured out why he was here. This stuff is amazing to me. I tell him about the schizophrenia. He tells me about an article I need to read in last month's National Geographic.
Now Ron is working with the #1 authority in the country on brain scans. He was also involved with the Happiness Project that was done at Harvard University. Of course, I have read the book about the Happiness Project. Ron starts telling me about how he is putting together a program to get into the schools on how better to deal with students that have issues. He tells me about this tribe in some country that when confronted with a tribe member with issues they bind them up and put them in the center of their village. All the people from the village come and surround the person. Each member has to tell this person something positive that has come from knowing them.
At this point my mind is blown!! Seriously. He says our schools and police tend to find people with problems and go after them. Reinforces that something is wrong with that person. I lived that with my son. The school wanted him out. It was easy to push his buttons and eventually get him kicked out. I told Ron about the police department in our village. How when my son was the most out of control our police department handled him with kindness and talked him into putting himself in the hospital. He said we were lucky. I know we are.
Ron said he was a Christian. He feels like he was put on a journey to help reach children. He talked out how delicate the brain is. That people do not realize how much damage even alcohol can do to teenager's brains. He said this is not a theory. Brain scans can show the damage.
Like most people that pass through the shop, I do not know how my meeting him will change my life. I just trust that it will. I will read the article he suggested. Something in that article is meant for me to see. I just know it.
Believe in UFO's, do not believe in UFO's, does not matter. It was Ron's journey. It led him to Coco's.
Now I have been through this a few times. I know this man was sent to my shop for a reason. I'm waiting for it to be unveiled. Ron was in the education field. Has his Master's Degree. He said this event was life changing. He started reading all he could find about UFO sightings. He said that led him to start watching shows about it. He said it was all consuming. That led him to start reviewing the brain. Because that is where the research led him. He worked with Special Need students. He started researching more about how the brain is affected by things.
At this point, I figured out why God sent him in the door. We are going to talk about diseases of the brain. My son is schizophrenic. I almost laughed out loud when I figured out why he was here. This stuff is amazing to me. I tell him about the schizophrenia. He tells me about an article I need to read in last month's National Geographic.
Now Ron is working with the #1 authority in the country on brain scans. He was also involved with the Happiness Project that was done at Harvard University. Of course, I have read the book about the Happiness Project. Ron starts telling me about how he is putting together a program to get into the schools on how better to deal with students that have issues. He tells me about this tribe in some country that when confronted with a tribe member with issues they bind them up and put them in the center of their village. All the people from the village come and surround the person. Each member has to tell this person something positive that has come from knowing them.
At this point my mind is blown!! Seriously. He says our schools and police tend to find people with problems and go after them. Reinforces that something is wrong with that person. I lived that with my son. The school wanted him out. It was easy to push his buttons and eventually get him kicked out. I told Ron about the police department in our village. How when my son was the most out of control our police department handled him with kindness and talked him into putting himself in the hospital. He said we were lucky. I know we are.
Ron said he was a Christian. He feels like he was put on a journey to help reach children. He talked out how delicate the brain is. That people do not realize how much damage even alcohol can do to teenager's brains. He said this is not a theory. Brain scans can show the damage.
Like most people that pass through the shop, I do not know how my meeting him will change my life. I just trust that it will. I will read the article he suggested. Something in that article is meant for me to see. I just know it.
Believe in UFO's, do not believe in UFO's, does not matter. It was Ron's journey. It led him to Coco's.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Train to Nowhere
This morning a lady came into my shop. She was very frantic. She thought she might have missed her train. She was going to Chicago to get a connection to Dallas. I got on the website and found out her train was delayed for over 4 hours. That meant she was going to miss her other train. I told her to come in and make a call to Amtrak. She was on the phone to Amtrak for over an hour. Probably longer. The major problem was she only had $7.00. That's right. To go all the way to Texas she had $7.00 and her ticket. The more she asked questions, the uglier her situation became. Even if she made it to Chicago it would be tomorrow before she could catch another train. Union Station is not open 24 hours. She would have nowhere to stay tonight.
While she was on the phone, I started doing some research. This is crazy. Her ticket was sending her North to Chicago to catch a train that would come right back on the same track. The train going South does not stop in our little village in the afternoon. It does stop in a town 20 miles from here. At this point the lady is crying and shaking and overly stressed. I took the phone and asked Amtrak if she could get to Pontiac would she have a place on the train. They said yes. Next I sent a couple of text messages to see if I could find her a ride. I called the taxi. It would be $25 to take her. I know how my little town works. I put a note on Facebook asking if someone could give her a ride. Within minutes her ride was arranged. I packed her a bag with some water, tea, and peanuts. Gave her some cash. Helped her get her suitcases out the door. I know the person that offered her a ride. He is very kind. She is in good hands.
There are a couple of hilarious points to this story. The train she is catching 20 miles south of here was the train she would of gotten on in Chicago. She had to go North in order to get South. Instead she went South, to catch the train she was going North to get on! Amtrak could have offered to stop here and pick her up. It was weather issues that caused her train to be delayed four hours. They would not.
The next point that I continue to chuckle about is, not only have I not had a paying customer today, I gave money away. I am glad I was able to help her. I am very glad I was able to help her along her journey. I will hear from her again. (Cannot remember her name.)
