great Jays win tonight (and the two nights before).

I asked myself to blog about Monday but right now it's Thursday and I doubt I can do it justice.

A) Before half-past seven in the morning I had been given a medium hot chocolate from Tims for free.

S___ [not Miserable S and not Pats fan S... I really should have assigned fake names] came in late for a Monday and was still on the phone by the time he reached me.  I like overhearing him on the phone because I can hear him have proper conversations with full sentences.  He speaks more freely with men than with women (which I respect).  I also appreciated being given a heads-up in terms of the mood for which I needed to prepare myself.  He seemed to be in a decent mood.  The fact that ANY words were coming out of his mouth is always a good sign.

I got his cigarettes and as he was pulling money out and ending his conversation, he asked for some rolling papers.  When I'm at the shelf, he adds, "please," as a very nice addition.  (I wonder if he realises what a contrast this poses to how he is on other days, to how I saw him this afternoon: an intense, closed expression and three words.  "Here's three pennies," he blurted in virtual monotone as an afterthought, and otherwise looked through me as if a stranger.)  I smiled to the "please" but wasn't able to turn to face him because of how I was holding the boxes that were temporarily blocking the shelves.  I never know how to respond to his being playful - or trying to be playful - because it's so bizarre.  If I'm honest I started wondering if the papers were connected to why he was in a good mood.

When I came back he said something about hiding the papers... It was weird and I didn't exactly know what he wanted me to do or from whom I should be hiding them.  His coworkers hadn't arrived yet and the product itself is legal.  Who knows?  He's a funny guy.  I half-laughed and smiled along with his amusement.  As long as S___'s in a good mood, I'm happy. 

He went to the loo and my day continued as normal.  When he came back out, I was waiting for customers in the store and outside, basically surveying and being attentive.  (Feels like warm-up stretches for busy days like these....Working my alertness muscles and observing patterns.)  I heard the door to the men's room open and close but I had no reason to turn to my left.  I had actually been praying that morning that I wouldn't see him that day because he gets all up in my head, either with just over-thinking how we talk or with other more nefarious things.  I didn't want to look forward to my Monday morning because of him.  Gross. 

So, I didn't look.  I didn't have anything to say, anyways.  Last time I tried, he snubbed me.  Today, he caught my eye as he passed, mimed bringing a cup to his mouth and asked smoothly, "Coffee?" 

I really don't know what my face looked like but I bet it was weird.  I was struggling to not overreact that I might have under-reacted.  It's possible my expression didn't change at all but I felt at the time that I looked like I was in pain.  Maybe he's a man and doesn't read facial expressions/non-verbal communication in general as well as I anticipate. 

My face contorted as I replied, "Hot chocolate?" like I was apologising for being a nine-year-old Girl Guide.  I don't think I really wanted anything from Tims at the time but I wasn't about to say no to the gesture and certainly not to Mercurial S___.

I was serving a customer when he returned so he called my name (I'm here impressed that he remembers it, especially on a day when I've forgotten my nametag) as he walked up, plopped the cup down and then headed toward the door.  Oh.  Just put that together - he was in a good mood when he came in cos he'd already had breakfast.  Usually he has breakfast with his coworkers, somewhere between 7 and 7.30 and after cigarettes and a bathroom break.  Yes.  A full stomach makes a happy S___, so he tells me.  Got it.

I stumbled to say, "thank you," in a way that sounded sincere without being ridiculous.  He seems to find me quiet often so I don't even know if he heard me but I hope he did because ingratitude is inexcusable in my books.

It made my day.  It made half my week, really.  The drink is not expensive, buying and delivering it is not a big task and Tim Hortons hot chocolate doesn't even taste that good.  But he offered.  What's more, he offered on a day when I didn't make him laugh, I didn't say anything particularly interesting or flattering and we, in my estimation, didn't connect in any way, so I couldn't call it a reciprocal gesture. 

It made me happy.  I don't care what it means.  It was nice and it made me (SO) happy. 

:)


I appear to have made a list of things to blog about from Monday but because there are five items on it, it's 2.24am and this post is already huge, I'm quitting for the night.