The Second Step

For the last 4 years a group of us girls have been meeting at Starbucks to run. Afterward, we always sit for about 15-20 minutes to have coffee and visit. It truly is the best part of my day. It’s early, but my friends are tried and true and I can always count on them to be there. We have seen many baristas come and go and all of them learn our drinks very quickly.

Well, every morning since I can remember, there has been a man sitting at the same table drinking a cup of coffee. He sits and smiles at everyone, while reading his paper. We began to talk to him more and more each morning. He was always so nice, and never wanted to take away from our cherished girl time. However, you could tell he was lonely. After about 2 weeks we all noticed that this man was not at his usual table. Unfortunately, we knew nothing about him to know why. About a month or so later he showed back up again, only looking quite different. He had dropped about 50 or so pounds and was almost in a confused like state. Come to find out he had suffered previously from a major stroke and had just recently had another one. He had been in rehab and was basically learning how to do things all over. His speech was now delayed and he had to really think about what he was trying to say.

So this began our new routine at Starbucks: to find out how he was progressing and how therapy was going for him. This man, whose name we still did not know, was so excited to be alive. He was happy to have been given a new leash on life and he was not afraid to share it with you. He wanted everyone to stay away from fatty foods, and to exercise….regularly! A couple of years have gone by and still I see him every morning reading his paper. The amazing quality about this man is his incredible way of sharing his life with us. He does not hold back. He tells us everything, details include that he is on a new medicine that makes him urinate himself. He says this with such pride and confidence. Pride that he is not ashamed and confident that he is ok.

I’m amazed at how much this stranger becomes so vulnerable with us. But, that is not the most amazing part, it’s how vulnerable I become right back. When he asks me how I’m doing, it’s because he really wants to know. I find myself telling him all kinds of remotely privy information. And I don’t even know his name. To me he’s just the Starbucks Man.

So I’m having a clown party for my soon to be four year old and am trying to put together a costume. I do not sew, so I have to be very creative with getting this clown thing put together. I just need to run to the fabric store for a few things to finish things up. I never spend much time in the acutally fabric section of the store, why would I? Instead, my son and I look at decorations and put silly things on our head. I find what I need and proceed to the cutting area. While waiting, I notice a very paticular phenonion. All the women before me are telling the fabric people all about what they are going to sew. Who cares!? For crying out loud, just get your fabric and go home and make your blanket for you cousin’s, husband’s new little baby. I was not really bothered by this, I was only thinking of the poor girl who just wants her shift to be over so she can go to Starbucks and check her messages. Then it was my turn. I plop my fun polka dot, and shiny red fabric on the table. The girl looks at me and says, “Wheww…nice” And that’s all it took… and out it came. I told her all about our clown party and Luke’s cute little overalls, and how I was going to make a bow, and look at these fun patches. Oh-my-gosh, I couldn’t stop. Somebody needed to help me. I was so excited. Excited to share this joy with someone! Someone who really cares about my silly little clown costume.

Ok, so Luke and I go to a birthday party at Build-A- Bear. I’m not sure what to expect, except I know I don’t have to pay for any of the shenanigans. So excited that my son and I get to experience all this show biz, we get to the party. Luke grabbed a brown bear, then was told to grab a heart and name his bear. “Heart”, he decides…great… on to the stuffing. Next came the fun bath and then picking out the clothes…

Hmm…Should I be worried?