Did you know that once upon a time I actually had to maintain employment for money to find its way into my bank account twice a month? It's true.
Back then, I had two cute little twenty-something file clerks that shared a cubicle not too far from mine. Joel and Debra were my work-kids. I would remind them to quit partying so much, tell them to take their college classes more seriously and to eat their vegetables. In turn, they would school me in music, current fashion, and Debra taught me how to use an eyebrow pencil.
Like most of the people that I liked at work, Joel and Debra's names soon disappeared into silly nicknames. Joel was Mexican and because I had lived in SoCal for nearly 5 years I was just gangster enough to pronounce the 'J' as an 'H'. 'Hoel' turned into 'Hoel-ito' then just straight up 'Lito'. (Which incidentally has become my actual son's nickname.) Debra was a itty-bitty one and my creativity led me to 'Little Deb'.
Lito and Little Deb could not stand each other - at first. Day by day I saw her start to laugh at his jokes and him listen intently as she complained about her boyfriend. Soon the boyfriend was history and these two little file clerks were taking lunch breaks together and laughing as they passed each other in the hallway. Being their work mom, it was my job to provide advice and as Valentine's Day approached Joel was in desperate need of my opinion. He called me over while Deb was away on an errand and showed me a picture on his computer screen of a vase of red roses, baby's breath and a bunch of fern. "I think this is what I'm getting Deb for Valentines Day. What do you think?"
"They're really nice...but what about something a little more....unexpected? Everyone gets red roses, what about something like this?", as I pulled up a colorful tropical number on the same website. I left him to make his own choice, but not without providing him a few options.
A few days later the delivery guy showed up at Little Deb's desk. He presented a beautiful arrangement full of exotic rainbow hued blossoms. I was so proud. It was amazing. My little Lito had done well.
I picked myself up and walked straight over to Deb, "Oh my gosh! They're incredible!" I gushed.
She smiled, trying to hide her disappointment, but it didn't last long. "I just really like red roses."
"Your birthday's right around the corner. Maybe you could have someone clue him in?", was all I could bring myself to say as I rushed back to my desk to finish an 'important' file.
***I ran into my work-kids a few months ago at the mall and nearly fell over when they told me they were coming up on their 7th anniversary and finally talking about getting married. Luckily, my meddling didn't screw things up too terribly.***
Happy Valentines Day!
2 comments:
This is hilarious. It doesn't sound like a ruined Valentines Day to me!
Your funny! I think seven years ago we were what you would call "little 20 somethings" or did I go into a coma and just wake up and I am really 40? Confussed a bit but you were always more mature for your age! hahaha! Not!!!!
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