A GOOD DAY IN THE SLOPE

A few days ago, Mike reminded me that Sunday (today) I would have my monthly work shift at the food co-op. I had totally forgotten about it and was not looking forward to giving up half of the last day of the weekend to walk people and their grocery carts to their cars/apartments and back. To make matters worse, it was raining when I woke up, and that meant that I'd be out in inclement weather for nearly 3 consecutive hours. Blah.

Twenty minutes into the work shift, it became apparent that the raincoat I borrowed from Mike was not waterproof. So I was the Soggy Muffin Cartwalker for a while, until I could stand it no more. I wrapped the coat around my waist and walked in the rain in my t-shirt. Damp skin felt a lot better than skin enveloped in damp fabric.

Fortunately, the rain couldn't stay in the way of me having a good work shift. Every person who I escorted to their car or apartment was a total delight to be with. Each person had a totally different background, too. There was an interactive installation artist who invited me to her upcoming open studio. There was a mom from Gaiana whose daughter goes to Little Red School House, a Manhattan school I knew from my days as a grad student in education. Plus, it was great to see some of the regular workers from my shift.

After the shift was over, my feet were soaked. So I ran across the street to the drugstore (the kind that has everything under the sun) and found a pair of $1 flip flops that I immediately jumped into. Ah - the sweet relief of wet socks removed. Then I went next door to the candy/newsstand and got the Sunday New York Times - always a beloved weekend ritual. With Times in hand, I plunked down at a little diner, ordered lunch, and read my heart out. I sat close enough to the entrance that I could feel the cool, post-rain breeze on my nearly-bare feet.

Now I'm home to clean the apartment, a chore which seems less daunting after a fun day in the Slope.

Seems like it's gonna be a good Fall.