Great Expectations

For the past few weeks life has pretty much sucked. Most days were frustrating at best. Stuff at work has just been really crazy and then to come home and return in fewer than 12 hours is really draining. I found myself daydreaming about other careers…most of them involved giving tours in tropical places or selling pastries. This past Sunday I prayed and asked God to redeem the week that was to come (8/18). My team had a big client presentation on Tuesday, so I also asked for favor and open minds. That evening when I went to church the Lord really spoke to me about being the woman he called me to be (Col 2:20 – 3:10). I went home and immediately emailed the pastor and thanked him the message and let him know that it really encouraged me for the week to come. I even emailed some of my co-workers (fellow Christians) and let them know my prayer for the week. That night I went to sleep with great expectations.

On Monday morning I walked in knowing it was going to be a very late night, but I never predicted that I’d be walking down 5^th Avenue with my boss at 12:45am hailing a cab back to Brooklyn. But the preparations for Tuesday’s presentation were quite extensive and my work mantra is “Team work makes the dream work”, so the late night was inevitable.

And guess what! Tuesday’s presentation went splendidly. The Lord really came through and there was a lot of favor thrown our way. Several of the people in the room even called my boss personally to tell her how much they appreciated the work and were excited to see what came out next. I’m not gonna lie, it’s a good feeling when you know the people on your team want to work as hard as you do – it will usually produce great results.

Another great thing happened on Tuesday! Some of my friends from Austin were in NY for a few days and invited me to dinner. I agreed and met up with the guys and headed over to Little Italy for some grub. I really love that area because it’s just bursting with live and action. There are lights, restaurants, shopping and even though I like to stay away from tourist traps it’s great to get out once in a while and enjoy those things that make other people think NY is such a cool place. One thing that struck me as extremely bizarre was that all the hostesses at the Italian restaurants were Russian! Isn’t that weird?? When we asked why they were in NY and how they wound up working in Little Italy they replied “Because I enjoy working here”

***insert skeptical look***

We figured it’d be best to leave it alone and just make up our own stories about the girls. The best one we came up with was that the Russian and Italian mafias had a plan to blow up the embassy (which embassy they were going to blow up was never clarified, but in all those spy movies there’s always an embassy, a diplomat or relative of a diplomat that is in danger, so we figured the story fit – I actually make up stories about people a lot. If I’m on the subway and I see someone that is of particular interest to me I’ll make up a little story about them or try to guess when they’ll get off the train. For instance, big sweaty bald guy, black duffle bag, gold wrist watch…oh! He’s a Pilates instructor, he’ll get off at 7th avenue stop in Brooklyn were he’ll meet his girlfriend for dinner in Park Slope. The bag is full of flyers for his next charitable event – save the North Atlantic Loggerhead Turtle. Even though I’m probably wrong most of the time, I like to play anyway, makes the ride more interesting).

Later walked around China Town and I even heard a woman yell “Fi’ dolla! Fi’ dolla! Sunglasses fi’ dolla!” it was awesome…really made the whole China Town experience compete. Got home late on Tuesday night too, but it was worth it.

Wednesday was really pretty uneventful except for the subway ride home. I was in a very crowded, but quiet car when at the second stop a homeless man stepped got on to make an announcement:

“Excuse me, excuse me! God bless you all. I’m homeless and hungry and if you can spare some food or some change I’d really appreciate it. God bless you. God bless you. It’ll really help, I’m so hungry. God bless you all”

A woman, conservatively dressed by any standards, reached in her purse and pulled out a few coins to give to the man. He thanked her emphatically and turned to walk to another part of the car, but overcome with her kindness he turned back to her, held up his fist and said “Awww…man! Put it right here!” The woman stared at his hand quizzically, shifted her focus to his dirty face and then back to his hand and gave the man dap with her diamond-clad fist! Immediately I tucked my chin into my chest to laugh. I don’t know if anyone else saw it, or if anyone else thought it was funny, but the two were such opposites and were able to connect on that level. It definitely gave her a little street cred in my eyes.

Thursday morning was eventful, but only for the few moments in my building’s elevator. You see, there is a family in my building with two elementary school age girls. I usually find myself meeting one of the girls in the elevator or playing with cousins outside (there are two middle-aged brothers in my building, both with school age children), but never together. The oldest (probably 6 years old), no matter the location, finds herself glancing in my direction, giggling and then hiding her eyes. Sometimes she’ll ask questions like “where do you live?” or “where are you going?” I always answer and she always grins and says “ooohhhhhh…”

One time I ran into her on the elevator and she assured her cousins, who were immediately silenced the minute I stepped on, that I didn’t bite. I was really glad that she cleared that up for us.

Anyway, this week I finally ran into both girls at once (accompanied by their father – the resemblance is uncanny). The eldest, true to form, looked, giggled and hid her eyes. The youngest (probably 4), however, was not as shy. Donned in her brother’s hand-me-down basketball shorts and a tee shirt, she openly quizzed her father about a burnt out light bulb on my floor.

“But why is it out?” she’d squeak, waving a water pistol – probably her brother’s too.
“Because that’s what light bulbs do” her father replied in a thick middle eastern accent.
“But why?” she said as she tilted her head, pistol still in hand
“Ummmm…” the girl raised her eyebrows in anticipation of her father’s response and scratched her head with the tip of the gun.

How do you explain why a light bulb goes out to a pre-schooler brandishing a weapon anyway?

It made me giggle. Saturday morning I saw them again, on the way to do my laundry, playing what appeared to be school with cousins The youngest girl (again in her brother’s clothes) was picking her nose furiously (FYI – this laundry mat thing is keeping me up at night. On the one hand it’s very convenient; you can wash all your clothes at once and it will probably only take about an hour out of your day vs. having your own washer and dryer and having to wash one load at a time and stagger loads because the dryer takes too long, etc. Back in Austin, it would usually take me hours if not days. But on the other hand, when I take my personal items – some of them with a certain scandalous air – to the laundry mat my neighbors are all privy to panties! It’s so embarrassing! The washer will buzz as if to say “Amelia! Your clothes are clean you dirty little girl! Such a you saucy little minx you are…rawr!!!” I’ll toss it all in the dryer only to blush as my underwear is strewn about for all of Brooklyn to see. Maybe no one cares, but I find that impossible to believe because I usually get astonished looks from the women).

The rest of Saturday was pretty uneventful; I watched “Elizabethtown” and gave myself a pedicure. More than anything the movie convinced me that I absolutely MUST take another road trip with Gerald. From time to time, my mind will sneak back to our trip to NY from Austin and it will bring this huge grin to my face. I think (this is just me…I haven’t actually run this by Gerald yet) that when I move back to Austin I’ll take a week or more off to move, ship my stuff to Austin, fly to Chicago, buy a car, drive to LA, vacation in California for a few days and then head back to Texas stopping at the Grand Canyon and various spots along the way...maybe I need a month. Give me junk food, a good play list and the open road and I’m golden…

So, long story short, the Lord redeemed this past week for the troubles in the weeks previous. Love that!