Putting the Y in Yummy.........

"It's not that bad, Vic."

I was at a bar. NO VICTOR!  YOU?!!!

Funny haha, but yes, yes I was.  There is a young lady, server if you will, that I love.  No, no, no, not that kinda love - although she is a pretty lady.  It's just that she is always on her game.  Always friendly, happy, upbeat - no matter. No matter.

No matter if it's a hunnerd degrees out, her hair is pinned up so she won't be so hot, but, sweat drips anyways after she makes 962 trips back and forth throughout the sultry night.

No matter if 'tis freezing out. Or, surely that time she had a splitting headache and only got 3 hours of sleep.  Maybe found out a beloved relative had gone into hospice.  Could be that her cousin was in a car wreck, thankfully fine, but now, forced to seek a car he/she can't really afford.

Maybe a customer had a bad day, said something ugly the first time she approached. Maybe she heard (for the 4,323rd time) from one a little tipsy "did you even put any vodka in this drink?" Maybe customers told her it was too hot... too cold... can you turn the juke box up, down, can I get the Texas Tech game on that third tv there.  Did you even put our food order in?

And then there was the time her BFF found out her hubby was cheating on her, and she was there, shared, loved during the devastation.  Maybe she had the beginnings of the flu, better take a Covid test. The ankle she'd sprung last summer done sprung again.

That maybe she was wearing the last clean change of clothes she had available and she must do laundry when she gets off work at 3am. After she warms her car up and scrapes the snow, ice from it.

It don't matter.  She puts the Y in yummy - as in life.

I have no idea if any of the above has happened to her - but, it's the kinda stuff that happens to all of us ain't it?

She could.......... call in sick.  Go home, turn the lights off. Set her phone on 'do not disturb'. No social media, no returned texts.  Snap back to the customers "I don't conrol the heat... cold.. kitchen cook. I've got SIX customers I need to wait on, but you, YOU want me to stop and find the damn Texas-whatever game?.... or, mebbe, "I put the same gosh darn amount of Vodka EACH AND EVERY TIME in drinks."

She could share with her coworkers........."My back hurts.. today is my anniversary, I don't wanna be here.... that lady/man sitting at table 23 is an ass... is it Friday yet?"

But........

She doesn't.

She puts the Y in Yummy. Always friendly, happy, upbeat - no matter. No matter.

I always tease her a bit... after watching her make 42 trips to and fro I'll say "When you get off break can I get another one?"  Her response is always the same.  A big ole' yummy smile.

So....... one day I finally asked her..  "Are you on drugs?  You're ALWAYS happy."

"It's not that bad, Vic."

Damnit darnit. I hate (LOVE) when young people are role models for us old farts. Or, role models for anyone for that matter.  It matters to her. To be the best, enjoy life at it's best, which, is a hunnerd percent of the time.

If you've ever been to The Landing Eatery and Pub in Liberty, MO, it's for certain you know exactly who I'm referring to.  Thankfully, there are folks like that allover.  Wherever you live. Ya seen 'em, I've seen 'em.  At the Piggly Wiggly.. that one guy/gal greeting us as we walk into Wally.. the cashier that's been on his/her feet for over four hours at Caseys... that aunt/uncle sitting over there at the family reunion.  That little guy on the tee ball team.  The third base coach.  The one that always drives that red golf cart. Nice, good people are everywhere.

I (maybe we) have GOT to remember, "It's not that bad, Vic (or enter your name here)."

Love, Victurd