Where To Begin?

I hadn't realized how long I've been gone!  Life has been a whirlwind of activity, as it always is during the pre-holiday amp up and the post holiday insanity that is the business of retail.  My body and mind tend to live on separate planes of existence between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I have to push through long, exhausting days of tortuous physical activity.  Early, early mornings (who the hell shops at 3am, I ask?) and the occasional late night.  And then there's the pleasure of dealing with all the wonderful, sparkling personalities also known as customers.  Fine.  I'm being exceptionally harsh.  I hold my hands up in surrender.  But you all know this...it only takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch.

I haven't seen my customer/character, Jackie again yet.  Too bad because I'd love to hear more stories about old Los Angeles and Hollywood.  But, we do have another bit of sunshine who has been visiting quite often.

Betty Decker.  I even love her name.  Maybe it's because it reminds me of one of my favorite movies - Blade Runner.  Okay, Deb...focus.  Right. Betty.

Betty is in her 80's and has a sweet voice that is somewhat child-like.  When I first met her a long time ago I thought she was a bag lady.  She wears long skirts, oversized tops and sweaters, and large straw hats in the summer.  And sometimes she appears to have forgotten to shower.  Then I got to know her.  She has a charming eccentricity.

She was a teacher for many, many years.  She still teaches English to Hispanic kids on a volunteer basis at a few local schools.  She also has a child's view of the world - it's all new, refreshing, wonderful.  We should all be more like Betty.

And a few days ago, Betty was all a flutter.  She was buying a new sweater specifically because she and her husband were going out to dinner in celebration of their sixtieth wedding anniversary!  *sigh*  And she was so excited to tell me how they met.

"How did you meet your husband, Betty?'
"OH, that's a story!"

"Are you going to tell me?

 "Well, he walked into my high school history class.  And he looked at me as he passed by to sit at the back.  After class was over, I looked to the side as I was gathering my books, to see a hand held out in front of me, palm up.  It was Henry."  Betty shrugged up her shoulders in that cute, excited way.

"Yeah?  And what happened?"

"Well, he said, 'I don't know if you know me, but I've been watching you for a long time.  May I walk you to your next class?'

I couldn't help the huge grin that overcame me at this point.  What a beautiful scene!

Betty looked at me with a wide-eyed gaze, as if she was in that moment years ago.  She gave a little shudder, waved her hand above her head, and said, "And that was it.  We've been together ever since."