While she was on the phone, I started doing some research. This is crazy. Her ticket was sending her North to Chicago to catch a train that would come right back on the same track. The train going South does not stop in our little village in the afternoon. It does stop in a town 20 miles from here. At this point the lady is crying and shaking and overly stressed. I took the phone and asked Amtrak if she could get to Pontiac would she have a place on the train. They said yes. Next I sent a couple of text messages to see if I could find her a ride. I called the taxi. It would be $25 to take her. I know how my little town works. I put a note on Facebook asking if someone could give her a ride. Within minutes her ride was arranged. I packed her a bag with some water, tea, and peanuts. Gave her some cash. Helped her get her suitcases out the door. I know the person that offered her a ride. He is very kind. She is in good hands.
There are a couple of hilarious points to this story. The train she is catching 20 miles south of here was the train she would of gotten on in Chicago. She had to go North in order to get South. Instead she went South, to catch the train she was going North to get on! Amtrak could have offered to stop here and pick her up. It was weather issues that caused her train to be delayed four hours. They would not.
The next point that I continue to chuckle about is, not only have I not had a paying customer today, I gave money away. I am glad I was able to help her. I am very glad I was able to help her along her journey. I will hear from her again. (Cannot remember her name.)
Friday, December 20, 2013
The Times People Are Not Awesome
I enjoy writing about all the interesting people that I meet in Coco's. Not everyone wants to share their story. Yesterday I had a young man come in that had a two hour wait for the train. He bought coffee. He mentioned there is nothing downtown to do while he waits for the train. I agreed. Wish there was something but there really is nothing! I try to start a conversation. Where you from, what do you do. He answered the questions, grew up in New York, lives in Seattle, parents live in Bloomington, he was just in a nearby town visiting a friend. Conversation stops. Done.
We are looking at a long period of silence. I have a book to read. My time will be filled. I poured some coffee and started reading. No conversation was exchange for well over an hour. He is sighing. Looking at his phone. I want to say, if you were a reader, you would have something to do. We would also have something to talk about. Instead, he is bored. He gets up, buys some candy, thanks me for letting him wait for the train. Mentions the train is on-time. Heads over to the depot. Which is not really a depot. Just a place that used to be a depot and is now a museum that is never open. I think the poor guy waited outside about 45 more minutes before the train showed up.
So, Arizona, just goes to show you, interesting people with amazing stories do not always walk in the door to Coco's. Makes for a more interesting day and blog entry when the people with great stories come in!!
We are looking at a long period of silence. I have a book to read. My time will be filled. I poured some coffee and started reading. No conversation was exchange for well over an hour. He is sighing. Looking at his phone. I want to say, if you were a reader, you would have something to do. We would also have something to talk about. Instead, he is bored. He gets up, buys some candy, thanks me for letting him wait for the train. Mentions the train is on-time. Heads over to the depot. Which is not really a depot. Just a place that used to be a depot and is now a museum that is never open. I think the poor guy waited outside about 45 more minutes before the train showed up.
So, Arizona, just goes to show you, interesting people with amazing stories do not always walk in the door to Coco's. Makes for a more interesting day and blog entry when the people with great stories come in!!
Friday, December 6, 2013
Patrick
I was vacuuming and glanced up. I see a man walking towards the shop from the train. He is dressed in a sweatshirt and sweatpants. He is carrying a box with a handle. He came in and asked if there was a pay phone around. Ding, Ding! I think I know where this is going. I tell him he can use my phone. He said it was long distance. I said it did not matter. He calls his Mom. He said I got off the train in Dwight instead of going all the way to Chicago. It seemed like it made more sense. He talks to his Mom. Talks to someone else. Says, love you. Can't wait to see you.
He gets off the phone and gets a soda. I ask if it has been a while since he saw his family. He said four years. I ask where he was he said Springfield. I took a wild guess and asked if he was incarcerated. He was. He said he was with a friend that committed armed robbery. He did not know the friend was going to do it. He said he was with the wrong person that day. He never made an excuse for what he did. He said prison was the best thing that happened to him. He learned to appreciate life. He learned that he needed to make changes.
Don't waste your time telling me I need to be careful. Patrick was harmless. All he wanted to do was see his daughter. She was 9 when he went in. He now has a teen-ager. I told him to sit down and stay warm until his family arrived. I spent two hours talking to him.
About 10 minutes into our conversation I asked him if he was a reader. There was something about him that made me think he was. He said it is his passion. It is how he survived. He talked about God and where he was meant to be in life. I said Patrick God put you here today. I told him about reading being a huge part of my life. That I love to talk books. That I did book club and was called The Page Turner. He said is reading your super power. I said it sure is. Patrick said he was to stay on that train to Chicago. But he did not want to spend four hours in the city. He made the decision at the last minute to get out here. He started smiling. He said it feels good to know at this moment I am meant to be right here. Patrick told me his favorite books is Les Miserables. He asked if I read it and I said no. He started telling me the story. Tears ran down his face as he talked about it. He said he read it over and over. He gave me his copy. He loved the book so much and gave it to me. I wanted to give him The Shack but did not have it with me. I wrote the name down and he said he would read it.
Patrick said most prisoners find God. Patrick said God was never lost, people are. He was raised in a religious family. He said in prison he studied all kinds of religion. He read psychology books. Any book he could get his hands on. Patrick said he had God in his life, he just did not listen to him.
