Glad to Have You Here

I have always been so intrigued by love stories. I just find it so beautiful, the way every single couple on this planet (of which there are millions) has their own unique story. They have a place where they first met, the story of their first date, how they told each other they liked each other, and the list goes on and on and on. In fact, I often find myself looking at random couples crossing the street, riding together in the car, or juggling babies and think, “How did those two end up together?”

All to say, yesterday I was scooping ice cream for customers at Wilson’s, where I work. I can say I love working there, but I can’t say I am the greatest fan of standing behind a counter with two, or sometimes four, other sweaty bodies in a cramped space and asking customers who are often exhausting and complicated what kind of flavor they want. I know I should be patient and tell everyone to take their time and that I am so happy to have them there, but sometimes I find myself more on the side of annoyed. “Can I get two flavors in a single scoop?” “No, I’m sorry. Only one.” “Can I get a single scoop in a waffle cone?” “No, I’m sorry. We can only fill it to the top.” “Can I get a kid size?” “OH MY WORD. NO. KID SIZES ARE FOR TWELVE AND UNDER AND YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY WELL OVER SIXTY.”

Ya. It’s exhausting. I’m on this new “positive energy” kick and yesterday I was constantly finding myself complaining in my head to which I would tell myself, “Darian. Shut up. You are alive and breathing and working with sweet, nice people in an adorable restaurant right across from the beautiful lake. Stop complaining that you’re hot and exhausted and your arm hurts. You are blessed and you are FINE.”  So no, when the older ladies asked for a kid scoop I did not yell. I put a smile on my face and said, “No, I’m sorry. We can make it smaller for you, but we will have to charge you the same price.” Killin it.

Anyways, all to say, yesterday while I was standing behind the freezer an adorable lady came in with her husband. I told her I could help her whenever she was ready. “Oh, my husband needs to go to the bathroom. We can wait.” Well, being that I was free at the moment and there was no one behind her in line, I told her I could get her ice cream for her and then scoop her husband’s as soon as he was ready. “Oh, okay!” she agreed. She thoughtfully chose from our large selection of flavors and I started to scoop it for her.

Sometimes I see people and instantly really, really like them. I don’t know what it is, but some people just strike me as so awesome. And it’s usually a thing that happens with strangers. It’s like I meet people and know I will most likely never see them again and so I just want to experience all of their awesomeness that I can before they leave. Anyways, that’s what happened with this lady. She was just so cool. Her hair was short and trendy and she was dressed cute and so chipper and happy and calm and I just liked her.

So, as I was bending over the ice cream freezer, I asked her if she was from Door County. “Oh no,” she said, “My husband and I are from Illinois. But we actually saw each other for the very first time in this very restaurant.”

I looked at her, so enthralled by her story. “Right here? At Wilson’s? No way.” She proceeded to tell me that they were both “a couple of kids” and he was working on some news report thing and saw her in the restaurant and asked her some questions and they ended up meeting at a local bar and soon enough they were madly in love and now, twenty-nine years later, they still are.

Her husband came out and slowly thought about which flavor he wanted. “Hurry up!” she said, with as much gentleness as frustration. I had been waiting on him for quite some time now and the line was getting longer. But I stood there, waiting, because I really didn’t mind. When he finally decided, I scooped his cone and gave them their change and watched them walk out the door, sad to see them go.

There are billions of people in this world and a billion ways to fall in love and a billion ways to dress and a billion jokes to laugh at and friends to make and pictures to take and forests to explore and the list goes on and on and on. But I suppose what makes life so intriguing, so interesting, so awesome is when it gets personal.  When it’s happening to you or a friend or a stranger you just met but really like, leaving you standing behind an ice cream counter saying “It’s okay. Take your time. I’m glad to have you here.”