Monday, September 10, 2007

A quick post before bed

As I sat at work today, I put on some blues music. Not that I'm particularly sad or anything but it's one of those days when I just need to hear something I can ignore. I'm the first one there so I get about a good 30 minutes to myself to hear semi-loud whatever I want. But once the others in my team come in it all changes.

I used to listen to my music all the time without headphones at work. I even have a 100 watt sub-woofer under my desk for when we really would jam. But lately there are too many people in my office, five of us in a small room. And well my musical tastes are not anywhere near the same as their.

Mr. DryToast listens to 7o's soft rock. Pterodactyl Lady listens to utter crap. And our newest member listens to oldies, most of the time. (Not that I don't like oldies but all day long it gets to you.) And she listens to as Barry from High Fidelity would put it, sad bastard music. Old country songs that are depressing and slow. Now I like Hank Willams and Dwight Yokam, and the others she plays, but not every freaking day. It just gets so depressing. So today she came in and put that on right away. Seeing as I got all of three hours of sleep the night before I couldn't take it and asked her to turn it down, to which she ignored me. Then asked why I don't like her music. I told her I liked it but it's too depressing for that on a Monday morning, and just wanted to hear something I could ignore.

She still kept her music on and I put on my gigantic DJ headphones that cancel out all noise. I ended up tuning into the classical channel on my satellite for most of the day. Thank goodness I can actually log in and listen online at work to the satellite. I don't know what I'd do without it.

But my lunch time made up for it. I went back to the cafe I sometime frequent down the street. I ordered my sandwich and sat outside by myself on the patio. It was sunny and just right, but it was still under the shade. I was practically done with a new book I just bought the day before, "Among Other Things I've Taken Up Smoking". Which is a good read by the way. I placed my number for my order in the ashtray outside so it would have something to stick up on.

The young man who came out to serve me my sandwich was very nice. He gave me my meal and noticed I didn't have any napkins. He asked me if I needed some. For some stupid reason I said no, though it was obvious I needed some cause the sandwich was dripping and hot. He gave me a puzzled look and said "okay.." and went back inside. I sat there not knowing why I said I didn't need napkins. Maybe because I saw him working too through the windows cleaning tables etc, and didn't want to make more work for him. I finished the page of the second to the last chapter of the book I was on. And proceeded to eat. My hands getting wet and greasy. And then I thought to myself, dammit I need a napkin. No sooner had I thought this then the young man came out with a large stack of napkins for me, and handed them for me and said, "Well...you never know right", and turned and went back inside.

I don't know why but just that alone made my day. I got up to take my plastic basket the sandwich came with inside when I was done and before I could open the door he popped out and took it for me. He was just wonderful. Needless to say I left a large tip in the tip jar. Some days it's just the little things that make it so much better.

3 comments:

Cup said...

It is the little things, isn't it?

BTW, I want to kick the shin of that nasty coworker who won't turn down her crap music. So rude.

Among Other Things I've Taken Up Smoking sounds good; I may have to pick it up this weekend.

Dale said...

I have long ignored the power of the napkin but no more! It's so funny that you initially said no but the universe conspired to change your answer for you.

Artful Dodger said...

Beth: It's ok, most of the time we get along so you don't have to kick her. And the book I loved but its a dare I say, "Coming of age" kinda read. I hate that phrase. I loved it, some might not, it was just on my reading list from Barnes.

Dale:
I too find that the universe has been changing many things in my life that I'd never thought would happen. Hmmmm...I sense a great disturbance in the force.