He talked a little about his life. He said his life plan was to join the military, become a Navy Seal, go into intelligence, get a degree. His little brother was playing with a gun one day and shot his best friend accidentally. The friend was killed. His brother went to a juvenile jail. Patrick lived in the South side of Chicago. He was shot in the head in retaliation. He spent 3 months in a coma. When he came out of it there was no chance of entering the military because of health issues. He had epilepsy and had loss so much weight and muscle tone from being in a coma so long. But he said that was not what caused him to be with the wrong person.
Patrick said he always had to be on the go. He held a full-time job. When he was not working he had to be doing something all the time. He said he could not stop and enjoy life. That is what put him with the wrong person. Do I think he was giving me a line? Who knows. Does not matter to me.
While Patrick was in prison his Grandpa and his Dad both died. He talked about how guilty he felt knowing he caused them so much pain by going to prison.
We talked books. We talked TV. I said I was a reality TV junkie. He said please tell me you do not watch Honey BooBoo. I was proud to say I do not. We talked family. He had watched a reality show about schizophrenia last week. I watched the same program. I was doing some work and he said, it is so quiet. I missed the quiet. He was in a dorm style prison. He said 15 people to a room. The noise never stopped. He talked about how horrible the food was. There were days he did not eat. He said the food was just to fill people up cheaply. He could not wait to eat healthy again. Except he said he would probably stop at McDonald's as soon as he could. His meal tonight would probably be a home cooked steak.
He saw his family drive by and park the car. He walked outside. I went to the window to watch. His daughter came running and threw herself into his arms. Talk about some hugging. They had not seen each other for two years. He came back in and bought her a soda and some bread. We shook hands. I tried to get him to take his book. He refused. I gave him The End Of Life Book Club. He kept saying to his daughter, I can't believe I can hug you. Look at you. You are so beautiful. You are so tall.
Just an ordinary day. Getting things cleaned up for our Christmas Parade. In walks Patrick and my day took on new meaning. Seems like God likes to remind me that I am where I should be.
He gets off the phone and gets a soda. I ask if it has been a while since he saw his family. He said four years. I ask where he was he said Springfield. I took a wild guess and asked if he was incarcerated. He was. He said he was with a friend that committed armed robbery. He did not know the friend was going to do it. He said he was with the wrong person that day. He never made an excuse for what he did. He said prison was the best thing that happened to him. He learned to appreciate life. He learned that he needed to make changes.
Don't waste your time telling me I need to be careful. Patrick was harmless. All he wanted to do was see his daughter. She was 9 when he went in. He now has a teen-ager. I told him to sit down and stay warm until his family arrived. I spent two hours talking to him.
About 10 minutes into our conversation I asked him if he was a reader. There was something about him that made me think he was. He said it is his passion. It is how he survived. He talked about God and where he was meant to be in life. I said Patrick God put you here today. I told him about reading being a huge part of my life. That I love to talk books. That I did book club and was called The Page Turner. He said is reading your super power. I said it sure is. Patrick said he was to stay on that train to Chicago. But he did not want to spend four hours in the city. He made the decision at the last minute to get out here. He started smiling. He said it feels good to know at this moment I am meant to be right here. Patrick told me his favorite books is Les Miserables. He asked if I read it and I said no. He started telling me the story. Tears ran down his face as he talked about it. He said he read it over and over. He gave me his copy. He loved the book so much and gave it to me. I wanted to give him The Shack but did not have it with me. I wrote the name down and he said he would read it.
Patrick said most prisoners find God. Patrick said God was never lost, people are. He was raised in a religious family. He said in prison he studied all kinds of religion. He read psychology books. Any book he could get his hands on. Patrick said he had God in his life, he just did not listen to him.
He talked a little about his life. He said his life plan was to join the military, become a Navy Seal, go into intelligence, get a degree. His little brother was playing with a gun one day and shot his best friend accidentally. The friend was killed. His brother went to a juvenile jail. Patrick lived in the South side of Chicago. He was shot in the head in retaliation. He spent 3 months in a coma. When he came out of it there was no chance of entering the military because of health issues. He had epilepsy and had loss so much weight and muscle tone from being in a coma so long. But he said that was not what caused him to be with the wrong person.
Patrick said he always had to be on the go. He held a full-time job. When he was not working he had to be doing something all the time. He said he could not stop and enjoy life. That is what put him with the wrong person. Do I think he was giving me a line? Who knows. Does not matter to me.
While Patrick was in prison his Grandpa and his Dad both died. He talked about how guilty he felt knowing he caused them so much pain by going to prison.
We talked books. We talked TV. I said I was a reality TV junkie. He said please tell me you do not watch Honey BooBoo. I was proud to say I do not. We talked family. He had watched a reality show about schizophrenia last week. I watched the same program. I was doing some work and he said, it is so quiet. I missed the quiet. He was in a dorm style prison. He said 15 people to a room. The noise never stopped. He talked about how horrible the food was. There were days he did not eat. He said the food was just to fill people up cheaply. He could not wait to eat healthy again. Except he said he would probably stop at McDonald's as soon as he could. His meal tonight would probably be a home cooked steak.
