Crazy Rick came into the restaurant to see me again. We call him crazy Rick because he comes in like a sweaty, smelly tornado, always greeting me as he enters the threshold of the front door regardless of the fact that it is 40 feet from where I am standing. "ERIN! ERIN! HOW ARE YA?" And it doesn't end there. Nor does he lower his voice no matter how close the proximity. He tells me the same thing every time he comes in, "ERIN, LISTEN TO ME, ERIN. I'M 73 YEARS OLD. I PLAY TENNIS EVERYDAY, AND I'LL TELL YA SOMETHING ELSE, ERIN. ERIN! I LOVE MY DOGS. I MEAN, I'M IN LOVE WITH THEM. I'M AS STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW BUT I'M IN LOVE WITH MY DOGS. I KISS THEM AND I TALK TO THEM. I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING BUT I LOVE MY DOGS." This part is always the same, however sometimes I will get a little bonus. One time he brought the dogs IN the restaurant, even after telling him many times he is not allowed to do that. He brought his motely crew of dogs in and shouted, "I JUST NEEDED YOU TO SEE THEM ERIN! THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL! I NEEDED YOU TO SEE!" Or, there was the time he lifted his shirt up to his chin to show me how fit he is for 73.
Today Rick didn't come in to dine. He came in and looked very somber. He wasn't even shouting (well, at first anyway.) He said, "Erin, I was driving down Ventura and I thought, 'Is this what Erin really wants? Does she really want to give up everything she has here to go to another country?' Is that what you really want?" I gotta say that it struck me! I said, "Yes, Rick, I think this is an exciting adventure, and I'll be back in a year and come return to all of these things." Rick grabbed my hand and said, "Good. I just wanted to make sure it's what you really wanted. I was driving down Ventura thinking about Erin and I had to stop by. You are a good human being. You are always nice to me and I know you are a good human being because you ask about my dogs and I know you love animals. I really hope you don't forget me when you are gone." I looked him in the eye, gave him a smile and said, "I promise I won't." He smiled and trotted out, "I GOTTA GO BACK TO MY DOGS! WE ARE GOING TO GO HAVE A BEER AND HAVE A TALK!"
Maybe Crazy Rick is starting to care about a human being after all.
That, or I remind him of a dog. I can't decide.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Up to Speed
So let me bring you up to speed . . .
In case you didn't know, I am moving to Singapore in October to perform at Universal Studios Singapore for a year. I am SO EXCITED for so many reasons!! This blog is for anyone who wants to keep up with me and what I'm up to.
Del and I made the final decision to go when we were in Florida visiting family and things have been quite a whirlwind since. First of all, let me say that I can't really say it's "definite" until we are accepted by the Singaporean (or "Spore" as they call it) Ministry of Manpower. I have only actually called it the "Ministry of Manpower" once. I prefer to refer to it as the Ministry of Magic, because you can't take the Harry Potter out of this girl. That somehow sounded innappropriate.
Anyway, the Spore Ministry of Magic has to approve your work visa and until that happens, we aren't really "definite." However, this process can take 3 weeks, so for all intents and purposes, we have to assume now that we are going and start the process of preparing for that. We plan on going home to Florida on September 29th for a few weeks before we go. I'm definitely looking forward to that.
The list of things to take care of before we leave seems to be unending. But, I feel like that may just be part of the adventure. Especially since upon arriving back in California, I woke up the next morning to find my checking account cleared out. Apparently, someone has stolen my identity and created a duplicate debit card for my account.
As I'm sitting at a desk in Bank of America devastated over this and thinking, "What the heck am I going to do," the bank associate Maria looks at my ring finger and says, "So, you aren't married?" I'm not sure if this is something that bank associates are coached to say to "start conversation" but it just seemed very jarring and out of left field to me. "Um, no. No, I'm not married," I stammer. "Oh, but do you have any children?" Now this one feels like judgement. Almost as if she's looking at me like, "Why aren't you married? By now you must surely have CHILDREN!"
"Nope, no children," I replied vacantly. She just says, "Oh," as she continues to type away on her computer with her acrylic french tip nails, but instead of white tips, they are fuschia glitter. Then she proceeds to ask if I own a house or if I just rent, and I can't remember anything after that. I think I've blocked it out. Probably not the conversation you want to have the day before your 29th birthday when you feel like you haven't accomplished nearly enough and you are almost thirty.
More on my Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and life in general soon . . .
In case you didn't know, I am moving to Singapore in October to perform at Universal Studios Singapore for a year. I am SO EXCITED for so many reasons!! This blog is for anyone who wants to keep up with me and what I'm up to.
Del and I made the final decision to go when we were in Florida visiting family and things have been quite a whirlwind since. First of all, let me say that I can't really say it's "definite" until we are accepted by the Singaporean (or "Spore" as they call it) Ministry of Manpower. I have only actually called it the "Ministry of Manpower" once. I prefer to refer to it as the Ministry of Magic, because you can't take the Harry Potter out of this girl. That somehow sounded innappropriate.
Anyway, the Spore Ministry of Magic has to approve your work visa and until that happens, we aren't really "definite." However, this process can take 3 weeks, so for all intents and purposes, we have to assume now that we are going and start the process of preparing for that. We plan on going home to Florida on September 29th for a few weeks before we go. I'm definitely looking forward to that.
The list of things to take care of before we leave seems to be unending. But, I feel like that may just be part of the adventure. Especially since upon arriving back in California, I woke up the next morning to find my checking account cleared out. Apparently, someone has stolen my identity and created a duplicate debit card for my account.
As I'm sitting at a desk in Bank of America devastated over this and thinking, "What the heck am I going to do," the bank associate Maria looks at my ring finger and says, "So, you aren't married?" I'm not sure if this is something that bank associates are coached to say to "start conversation" but it just seemed very jarring and out of left field to me. "Um, no. No, I'm not married," I stammer. "Oh, but do you have any children?" Now this one feels like judgement. Almost as if she's looking at me like, "Why aren't you married? By now you must surely have CHILDREN!"
"Nope, no children," I replied vacantly. She just says, "Oh," as she continues to type away on her computer with her acrylic french tip nails, but instead of white tips, they are fuschia glitter. Then she proceeds to ask if I own a house or if I just rent, and I can't remember anything after that. I think I've blocked it out. Probably not the conversation you want to have the day before your 29th birthday when you feel like you haven't accomplished nearly enough and you are almost thirty.
More on my Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and life in general soon . . .
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