Different

     There was a day during my senior year in High School:  A day like every other day that year but it was different.  I went to school that morning as I had done all the other days during the school year.  Barely getting into my home room class before the tardy bell rang out.

     But as I went through the day to my classes it seemed that all the teachers and their assistants knew something I didn’t know.  It was really strange the way they were acting, but I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what the problem was.  I just continued all day to have this feeling that sooner or later I would be called into the principal’s office, but it never happened!  Everything just went along like a “normal” school day, but it just seemed different!

     After school, I got home, changed my clothes and went to work.  It was just a part-time position at a small local grocery store.  I had started there a few years earlier as a “bag boy,” but over time I had worked my way up to produce “manager.”  I thought the title sounded quiet impressive and it did come with a twenty-five cents per hour pay raise.  It hardly seemed like a “management” position when I look back on it.  I was the ONLY person I the department, so I guess all I had to do was “manage” myself!

     This too seemed like an ordinary day although my boss’s wife sure seemed extra attentive and helpful to me this day.  She continued wanting to know how school was going and if I had liked my job working there at the grocery.  Like I said it was much the same old normal day, just a bit strange for some reason.  It seemed like everyone in town had decided to come to that little store that day and make a purchase.  It made for a busy day, but it also made it seem to go by faster.  When I would restock the bins and come from the back storeroom there seemed to be an unusual amount of “whispering” amongst the customers, the boss, and his wife, but I just thought they had “adult” things to talk about that they didn’t want me to hear.  Then before I knew it, time had come to close up and go home.

     At home, it was almost normal too.  And yet I couldn’t seem to shake this feeling that something was different.  We had our diner, got everything cleaned up, and were watching a little TV before I was going to get busy on some school work.   Then the “boot fell” (as the expression goes.)

     My Mother sent my sisters out of the room telling them that she had to talk to me.  Of course this made them even more curious to find out what was going on and I knew they had their ears against the door as she began to talk.

     “I had a visitor at work today,” she said.

     Her voice was calm but I could only imagine where this conversation was going.  Still I sat silent waiting what I imaged was going to be a scathing denunciation coming from her lips.

     “Don’t you want to know what it was about?”  She asked.

     “Of course I do, but I’m a little afraid to ask.  This entire day has been “different” but I can’t guess what’s been going on.”

     “What’s been going on is the FBI has been interviewing people all over town today about your job application.  You have been accepted!”

     I sat as my heart felt like it was sinking, but also having a great relief.  I guess sometimes “DIFFERENT” can be a GOOD thing!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Do something today that may surprise your workmates --

actually WORK!"