I have a lot to be thankful for. A good job. A roof over my head. A loving family, even if they are far away. And I am thankful for these things. But sometimes . . . sometimes I reach out for something to make my life a little less ordinary. And sometimes the less ordinary finds me.
In walks The Czech.
Since I have been back in MarsVegas (after the one-and-a-half year stint in Marvinsburg), I have met some nice, kind, sometimes kooky people. Salut, the poet. Tad. And my Office Spouse. But The Czech . . .The Czech may be the most interesting for his stark differences to me and the complementary stark similarities. And the timing of The Czech could not have been more graceful, more apropro, more perfect.
But this post isn't quite about The Czech. It's more about the Office Spouse. Because if it wasn't for my Office Spouse, none of the business with The Czech would have occurred. The Office Spouse is the only office mate who has seen me cry, and --despite his southside Boston ways-- knew exactly how to comfort and encourage me. So really, if it wasn't for his concern and vision, I might not have had a quite wonderful after-hours week with The Czech.
On the other hand, my work definitely suffered. And I love my job. But the sleeplessness took an embarrassing toll. But it was more than just the lack of sleep. Work was not just a little dull; it was flat out difficult and droll this week for me. I was scattered, unfocused, and just plain listless. It was terrible. I had this project and I just couldn't quite make good on it. And I think part of the reason was that my Office Spouse was away on training all week. I mean, this is the person I have continuous contact with during the day. We speak our own private language where simple words have two-fold meaning and a look is immediately understood by the other. In the purest definition of office spouses, we look out for one another. We are each other's "cone of safety." We can vent and not be judged. But my Office Spouse even helps in my personal life. He's kind and stoic, and funny and generous. So was it really any surprise that I had the worst week at work the very same week he was away?
Friday was a bottom-dweller day. It was the ultimate low point for me. I dismayed the boss and more so, I disappointed myself. It was an overall defeat. But when my Office Spouse returned from training at four in the afternoon, I felt a little better. I squeezed his hand and everything felt a little more bearable. He said he saw me in the boss' office (the nadir of my week). He said I looked so miserable he just wanted to give me a hug.
Let me point out that my Office Spouse and I are not touchy-feely, shiney happy people. We don't hug. We just don't. So the fact that after a week of separation that I squeezed his hand and he wanted to hug me to cheer me up, I think, testifies to our deep level of friendship. And that pure Christian kindness makes me cry just a little bit. And it makes me feel like I have these friends, these new MarsVegas friends, that I can count on, and they know that they can count on me.
I have wonderful friends in Marvinsburg. Just wonderful people who make me smile and laugh and take care of me when I'm blue. And that means a lot. I just didn't think I could find that again in my new "old" place, but I realized today that I did. The Office Spouse, Salut the Poet, Tad, and The Czech are all important people to me, --kind, sincere people-- who will always be important people to me. Sometimes it takes a high high and a low low to come together so you realize that things are just right.
Now let's overlook the fact that these friends are all men, because I am sure that I can be friends with women. I'm sure I can --on some level. But, tis true, for now it is just Lady Penelope for me.
But for most of the Marvinsburg Mafia listed to the left of my blog, . . . well, they didn't really come through for me in the end. Not Boss Sparky, not Lucifer, certainly not the Mainer, and disappointingly, not Archie. Who can you count on when you need to count on someone? Not these people.