He saw his family drive by and park the car. He walked outside. I went to the window to watch. His daughter came running and threw herself into his arms. Talk about some hugging. They had not seen each other for two years. He came back in and bought her a soda and some bread. We shook hands. I tried to get him to take his book. He refused. I gave him The End Of Life Book Club. He kept saying to his daughter, I can't believe I can hug you. Look at you. You are so beautiful. You are so tall.
Just an ordinary day. Getting things cleaned up for our Christmas Parade. In walks Patrick and my day took on new meaning. Seems like God likes to remind me that I am where I should be.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
James
Just when I think I am never going to have a blog-worthy person enter Coco's, the door opens.... Today it was James. Young guy, mid 30's. James was killing time waiting for his girlfriend. She is doing an internship at the high school in psychology. James is from the UK. He kept saying, in the UK. I love that. They were motoring to Ohio later today. Just need some sweets for the ride. We managed to talk about 90 minutes. James is from the United Kingdom and currently lives in the Netherlands. He was living in New Orleans and recently moved to the Netherlands. His girlfriend is from Ohio. She will be moving to the Netherlands at the end of the year. Maybe! That is up for discussion because she might need to finish a year of post doctoral work.
What did James and I talk about? So many interesting things. I will hit some high points. He told me his parents live in England and that is where he grew up. For a bit he lived in Scotland. He said that was about an 8 hour drive from his parents. He said in the UK that is considered too far to drive. He said Americans consider that a great road trip. They would fly in the UK. I said because of cost? He said, No. Because it is clear on the other side of the UK. They would not dream of driving all the way across the UK. He said they cannot believe how Americans will drive across country.
Another big subject is guns. He said in most countries they are shocked by the fact Americans think they should carry handguns. He said that is not done in the UK or Netherlands. I was explaining it is hunting season here. I told him there is shotgun season and bow season for deer hunting. He said, (say this in an English accent), ah yes, it would be more of a sport without an gun. He said in other countries when they of mass shootings that take place in the US they feel like, what do you expect. If you let everyone have guns it is going to happen. He said few people hunt in the UK. It is not such a big part of their culture like it is here. In order to even have a gun for hunting people have to complete so many checks and paperwork.
Natural Disasters. James said as far as he could tell there are only a few states that are safe from natural disasters. Tornadoes can happen in the UK but they rarely, rarely occur. He cannot believe the US has earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, and tornadoes. The Netherlands are full of canals. He said they have a 1,000 year flood plan. Meaning the chance of flooding is about zero. They had bad floods in the 50's and redid their levee system.
Vehicle insurance. In the UK you pay for liability insurance. Not for a set amount. You just have liability insurance and it covers what is needed. He said they consider the need for millions ridiculous. Their insurance is becoming more Americanized. His father works with Salvage Yards. They used to sell salvage vehicles for a set amount. Now they are negotiating contracts and insurance ask for percent of sales. He said if someone died in an accident they would not consider getting millions for the death.
Medical insurance. It is basically socialized medical coverage. They just don't call it that. By law all people must have coverage. The same type of coverage. They have it for life. He said a young, employed person would pay more than an unemployed poor person. He was shocked that the US does not think they should have to help pay insurance for poor people. James lived in New Orleans so that was his frame of reference. He said it looked like Americans did not care about helping poor Blacks. I said they do care about helping insure anyone if it is going to cost them more money. He was shocked by that. He cannot believe that people can have to go without insurance because of pre-existing conditions. He said it was shocking to him that people would have to keep jobs because of insurance. That he has met professionals that could make much more money by leaving big companies but they do not because of insurance issues. There is socialized medicine that works. The US needs to go to the countries and use them as a model.
News in the US. James said he cannot believe how terrible the news coverage is in the US. He said in order to get unbiased reporting, he watches American BBC or some news agency out of Israel. He said the news that comes out of the US is all about political party control.
The Netherlands. I am very well versed on the Netherlands because I watch House Hunters International of HGTV. I know housing is tough to find and very expensive. James said housing is not the worst of it. People are taxed 51% of their incomes. Can you imagine? I am assuming that James makes a decent salary. He works for Shell Oil. That explains why he was in New Orleans.
All of the windmills. James said he cannot believe how many windmills are around here. Of course, there are windmills in the Netherlands. They still have the old fashioned wood looking windmills. He said their power comes from mainly natural gas, some coal. The cost of natural gas is more than double what we pay in the US. That is unreal!! The high cost of taxes, heating, and housing explains why on House Hunters people are usually looking at tiny apartments.
Vaccinations on children. He said some areas went through people panicking and not giving their children the MMR vaccine. He said the government was not very concerned until large areas of population stopped. They were having Measles, Mumps, and Rubella making a reappearance. He said there were villages that many people were not giving the shots to their children.
Living in New Orleans. We were talking about how there are houses still standing from the flood that have not been torn down. James said that is partially due to the fact that people had houses that were passed down from generation to generation without ever having deeds changed. So people cannot prove they owned the house. Because they were living in houses that were already paid for, they did not have insurance. New Orleans had to create laws after the fact that would allow them to tear down houses for safety reasons. They did not have anything in place to handle all the houses people walked away from. There was a 30% decline in the population. New Orleans has still not recouped that loss. Tourism is still not what it once was. He enjoyed living in New Orleans but he said there are so many issues. The poverty was upsetting to see.
