which I attribute to the woman there that I have a good relationship with and have had for quite a while. She has been kind, considerate and has given me a couple of tips along the way. Two of her tips have been very financially helpful.
When I thanked her she cheerfully replied quietly, "Stick with us old broads, Kiddo. We'll take care of you." which made me laugh like hell. Ya gotta love people like that. Women in professional positions rarely say things like that to customers. However when they do it means something. For one thing it means they like you and are comfortable with you.
In earlier conversations I had mentioned I worked on the water and she said that years ago she had worked as a fisherman to help fund her education and later when she made the old broad comment, while delighted I was not 100% surprised. She was obviously comfortable with me and my flippent, sarcastic nature.
Business was usual for the next couple of months and then when I came in her face lit up and she told me she was spending a vacation week on the dragger she worked on in college as a cook for $50/day. The $50 was to keep her on the insurance which had a no passengers clause. I knew she'd have gone for free. Afterwards she probably refused her paycheck or spent it on drinks for the crew.
She just wanted to get out on the water again. Underneath her professional demeanor was a water girl that needed an occasional fix. She's in her mid to late 50s and still has an adventurous spirit.
"Well," I said, cheerfully in an upbeat voice. "Anything to keep you old broads off the streets and out of the pool halls. Have fun!" and she laughed like hell. She was tickled pink to get back on the water for a week.
We did business and I turned to leave as the woman behind me snapped, "Hey! You called her an old broad!"
I turned to the woman and put on my 22 year old schoolteacher talking to a recaltricent child voice. "That's because she's a member of the Old Broad's Club which you will never be invited to join. She's been through the mill more than once and come through it every time without losing her sense of kindness, common sense, compassion and sense of humor which is something you don't have to worry about losing because you can't lose what you don't have."
I continued. "I would be honored to take that woman anywhere from a Presidential Inaguaral ball to splitting a sub sandwich with her on the tailgate off a pickup in the rain. On the other hand I wouldn't take you to a dog fight in Greenbush, Masachusetts. Try joining the Karen club because with your mean spirited nosiness they'll greet you with open arms."
As I was turning she started to open her mouth.
"I'm troo wit choo," I said and walked off.
Aftermath.
About a month later I walked in and she wasn't there so instead of shuffling myself around I went to the first available person that looked like a fairly new elementary schoolteacher. When she saw me her face lit up. I think she was the woman that had been in the next booth and had heard everything.
She said the karen had stormed into the manager's office who told her business policy was to get involved in disputes between the customers and the karen left in a huff.
I was mildly concerned and asked her if I was in any trouble. She replied, "Lord, no! That woman is a regular nuisance and everybody was glad to see her get put in place. We're always glad to see you."
This is an old post I had made a couple of years ago and not posted. I found it while digging through the files.
The woman that used to take care of me has since been promoted and transferred and I miss her. She made things fun.
To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this:
http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY
Much easier to deal with others who are open and honest about who they are, than those who make you guess what they think they wish they were.
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