Beaming – ch15

Sitting at a cast iron patio table, I placed my ice water on the napkin and lifted my bag up to lay it on the table as well. In front of me was a small pink envelope with my name neatly written on it.  I picked it up and for the first time noticed that the contents were, well, firm. It didn’t want to bend but it was still very light. I summoned up the courage to open the envelope and while looking around to see if anyone was watching me I placed my fingers on the contents to slip them out.

Sitting at a place like a coffee shop or for the swanky – café – one can enjoy some interesting people watching. I must confess this is something I enjoy. Next to me was what appeared to be a mother and her adult daughter, very little of a generation gap seemed to exist among them. Both wearing jeans and patterned blouse, each with their cell phones sitting on the table in front of them. Both talking – not the typical parent-child dialogue, but [yes I eavesdrop too] about why each of them enjoyed the movie Ironman with Robert Downey Jr.  But I digress…

Looking at the contents I saw a Starbucks card and a post it note. The card was for a complimentary tall brewed coffee and across the post-it note were the words:

Wed 6 p.m.?

-Tess

I gulped, sweated, rubbed my eyes, looked around [for the camera], and nervously looked at the note again. Sigh, it was not an illusion. Okay, thinking, actually trying to think while screaming inside my head “Yeah!”; which of course makes it hard to think. Alright, think, yes – today is Tuesday. Oh my! So we meet tomorrow! I shifted in my seat again looking for the camera and now the TV show host to be approaching me – laughing. Nothing. Okay, okay, how do I say yes to her? Is it okay now to look her on Peoplefinder and show up at her door? Nah, maybe just being here tomorrow is supposed to be how I answer. That makes sense but I have to be sure. Epiphany! I got up quickly, jumped in my car and headed to the grocery store. I was fortunate to not get pulled over because I would have been a nervous babbling goof. I took a sheet of paper from pad in my pocket and wrote:

Yes Tess!

Not having envelopes I ran into the store and purchased a package of the small thank you cards and ran to the register. It was Lois and there was a couple people in front of me. She looked up, saw me, and smiled. I beamed back to her. I made use of the time in line, opening the package taking an envelope from the package, I wrote her name across the front and placed my note in side. Sealed it and was greeted by the words, “That was quick,” she smiled, “forget something?” I processed what she said and simply beamed back to her. She took my cash and I said, “Lois, would you?” Lois interrupted me with “Sure hon, I’ll make sure she gets it tomorrow morning or if she stops in tonight.” “Thanks” plus more beaming and I hurriedly fled the store.