Where everyone knows your name
Mar. 5th, 2009 10:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
puppetmakerOne of the advantages of living in a smaller neighborhood with local haunts is that over time you can find yourself with places that know you. There are a couple of places to eat lunch that I am known by my first name and am greeted when I enter the establishment both by the staff and the patrons. There is an area I tend to sit in and a group of regulars that I keep up with. I know about the birth of children, the death of relatives, people trying to decide if they are going to sell their house and move permanently to Florida where they have this little place that they bought a long time ago.
Recently one of the regulars did just that. He had worked for the local electrical company for years. He was a line man who worked his way into management but kept his union roots strong. He retired after almost 40 years of service due to his wife's health which has been not great to just fine over the time I have known him. Their two kids moved to the south. One is in Atlanta with his wife and kids. The other is living in Florida with her husband and kids. It seems like a good fit for all parties. He is having his boat taken down there. He has sold most of his tools and lawn care equipment. He is shutting his life down here to move on to the next part. We had a lunch the other day that was really for him. It just kind of happened spontaneously. We told him that we would miss him and his strong opinions. He kind of teared up once or twice but he was a manly man so he shoved it back down. He hugged us good-bye and left the bar probably for the last time. There is no real reason for him to come back to Long Island. His life moved and he is now moving with it.
We got to talking the other day wondering how he was doing. I noticed that no one in our group had been sitting in his usual seat. One person had heard for him and things were going well but he missed mowing the lawn. He did not miss shoveling the snow at all. It was nice to hear that he seems to be settling in to his retired life as grumpy as he was about retiring.
I hope that he and his wife have a long and happy time down in Florida. I hope he gets to fish and go out on his boat. And I hope that he finds another place like the one that he left where everyone will know his name and he will find a group of people to have lunch with and share his opinions.
I am grateful that my friend is making the adjustment he was concerned about making.
Recently one of the regulars did just that. He had worked for the local electrical company for years. He was a line man who worked his way into management but kept his union roots strong. He retired after almost 40 years of service due to his wife's health which has been not great to just fine over the time I have known him. Their two kids moved to the south. One is in Atlanta with his wife and kids. The other is living in Florida with her husband and kids. It seems like a good fit for all parties. He is having his boat taken down there. He has sold most of his tools and lawn care equipment. He is shutting his life down here to move on to the next part. We had a lunch the other day that was really for him. It just kind of happened spontaneously. We told him that we would miss him and his strong opinions. He kind of teared up once or twice but he was a manly man so he shoved it back down. He hugged us good-bye and left the bar probably for the last time. There is no real reason for him to come back to Long Island. His life moved and he is now moving with it.
We got to talking the other day wondering how he was doing. I noticed that no one in our group had been sitting in his usual seat. One person had heard for him and things were going well but he missed mowing the lawn. He did not miss shoveling the snow at all. It was nice to hear that he seems to be settling in to his retired life as grumpy as he was about retiring.
I hope that he and his wife have a long and happy time down in Florida. I hope he gets to fish and go out on his boat. And I hope that he finds another place like the one that he left where everyone will know his name and he will find a group of people to have lunch with and share his opinions.
I am grateful that my friend is making the adjustment he was concerned about making.
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no subject
Date: 2009-03-05 03:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-05 03:23 pm (UTC)At one store, we have several older men who come in every morning for their cup of coffee. They all know each other and have been coming since the store opened about 6 years ago. It's great seeing them interact and then of course we interact with them as well.
I really love the atmosphere we have for meeting people and having regulars. It's fun having conversations with them and even being friends with them on Facebook!
So I totally get what you mean about having a sort of community of people. Just in a shop! It's a lot of fun. One of the main reasons I love my job!!