Because I am what my Hubby refers to as a bleeding heart liberal, I agree with so many of the views expressed by James. Now I am sure there are people that would say that James can just stay out of the US if he does not like our country. I would not be one of those people. Diversity is what makes life interesting. Listening to James reminds me that the US is not a country people look up to the way they once did. He said most of the time when the US has a policy it is based on greed. Not necessarily what is best for the most people. That is true. We let people live on the streets, and send millions to other countries. That is something I will never understand.
Another interesting visitor to Coco's. I wish it happened daily. Yes, I do have a crush on James. That English accent kills me.
What did James and I talk about? So many interesting things. I will hit some high points. He told me his parents live in England and that is where he grew up. For a bit he lived in Scotland. He said that was about an 8 hour drive from his parents. He said in the UK that is considered too far to drive. He said Americans consider that a great road trip. They would fly in the UK. I said because of cost? He said, No. Because it is clear on the other side of the UK. They would not dream of driving all the way across the UK. He said they cannot believe how Americans will drive across country.
Another big subject is guns. He said in most countries they are shocked by the fact Americans think they should carry handguns. He said that is not done in the UK or Netherlands. I was explaining it is hunting season here. I told him there is shotgun season and bow season for deer hunting. He said, (say this in an English accent), ah yes, it would be more of a sport without an gun. He said in other countries when they of mass shootings that take place in the US they feel like, what do you expect. If you let everyone have guns it is going to happen. He said few people hunt in the UK. It is not such a big part of their culture like it is here. In order to even have a gun for hunting people have to complete so many checks and paperwork.
Natural Disasters. James said as far as he could tell there are only a few states that are safe from natural disasters. Tornadoes can happen in the UK but they rarely, rarely occur. He cannot believe the US has earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, and tornadoes. The Netherlands are full of canals. He said they have a 1,000 year flood plan. Meaning the chance of flooding is about zero. They had bad floods in the 50's and redid their levee system.
Vehicle insurance. In the UK you pay for liability insurance. Not for a set amount. You just have liability insurance and it covers what is needed. He said they consider the need for millions ridiculous. Their insurance is becoming more Americanized. His father works with Salvage Yards. They used to sell salvage vehicles for a set amount. Now they are negotiating contracts and insurance ask for percent of sales. He said if someone died in an accident they would not consider getting millions for the death.
Medical insurance. It is basically socialized medical coverage. They just don't call it that. By law all people must have coverage. The same type of coverage. They have it for life. He said a young, employed person would pay more than an unemployed poor person. He was shocked that the US does not think they should have to help pay insurance for poor people. James lived in New Orleans so that was his frame of reference. He said it looked like Americans did not care about helping poor Blacks. I said they do care about helping insure anyone if it is going to cost them more money. He was shocked by that. He cannot believe that people can have to go without insurance because of pre-existing conditions. He said it was shocking to him that people would have to keep jobs because of insurance. That he has met professionals that could make much more money by leaving big companies but they do not because of insurance issues. There is socialized medicine that works. The US needs to go to the countries and use them as a model.
News in the US. James said he cannot believe how terrible the news coverage is in the US. He said in order to get unbiased reporting, he watches American BBC or some news agency out of Israel. He said the news that comes out of the US is all about political party control.
The Netherlands. I am very well versed on the Netherlands because I watch House Hunters International of HGTV. I know housing is tough to find and very expensive. James said housing is not the worst of it. People are taxed 51% of their incomes. Can you imagine? I am assuming that James makes a decent salary. He works for Shell Oil. That explains why he was in New Orleans.
All of the windmills. James said he cannot believe how many windmills are around here. Of course, there are windmills in the Netherlands. They still have the old fashioned wood looking windmills. He said their power comes from mainly natural gas, some coal. The cost of natural gas is more than double what we pay in the US. That is unreal!! The high cost of taxes, heating, and housing explains why on House Hunters people are usually looking at tiny apartments.
Vaccinations on children. He said some areas went through people panicking and not giving their children the MMR vaccine. He said the government was not very concerned until large areas of population stopped. They were having Measles, Mumps, and Rubella making a reappearance. He said there were villages that many people were not giving the shots to their children.
Living in New Orleans. We were talking about how there are houses still standing from the flood that have not been torn down. James said that is partially due to the fact that people had houses that were passed down from generation to generation without ever having deeds changed. So people cannot prove they owned the house. Because they were living in houses that were already paid for, they did not have insurance. New Orleans had to create laws after the fact that would allow them to tear down houses for safety reasons. They did not have anything in place to handle all the houses people walked away from. There was a 30% decline in the population. New Orleans has still not recouped that loss. Tourism is still not what it once was. He enjoyed living in New Orleans but he said there are so many issues. The poverty was upsetting to see.
Because I am what my Hubby refers to as a bleeding heart liberal, I agree with so many of the views expressed by James. Now I am sure there are people that would say that James can just stay out of the US if he does not like our country. I would not be one of those people. Diversity is what makes life interesting. Listening to James reminds me that the US is not a country people look up to the way they once did. He said most of the time when the US has a policy it is based on greed. Not necessarily what is best for the most people. That is true. We let people live on the streets, and send millions to other countries. That is something I will never understand.
