I had something really interesting happen to me at work the other morning.

As most of you know  I work at Shoney’s. I am a morning manager and generally work from about 6-10 am. Just a few hours to get out of the house and make some extra pocket money.

The other morning was pretty busy. I was running the register working with one customer, a white couple when  very tall mid 40-50’s black man came in the front door. I smiled at him and said “hey hon, I’ll be right with you” like I do to every single customer that comes in when I am busy. I try to greet every single person. read  no. matter. what. thier. color.

This man sneered at me and rolled his eyes. I didnt really think much about it, some people just dont like to wait for anything. I quickly completed my transaction and sent the nice couple from NY on thier merry way.

When I approached the black man he again rolled his eyes and when I asked if he wished to sit in our smoking section he pointed out an african american server that we have that happened by and said “She can seat me. Dont you worry about me” really sacrastic and ugly like. I smile at him, handed the girl the menus and asked her to seat him. I shook my head, but went about my business.

A little later I was doing what we call a “drive by” walking the dinning room checking on tables and generally making sure everything was looking ship-shape. The restraunt is separated into sections and I try to speak with one table per section. I hate when a manager goes to every table like a robot asking if “everything is OK” In this man’s section I HAPPENED to ask a white family how thier meal was. As I walked by his table he grabbed my hand. I was taken aback a little, when he said VERY loudly “Why you didnt ask how my meal was? How did you get your job?” I was pretty uncomfy, but smiled at him and said that Id applied for it just like anyone else. He then goes on to rant about how you never see a black manager at places like Shoney’s and that he hated that “the strong black woman has to be beat down by the white manager” I was shocked. It was so weird. I told him to enjoy his meal and then went back to the register area. When he came to pay for his meal he slapped the ticket down on the counter and tossed a credit card at me. It bounced off the table and hit the floor behind the counter. I bent to get it and he laughed! I was just basically trying to get done with him so he would LEAVE! When the machine jammed and  had to re-thread the register tape he said “huh. white girl cant do her job” When I finally got the register tape re-threaded he handed me a $5 bill and said “make sure MY waitress gets this” I smiled (through gritted teeth) and stapled the money to the ticket and put it in her box. At that point  I was THROUGH with this guy. He just stood there. I continued to smile at him. When he reached over the counter and snatched the money back and said ” I dont think you’ll give it to her” and stomped off to find her on the floor.

huh.

What year is it again?

   Even living in the deep south I dont see very much racism.  People are people… for the most part. Surely races tend to stick together around here more than they do in the northwest where I grew up. But for the most part that isnt an issue I deal with much. I didnt let this guy rattle me to much, but it sure was an interesting look at how that must have felt in the 60’s and before that.

ahhh. Kids are at my cousin’s house and Steven is helping our construction guy work on the shop.. SO. I  AM going to sit down and finish telling you about my trip north!

When I left off we had just spent a great day at the beach in Ocean City MD.  Thinking back, it was really just the perfect weekend. The weather was amazing, and the company fantastic. I cant wait to get together with Lisa and Shanny (heh, I just learned how to do the linky thingee. THANKS shanny!) again. I cant imagine how much fun we are all going to have on our cruise this fall!

SO. Monday morning we all got up fairly early to get ready to head back to Baltimore. We ate leftover bagels and cleaned the condo really well so that the  next guests to stay there would have a neat as a pin place to stay. It didnt take very long at all and we were on the road… and there we stayed. All day long. The traffic coming back from the beach was horrific. Really terrible. Actually at one point I fell asleep in the back seat and awoke an hour later only to find us very close to the place where I had dozed off! It was crazy.

We did take a quick traffic break in Delaware at the outlett mall. We have outletts here in SC. But my luck has never been really good there aside from the occasional score at OshKosh when Thing Two was small. Here I scored in two places.  The Big Dog stores are closing and while I am very sad about that, (steven LOVES thier polo shirts and oversized t-shirts) I was able to get two xxsized shirts for $12! Thats a great deal.. Then I wanted to just see what Casual Male was. Steven is pretty picky about his clothing, so I didnt expect to find anything, but in checking the clearance racks I found a pair of cords and a polo that were normally marked over $60 and got them for the amazing price of $16 for both! YES! I love me a good deal. After that I was just ready to dance! Lisa and I were really excited to visit the Disney Store and they were having a good clearance sale too. Everything on clearance was an additional 50% off! I scored some cute stuff for the Things.

