Saturday Night

After a noon yoga class, forgetting for the rest of the day to turn my phone back on, I watched six episodes of River--an original Netflix series.

About midnight, I decided to take a drive, get a coke--it's Saturday night after all and a woman's got to have herself a weekend.

Mr. T at the drive-through window may be the purest soul I've ever met.  When he hears my voice on the creaky speaker, he says, "Come on to the second window, my friend!"

He gives me a fried apple pie and a cookie and a huge coke--the kind it would take all week to drink. I plan to find someone to give the pie and cookie to.  He refuses as always to take the money I offer.

"How's your mama?" he always asks, having met her once.

"She's great!" I say.  "She's 92 and I can hardly keep up with her."

"Well, that's exactly how you're going to be when you're 92," Mr. T says.  "I promise."

He tells me about his sick uncle in a nursing home, and he tells me where his parents work--one in the oil fields, one at a mental health facility--and since nobody else is in line, we have time to talk longer than usual.  All the other workers come to the window to wave and say hello.  "We haven't seen you in a while," one says.  "Where you been?"

"I'm not drinking Diet Cokes much," I say, "But you know, it's Saturday night."

They agree with Mr. T when he says, "You're our favorite customer." You can tell everyone who works there loves this young man--and I'm not sure I actually count as a customer since no money ever trades hands.

As I drive away, Mr. T says, "I love you, Darlin.  Keep staying blessed."

I feel so happy I decide what the heck, eat that apple pie!  So driving home in the dark, listening to Willie and Wynton and Leonard, I scarf down a hot apple pie all by myself and feel like I'm having a party.

Sometimes love shows up in the most unexpected places, and you just have to let go and go with it!