Another interesting visitor to Coco's. I wish it happened daily. Yes, I do have a crush on James. That English accent kills me.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Gift of Jewel Today
I have not had an awesome encounter for too long. This morning that changed. Jewel came walking into my shop this morning. Pulling a big suitcase. She was on her way to St. Louis for a wedding of a close friend. She said it would be a YaYa Sisterhood week-end. We start chatting. She was talking about how beautiful all the colors of the candy is. I agree. Story goes to, how did I come to open the shop. I tell her the story. I talk about how I am struggling to find customers to keep the place going. She asked if she could pray with me. I said, of course. She told me her name, Jewel. I told her my name. Now Jewel is an African American. This woman could pray. I love the way African Americans pray. It is so up lifting. I feel so good right now.
Jewel told me that she felt she was guided to me. I am sure a believer of that. Seems like people walk in my door often that I am meant to meet. She said yesterday she felt God nudge her. She knew something was going to happen. She is at a crossroad in her life. She worked in the prison outside our town that recently closed. After it closed she went to another county where many of the inmates had been transferred. She helped with the acclimation. (She said it is a nightmare.) Anyway, her story is that she ministers and was starting to feel she being guided away from what she had been doing to a different type of work. She was waiting for the path to open for her. Today her friend was going to bring her to the train just in time so she would not have to wait. Something came up and the friend had to drop her 45 minutes early. That is how Jewel ended up in my shop.
I talked to her about how I loved to hear her pray. She has a beautiful voice. She said that is why she met me today. She was trying to decide to change her career into voice overs and books on audio. I said I would love listening to her read a book. Jewel said this is why we met today. To nudge her into making the decisions.
Talking to Jewel reminded me of another friend that would pray with me. She moved to California. I miss her and listening to her prayers. Part of this journey I have been on has led me to church. Meeting people like Jewel reinforced things do not happen by accident.
Now back to work. Decorating for Christmas. I know it is early. Next week-end is my holiday open house. Need to have some decorations. Just not an over whelming amount. I have been moving shelves around. Putting candy in new spots. Giving Coco's a face lift. I am always shocked that Coco's keeps getting more adorable!
Jewel told me that she felt she was guided to me. I am sure a believer of that. Seems like people walk in my door often that I am meant to meet. She said yesterday she felt God nudge her. She knew something was going to happen. She is at a crossroad in her life. She worked in the prison outside our town that recently closed. After it closed she went to another county where many of the inmates had been transferred. She helped with the acclimation. (She said it is a nightmare.) Anyway, her story is that she ministers and was starting to feel she being guided away from what she had been doing to a different type of work. She was waiting for the path to open for her. Today her friend was going to bring her to the train just in time so she would not have to wait. Something came up and the friend had to drop her 45 minutes early. That is how Jewel ended up in my shop.
I talked to her about how I loved to hear her pray. She has a beautiful voice. She said that is why she met me today. She was trying to decide to change her career into voice overs and books on audio. I said I would love listening to her read a book. Jewel said this is why we met today. To nudge her into making the decisions.
Talking to Jewel reminded me of another friend that would pray with me. She moved to California. I miss her and listening to her prayers. Part of this journey I have been on has led me to church. Meeting people like Jewel reinforced things do not happen by accident.
Now back to work. Decorating for Christmas. I know it is early. Next week-end is my holiday open house. Need to have some decorations. Just not an over whelming amount. I have been moving shelves around. Putting candy in new spots. Giving Coco's a face lift. I am always shocked that Coco's keeps getting more adorable!
Thursday, October 24, 2013
The Next Day
My mind was preoccupied by Jay last night. I worried about where he went. Hubby thought I should have tried to get him help. I disagree because there was nothing about Jay that made it necessary to get him immediate help. Most people would not have picked up there was something wrong with him. He never admitted to being homeless. He did not ask for help. I think I did all I could do. I let him have a rest and get warm. I gave him coffee. I gave him money and directions to get food. If he did not buy the food, nothing I can do about it. He did not come off as a druggie or drinker. His appearance was well kept. He mentioned that is important to him. That he did not want to be perceived as sloppy. Now it is a story without an ending. I guess all of my encounters are that way. His story is one that is too close to home and a bit haunting.
I can tell time by the trains now. I don't hear every train. Not because I can't. The tracks are across the street from my shop. I am able to block out sounds. There have been four trains today. I only noticed two.
It is a sunny day. I love sitting at the table by the window on days like this. The sun is so warm. There is not always things to keep me busy. That is when I read and play on the computer. Not good for the body. I sit too much. Starting today, I am periodically getting up and walking laps in my shop. Sure, it will look crazy. Has to be done!
Hope Jay made it to Bloomington. Hope his cousin took him in. Wish he really would get to attend culinary school. Sigh!
I can tell time by the trains now. I don't hear every train. Not because I can't. The tracks are across the street from my shop. I am able to block out sounds. There have been four trains today. I only noticed two.
It is a sunny day. I love sitting at the table by the window on days like this. The sun is so warm. There is not always things to keep me busy. That is when I read and play on the computer. Not good for the body. I sit too much. Starting today, I am periodically getting up and walking laps in my shop. Sure, it will look crazy. Has to be done!
