my favorite goodbye is hello

my boss returns sometime this week, we're not quite sure when, he mentioned it, but i can't quite pin him down.

he's this giant presence. he walks in and the store pulsates.

right now, it's kind of lagging. we're trying, but you can't fake that kind of presence. and it makes me want to manage large. to be that kind of a motivating factor in a place. he has really brought us together as a team, and, well, i'm glad he's back.

i look forward to more reunions, more hellos. more unfamiliar faces fading into familiarity. i keep trying to imagine that day, that hour. sometimes i leave the gym and think, what a horrible moment this would be, drenched with sweat as i am.

but, perhaps that pales in the face of hello. i don't know.

the kid i most enjoy closing with is hotnatured like i am. so we crank down the a/c to 68, and work in a modestly heated store. we're still hot, but any cooler than that would be unreasonable.

i'm told, when the morning crew gets there, they are the ones who crank it up to 80 degrees (insane!) and i can't work like that.

tonight, it's mid twenties outside, and i'm in capris because my work is so hot.

what can i say?

all winter when i worked in the mall, i wore flipflops for work and summer clothes, and just piled on the layers as i left. i'll have to take the same approach, because it's insanely warm in there, to me (and the kid).

i'm grateful we're so similar and work so much together.

he was really tired tonight, so i gave him my break. i don't really take one anymore because i have so much to do. but i could tell he needed it. just a moment to catch his breath. and so he did.

he's just a joy to work with. a true gentleman. i can't say i've experienced many of those in my lifetime. when i holler, or hurt myself, he rushes to help. not that i accept the help, but he does try and i give him kudos for that.

it's certainly something to see, a real gentleman. i had thought the last one passed away, slipped off with my dreams.

but i was wrong.

and i'm glad.