Monday, July 9, 2007

MondayMonday

I spent the last however many hours at the shop today not knowing that the register tape was flapping in the breeze under it's little plastic cover. At the end of the night, when I went to run the X and get my totals, I realized with a thud in my gut that I was destined this night to learn how to replace register tape......Alone.

The shop closes every night at 6pm. Doors locked, music turned up, bleach comes out. The place was cleaned and tucked neatly away for tomorrow's morning staff by 6:50. It was 7:15 and I was still figuring out that fucking register tape.

The fact that I stuck with it and figured it out "by my own self" (as Bean used to say) is evidence that I can do this.

When I finished counting the drawer, sealed up the deposit bag and filed the paperwork for the night, I untied my cute, little green calico apron and went to take the leak I'd been holding in my bladder for forty five minutes.

The bathroom here isn't much bigger than a Job Johnny. It's a little box that breaks all handicapped accessible codes (ssshhh). It's painted a weird blend of citrus yellow and papaya orange (like the other walls in the building) and has a round heating duct (papaya orange) running up the length of the room. Sitting there taking my wiz, I peer down to where the duct meets the floor and find one small, green sprout growing up from the floor. Really. One small, green sprout with two small, green leaves growing up from my bathroom floor.

And like mastering changing the register tape, this little green sprout is going to be my big metaphor for endurance.


Today's Playlist

Dawgwood ~ Grisman
Prairie Wind ~ Neil Young
Thievery Corporation ...can't get enough of this album!
Erika Badu .... thanks Shannon for burning this for me!
Nina Simone ~ Best of.....possibly/probably/definitely THE best album EVER.
(i forgot to mention that, T, when we were going over favorites:))
Garden State soundtrack... never saw the movie but thanks Tibs for the disc. Loving it!
Billy Bragg and Wilco.... daily dose of Mountain Bed.
High Lonesome Sound ~ Old and in the Way.
(i've got banjo and fiddlers on my porch at least three times a week. Must pay homage)
and then
Iron and Wine... to finish the day appropriately.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am enjoying your blog and following your journey as a new coffee shop owner. Keep on plugging along this girl in Maine is pulling for you!
You are an inspiration for following your dreams!!

p said...

hey woman, hope to get in there this week and see you. for some reason the emails all got bounced back yesterday, is your box full?
can't wait to see you/it :)

Annette said...

Ah, standing behind the counter pulling that perfect shot of espresso! I remember it well.
It continues.

Sharon Snow & Lisa Buell said...

I would describe it as a totally nauseous feeling at first. Then it turns into total frustration as you realize you will have to subtract yesterday's tape from tomorrow's in order to get today's numbers. And your staff begins to wonder what happened to that cool, fun person who hired them....

That odd art form in the bathroom? It's called "leftovers".

I have a little mushroom that grows in the corner of my bathroom every year. I am totally awed by the miracle and absolute insistence of life expressed through this adorable little fungus - what a wonderful metaphor! (We tore up the rug and put down a wooden floor this year. I hope that's no reflection on my endurance.)

Thanks for sharing this rich journey with us, Meg!