Hope Jay made it to Bloomington. Hope his cousin took him in. Wish he really would get to attend culinary school. Sigh!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
He Said His Name Was Jay
Earlier a guy came in carrying a duffel bag and backpack. Young, 26 years old. He started talking to me about the train. He wants the train to Bloomington. He has a 6 hour wait. He sits down and starts talking. Talking and talking. I gave him a cup of coffee. He told me many stories. One thing he was consistent about was that he is going to Bloomington to stay with his cousin. He rambled quite a bit. He said he spent last night in this town 20 miles north of here. Mainly he walks. My impression is that he is homeless, maybe mentally ill. He sounds schizophrenic. Not dangerous. Friendly as can be. The average person might not think he was mentally ill. I picked up on a few things while he was talking. He is exhausted. He asked if he could put his head down. I told him yes. He wants to own a restaurant. He loves food. He showed me a food magazine. He wants to go to culinary school. I tried to find out if he worked. Does not sound like it. He says he has $10:00 for the train. He dozed for a little while. I would let him sleep her all day but not a great look for my shop. He asked if people in my town are friendly. I said not really but they would not hurt him. He is an African American stranger in a mainly white town.
Coach stopped by for an afternoon snack while Jay had his head down resting. Coach motioned to me, what's going on. I wrote him a note. Several customers came in while Jay was here. He spoke to them too. He is very personable.
I asked him when was the last time he had food. He said he thinks two days. I told him I would give him money to go get a good meal but he would have to walk. He said he would. I gave him directions to a family style restaurant. I told him he would pass Dairy Queen but I hope he would walk an additional block to get a good meal. He said he would. He was appreciative. He asked if there was work he could do to pay me back. I said no. Just make sure he ate.
I wish there was a place I could send him to sleep. He said he was distracted and his phone was stolen. Who knows if he really had a phone. That happened in Chicago. He still has a few hours until the train. I'm sure I will see him back here before I close. I told him if I do not see him that when he gets to Bloomington if he does not have a place to go there are some shelters. The shelters will at least get him a warm meal.
I know he was sent to me. I wish I could say, do you have an illness. I'm sure he would deny it. I hope there is a cousin in the city. I hope the cousin lets him stay. He mentioned that family gets tired of him and sends him along his way. Glad I was able to offer him money for a meal before I sent him off. I thought about having food delivered so I knew he really ate. But, I can't have people feeling uncomfortable when they come in the shop. There was nothing about him that screamed, I want money for drugs or booze. I really think he is just hungry and tired. Now he will only be tired.
Coach stopped by for an afternoon snack while Jay had his head down resting. Coach motioned to me, what's going on. I wrote him a note. Several customers came in while Jay was here. He spoke to them too. He is very personable.
I asked him when was the last time he had food. He said he thinks two days. I told him I would give him money to go get a good meal but he would have to walk. He said he would. I gave him directions to a family style restaurant. I told him he would pass Dairy Queen but I hope he would walk an additional block to get a good meal. He said he would. He was appreciative. He asked if there was work he could do to pay me back. I said no. Just make sure he ate.
I wish there was a place I could send him to sleep. He said he was distracted and his phone was stolen. Who knows if he really had a phone. That happened in Chicago. He still has a few hours until the train. I'm sure I will see him back here before I close. I told him if I do not see him that when he gets to Bloomington if he does not have a place to go there are some shelters. The shelters will at least get him a warm meal.
I know he was sent to me. I wish I could say, do you have an illness. I'm sure he would deny it. I hope there is a cousin in the city. I hope the cousin lets him stay. He mentioned that family gets tired of him and sends him along his way. Glad I was able to offer him money for a meal before I sent him off. I thought about having food delivered so I knew he really ate. But, I can't have people feeling uncomfortable when they come in the shop. There was nothing about him that screamed, I want money for drugs or booze. I really think he is just hungry and tired. Now he will only be tired.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Ellen Was Her Name
This morning a lady came into my shop that was waiting for a train. She had the times confused and had over an hour to wait. By now you have probably figured out I can have conversations with anyone. I sat down and we started chatting. First about my business, how I got started. She told me about the business her husband and she started. Sad story, ending with a fire. The topic comes up that her son has a benign brain tumor. She tells me about how it is twisted around his brain stem. It cannot be removed. He had chemo to see if it would shrink it, it did not. Radiation could cause brain damage. She told me about the trials her son faces. Daily headaches. His fight to stay healthy. Depression can set in. I know about living with a child with an illness. I talk about my son. We discuss how life does not always go by our plan. We connected on a few subjects. She said she could talk to me because I was a stranger. Her son does not want her talking to people about his illness. Old Lady, I told her about your phrase, "It is not my story to tell." She loved that phrase. Said she would be using it. God came into the discussion. About if we have anger, do we feel punished. I said, I do not. I always have it in my mind that so many people are so much worse off than we are. She agreed.
When her son came off the train, I was thrilled to see him. I'm looking at him feeling awed by the challenges he faces and fights to overcome. She went to greet her son and they both returned. He got a bag of candy. His Mom handed me a religious pamphlet and told me her name was Ellen. Odd that we never exchanged names during our long, personal conversation. I will probably never see her again. I will think of her. It is another reminder that everyone has a story. Many people are facing challenges that we cannot see. I am sure there was a reason that Ellen and I met today. The thing is our conversation was not tragic and woe is me. It was about strength and parenthood. Not about this how hard and terrible our children have it. It felt like a positive encounter.
The first line that jumped out at me on the pamphlet was: God has a plan for your life. I feel that so much now. Her visit reminded me of that. I need to do my best and know that I am on a path. Very positive meeting.