After shopping we hit the road again, stopping in at Sonic for a drink and a corndog. (mmmmm) It took us something like 6 hours to get back to Baltimore. It sure gave us plenty of time to visit! As we were on the road we made plans to meet up with Lisa’s fiance Pete and her sister Laura, her husband Brandon and thier sweet baby Alyssa! It was so great to meet them after hearing all about them. Alyssa is every bit as sweet as Lisa says she is. I wanted to snuggle her up. We ate at a nice place that had seafood… and I was very happy with yet another plate of Steamed shrimp with lots of Old Bay ! Yummmm they were so so good. We didnt get a chance to eat the traditional crab dinner, as it was a holiday weekend and they were sold out, but we saw some people enjoying them.. missing out only gives me yet another reason to go back to Baltimore to see Lisa and her gang!

After dinner we all went back to Lisa’s and got to spend some time passing Alyssa around and finally giving Laura her baby gifts! I was excited to finally give her the blanket I crocheted last winter! Laura had to work the following day, and Brandon was not feeling well, so they didnt get to stay  too long. But that gave us time to go and take a night-time tour of Baltimore. Thing Two was very insistent that we see Ft. McHenry where Francis Scott Key wrote “Stars and Stripes Forever” so Lisa was very kind to tour us around. We saw the Baltimore Washington Monument, Charm City Cakes (where Duff Goldmand and his crew film “Ace of Cakes” for the Food network, part of the set where a famous HBO cop show is filmed and down town Baltimore. It was so neat. I love seeing new places.

After our amazing tour we came back to Lisa’s and spent some time chatting on the couch (Lisa has a really comfy couch) as she put all gajillion pictures we all took this weekend onto disks! (so sweet of her too.. I look at mine again and again) It didnt take us very long to need to head to bed. I was SO sleepy I crashed out right on the couch.

Next morning I rode along with Pete and Lisa to take Pete to work. It was nice to get to talk with him a little more. He and Steven are going to get along really well. I am glad since Steven is a little apprehensive about going on a trip with people he doesnt know. When we got back, Shanny was ready to go and we packed up and went to breakfast. I could sense Lisa and Shanny getting sad about leaving one another. I was sad myself to see the weekend end. But I know how it is to say goodbye to your best friend when you know it’ll be a while before you see one another again. We went to breakfast at Cookie’s, a really fun, campy place with neato decorations and a KILLER pancake. I also tried scrapple. A local dish that reminded me a lot of crispy liver pudding. It wasnt too bad, but not something id likely order on my own.

After breakfast we stopped at a grocery store for Shanny to get her honey some Tasty Cakes and me some OLD BAY I have since discovered it in every grocery store around here.. I guess I just didnt know what it was so I never noticed it before. Im so glad I can easily get some when I run out! YES! I wont need an Old Bay dealer.

When we returned with the baby it was time to say goodbye.  I tried to be “up” and silly so Shanny wouldnt be tooo sad as we drove away. Its so hard to be away from good friends and after meeting Lisa, I could see how Shanny would be so sad to say goodbye to her! BUT we did have a great day ahead of us together.

Shanny and I got along so well. I dont think Id take an 8 hr road trip with very many other people. She has great stories to tell, and we chatted the miles away. I had mentioned that I had never been to DC (maybe more than I realized?) and that sweet girl took the “scenic route” straight through the city. I was so surprised and tickled. It was just another of the ways Shanny is so so thoughtful. She thinks of others and the way they feel so much. I love that about her. As we drove through the city we were able to see almost every major landmark. From the White House to the pentagon.. as well as biker that got squished. Very neat. I was so happy to have seen it all. We even got a few pictures to bring home for Thing Two (who is very interested in National Landmarks). After seeing it I am even more excited to bring my kids to see it!

After our DC drive-by we got back on the road expecting to hit bad traffic, but honestly it wasnt anything at all. In minutes it seemed we were at…….

IKEA.

