When I first moved to town, I worked for a particular fancy-pants grocer. This was not a happy time for the tiny little cake. Having the tendency to be a manic individual, I would desperately accost customers verbally.
As bag boy:
"Oooh! You got that bleu cheese that's on sale! I tried some earlier and it was so tasty. And look at those nice herbs! Get some mushrooms and you're in for a treat for sure."
"Yeah."
"Really! I love all of those things together. You should try it. I usually use them for pasta or stuffed mushrooms. Or little paninis."
"Just put the food in the bag, okay?"
...
Years have passed.
I went to my neighborhood pet store a few days ago. I know people. People know me. The person that I know/knows me in this case happens to work at the pet store. After we regarded each other over the kitty litter and little tins of food he said some thing like:
"Oh hi! I think I met a friend of yours yesterday named ___. We were on a set together working. Yeah, rock-and-roll all they way. That's how I remember ___. Rock-and-roll ___. They said that they really miss you and that you left a gaping hole in their life."
"Yeah, well... you know."
"___ seemed kinda upset inside. I guess you're pretty busy with all of your different stuff. I would understand, I guess, but you should really talk to ___."
"Just put the food in the bag, okay?"
Sometimes, you see yourself becoming like your parents or your close friends. Sometimes, you see others slowly becoming more like you, thinking your thoughts and having your reactions. Sometimes, you see yourself in the process of learning behavior that you thought you could never understand; behavior that when received appears brash and surly that now feels so obviously righteous as it is flung from your fingertips. Sometimes you are forced recognize that you have been growing even if you do not recognize it.
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