Come Up and See Me Some Time

When my wife was in college a boy approached her in one of her classes, handed her a note, and walked away. She panicked. She didn't want to read it in front of other people so she quickly gathered her belongings and ran to a restroom. She ducked into a stall and opened the note. I imagine that she held it in her clenched fists and had one eye closed as she slowly opened it. I imagine she had her hands just in front of her face and slowly peeled the pages of the note apart as if trying to sneak up on the words or prevent them from jumping off the paper. Somebody had asked her on a date. She failed that class because she never went back. You're right, it is a bit odd.

There are a couple of customers (remember, I work at Starbucks) that make me feel very uncomfortable because of the way we interact. A couple of ladies and one guy come quickly to mind. There are some customers with whom I am more friendly than others; but these three are not just friendly. They stare and leer. They make me feel creepy.

This Friday- hey, that's tomorrow- is my last shift there. A lot of people wish me well and say they will miss me. One customer gave me 2 sweet potato pies (one of my favorite pies). Some have hugged me (I don't think I would do that in their shoes). Another, a vocal and aggressive anti-theist, says he wants to "hang out." A lot of regulars have been tipping a little more. All in all, the end of my Starbucks life has been good. Except for one thing... so far. One of the leery ladies gave me her phone number. She said something like, "If you're ever so inclined (wink)..." and handed me a card. The situation struck me as so odd that I laughed. Then I tried to cover up my laugh with a cough. Then I changed the subject to the fact that her name on the card and the name she always gives are different. Then I mentioned my wife. Then I said, "I gotta go" and went to the back of the store. I kinda felt like a jerk.

I think I can sympathize with my wife. Don't get me wrong, what she did in college is crazy. But I can sympathize.

Meeting people, making yourself vulnerable, sharing histories, intimacy of any kind are all risky things any way we do it. There are some interactions that make the risks of human intercourse that much riskier, even so we're supposed to be intimate with each other. We're supposed to be connected and dependent. (Am I going to start talking about sex again?- maybe- I think I'm definitely going to sound like an old man though)

I don't know anyone alive that has preached or taught on chastity. But then, I don't know a lot of things. So if the average church goer even knows the word, I would bet they think immediately of sex. That's too bad. It's a much more beautiful concept than the image of a chastity belt or celibacy imply. It has more to do with being human with each other- in the relations made possible in Christ.

I really have to go... I want to write more about this. Every time, well most of the time, I say, "more on this later" I don't get back to it. Oh well. Maybe.

If you checked that "Mexicans" link you may have seen that Danny hasn't posted anything in almost a month. How 'bout putting some pressure on him to write something? I'll post his phone number if he doesn't write something soon.

What's Bouncing Off My Eardrums?
Chameleon-Herbie Hancock
Doing It to Death-James Brown
Anarchy in the UK-The Sex Pistols
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill-The Beatles
Stop Draggin' Around-Lenny Kravitz
Don't Stop-Fleetwood Mac
Born As Ghosts-Rage Against the Machine
St Louis Blues-Louis Prima
I Could Stay Here Forever-Frank Black
You Dropped A Bomb On Me-The Gap Band