When her son came off the train, I was thrilled to see him. I'm looking at him feeling awed by the challenges he faces and fights to overcome. She went to greet her son and they both returned. He got a bag of candy. His Mom handed me a religious pamphlet and told me her name was Ellen. Odd that we never exchanged names during our long, personal conversation. I will probably never see her again. I will think of her. It is another reminder that everyone has a story. Many people are facing challenges that we cannot see. I am sure there was a reason that Ellen and I met today. The thing is our conversation was not tragic and woe is me. It was about strength and parenthood. Not about this how hard and terrible our children have it. It felt like a positive encounter.
The first line that jumped out at me on the pamphlet was: God has a plan for your life. I feel that so much now. Her visit reminded me of that. I need to do my best and know that I am on a path. Very positive meeting.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
The Kid
Today, after school, two junior high girls came in. They have been in a few times. After hello, one of the first things they said was, "Is The Kid still dating (insert girl name)?" I said, I don't know. I am his grandma. One of them told me she thought he was cute. Which he is. Super cute! Really, more handsome than cute. The one girl told me she would go out with him if he asked. She giggled, don't tell him I said that. Translate, please tell him I said so. Which I did not do. I do not care how much money girls spend in my shop hoping to get a glimpse of The Kid, I will not ask him out for someone.
I might try to get him to spend more time at the shop if it attracts more girls. They had a huge bag of change and were not afraid to spend it.
What happened to our sweet baby boy? Sigh!!
I might try to get him to spend more time at the shop if it attracts more girls. They had a huge bag of change and were not afraid to spend it.
What happened to our sweet baby boy? Sigh!!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
The Boys
I have about four groups of boys that come into my shop on a regular basis. One group comes in almost every single day. Sure hope they are not using lunch money for candy. There is a group of two boys that come in whenever they get the chance. They like to get their candy and sit for a chat. Very nice boys. They started coming in during the summer.
Yesterday one of the boys came in the door. He had a huge smile on his face. He said, "I brought my family today." He had his Mom, little sister, big sister, and niece. He was so excited to show his family the store. I told his Mom I might have seen her son in the shop a time or two. I called him by name. She said, I'm sure he is here quite a bit." I told her what a nice boy she has. I think it is important to let parents know when their kids are using manners outside their home. We all liked to be reminded that we have good children. She introduced herself and we chatted. Her son showed her his favorite candy. She was a little concerned when saw the $10.00 a pound. I explained he gets one or two strings of rock candy. That will run around $1.00. The entire family bought some candy. They all left with smiles.
Young kids like it that I remember them when they come in. I think it makes them feel like they belong here. Which, they do belong. Not a day goes by that I do not get a chance to see how many great kids live in my small town. Nice feeling.
I am going to need to consider making a frequent shopper card. The kids would love having one.
Yesterday one of the boys came in the door. He had a huge smile on his face. He said, "I brought my family today." He had his Mom, little sister, big sister, and niece. He was so excited to show his family the store. I told his Mom I might have seen her son in the shop a time or two. I called him by name. She said, I'm sure he is here quite a bit." I told her what a nice boy she has. I think it is important to let parents know when their kids are using manners outside their home. We all liked to be reminded that we have good children. She introduced herself and we chatted. Her son showed her his favorite candy. She was a little concerned when saw the $10.00 a pound. I explained he gets one or two strings of rock candy. That will run around $1.00. The entire family bought some candy. They all left with smiles.
Young kids like it that I remember them when they come in. I think it makes them feel like they belong here. Which, they do belong. Not a day goes by that I do not get a chance to see how many great kids live in my small town. Nice feeling.
I am going to need to consider making a frequent shopper card. The kids would love having one.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Positive News Update
A while back I bought candy in the high school and grade school colors. Hope to get some team spirit going. I ordered some suckers that say, Go Trojans! Homecoming 2013. Suckers are in school color too. Today a lady came in looking for a bouquet for her son to give a girl to ask her to homecoming. She bought a bag of the candy with a sucker tied on it.
I hope that is a shot in the arm that the sweet shop needs. Want to get some high school kids in here. One sucker in a small school can be talked about all over town in no time!!! Hope there is a rush on suckers.
Feeling Better!
I hope that is a shot in the arm that the sweet shop needs. Want to get some high school kids in here. One sucker in a small school can be talked about all over town in no time!!! Hope there is a rush on suckers.
Feeling Better!
Friday, September 13, 2013
The Journey
Today a couple traveling through by motorcycle stopped at Coco's for some coffee. They were a retired couple from Minnesota. They went up to Ontario, over to New York, down the East Coast. Making their way back home via Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Today is their 14th day of the trip. I asked what route they are on. They said they do not even know. They set their GPS to their destination for the day and just drive. No interstates are used. Sounds great, except the motorcycle part.
They complimented me on the shop. Asked how long I had been open. I told them the story. A shortened version of the story. They loved it. They are city people. They were surprised that there are not retail stores in our little town. We had a nice visit.
After they left I put together the similarities of our situations. They are on a physical journey. I am on a journey too. I took a detour from my original destination. I am sure they do the same thing. If they see something they want to look at, they stop and spend time. I told them about a few sights to see in town. They were going to check them out.
Once again I was hit with the saying I have heard and read many times, Life is About The Journey, Not The Destination. I finally get it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)