I tell ya. DC and IKEA in one day was very close to being just to much for this girl! I was almost tearing up as we pulled into the parking lot. I have heard so many amazing things about this store.To be honest, I felt a litle shaky! Let me tell you, it was everything Id hoped it would be! They had a gajillion things that I will not rest until I have for my house. I marked a TON of things that I want. But, I had to use restraint because I was riding greyhound home (in retrospect, I could have bought a ton more because an extra bag was only 5$. RATS!)  I must have seemed rude to Shanny as I shopped with my mouth open! I kept getting ahead of her. not because I didnt want to shop with her.. but because I was so excited about what I might find around the next corner! We enjoyed a GREAT sweedish type lunch in the cafe and then hit the store again! It was so so fun. I tell ya, those swedes got it when it comes to organizational thingees for the house! I cant wait to save my pennies and go again! (hopefully Shanny will be willing to go with me! I cant imagine going there without her!)

After we shopped till we were ready to drop, we hit the road for Charlotte. Shanny has a great IPOD full of good music and the rain made for a cozy ride. We chatted and enjoyed the time together. It didnt seem like that long and we were seeing landmarks that told us we were getting close to her home! 

When we got there the pugs were MIGHTILY glad to see her. They went WILD. It was so cute to see them so happy to see thier mommy! It wasnt long before I got to meet the famous CSP. It was late and all were sleepy, so we didnt get to chat long. I look forward to getting to know him better on another trip.

Shanny and Jon have a really nice guest room. I was so tired and that bed ws AMAZING. And even though I was begining to get homesick for my babies I crashed out FAST. The next morning came so quickly. I slept in a little and then when we got ready to go we headed out to lunch with Shanny’s sister Sara. It was great to meet her and we had a nice chineese lunch at a place near Shanny’s. The weather was not cooperating with us as it was raining CATS and DOGS. I mean really pouring.

After lunch we said good-bye to Sara and Shanny took me on a rainy-day tour of the area.. we even snuck on the grounds of the Lowe’s Motor Speedway and were able to snap some really great pictures of the racetrack for Steve! He was so excited.. not that Shanny and I risked arrest for him, but the pictures made him so happy!  His opinion is that given enough time togther Shanny and I could find a LOT of trouble to get into. I cant wait to go to a foriegn country with her! Yahhooooo!

After a quick stop at Panera (had an AMAZING sandwich from there for the road, must try it again!) for snacks and a book store for reading material, Shanny and I went into downtown Charlotte for me to catch the bus. There wasnt really any parking, and it was pouring, so unfortunatly Shanny just had to let me out at the door. I was SO sad to say goodbye! I am so glad I took the chance to take a road trip with a near stranger! SO MUCH FUN.

Riding the bus was an interesting experiene. LOTS of different types of people. And chatty folk too. I tried to look secrure and not as nervous as I was. I think that wierdos really can tell when you are freaked out. This very strange woman plunked herself down beside me and proceeded to talk to me until our bus number was called. She must have liked me, as she sat next to me on the bus. yaking and yaking.. all the way to Columbia. I put in my Ipod and was reading a book, yet still she yaked. yak yak yak yak yak yak. Just talking about nothing in particular, to noone in particular.  I had to smile, but, I was so glad to see her grandson waiting outside the bus terminal to get her! That meant she wouldnt be on the second leg of my journey. 

On the second leg I sat behind a very harried young man in a military uniform. He had what looked to be a VERY young baby with him. The baby began crying even before we left the terminal. He looked so upset and terrified. When I asked if I could help, I thought he might cry! He passed the screaming baby to me and I got her settled down. I think she was just too hot as he had her wrapped in about twenty pounds of blankets. When she stopped crying and I was feeding her a bottle he had. He told me that his wife had gone help her mother who was sick, and that HIS mother had been helping him, but had to go back to work,and that he was about to be deployed on an excercize for his job. So he was taking the baby to his siter who lives in Latta (only a few miles from my house.. in fact Im not sure, but I think I know her) I snuggled that sweet baby girl all the way to Florence where Steven and Thing Two were waiting for me!

I was so happy to be home. I had a grea great time. But there is nothing like seeing your kids in a new light after youve been gone for a few days. I fully believe that I am a better Mom when I get to take a break every once in a while.. and hanging with my new friends was a GREAT break! Thanks girls!