Thankful
I’ve recently been struck, in these ‘certain times’, by the ‘no matter what-ness’ of people. Or maybe it’s the ‘especially because of-ness’. It’s hard to say. But people are being especially great lately.
This past week was extremely busy between the stay at home orders, rod orders and my family spring-breaking from home. But something I did not expect is that people were regularly checking in on me and my family. A random drive by on the way to the grocery store, one of the multitude ways direct message communications. Email, text, whatsapp, instagram, facebook, video chats, international phone calls, even hand written letters, one including an article on pipe smoking in his local newspaper. At first it was a little bothering that I was getting interrupted so much (hear me out here, interruptions really do bother me but I find them necessary to get out of my little corner and I really do appreciate them in a grumpy way) and I just thought, ‘awe that’s nice’ but having a single track introverted mind I’d go back to my cave. But then it started to be consistent. I noticed that as I was thinking about regular business stuff that people were actually buying rods, hats, flies, etc., following through with their orders and placing new orders. I’m able to pay bills this month. I was able to buy a little bit of nice bourbon and some ice cream yesterday to celebrate more sales than I expected.
Here’s a little story from yesterday. I needed to go to the hardware store to buy some epoxy to finish up making tubes for rods going out the door tomorrow. My 15 year old daughter, Maren is learning to drive and we’ve made a pact to help her get driving experience by having her drive us for when we do normal errands. So she drove me. When we left the house I felt absolutely out of control and anxious so I said a quick ‘Lord, PLEASE help this to go well.’ We were about to go by the ABC store and I thought ‘why not’. So we drove there first. The tiny parking lot was full and busy. She navigated the vague instructions I gave her in the parking lot and found a spot. She was pretty exasperated with me and with driving in general. I went in to get a bottle of Basil Hayden’s (it’s good stuff and reminds me of a good friend back in St. Louis). We then went to the hardware store and the parking lot was full. It looked like all of Winston-Salem was there. She successfully (didn’t run into anything/one) parked and we masked-up to go in. Found the epoxy and some sandpaper I remembered at the last minute then stood in the 3 person checkout line for 20 minutes. She got to honk at someone in the parking lot -her first time for that. A good moment. On the way home she was nervously driving behind a trailer without proper signals and then a loud car drove aggressively up behind and around us. I was doing my best to encourage her then I blurted ‘just don’t pay attention to that bastard!’. Probably not the best and most helpful thing I could have said. But I’m a firm believer in teaching my kids by example - good or not so good. We got home safely and it was a good time with her, I really enjoyed it. I ended up going out later to buy ice cream for everyone else that doesn’t like bourbon. I drove myself that time.
Anyway, there’s a lot of hard things going on lately. People being kind make it better. I am truly humbled that people are reaching out to each other to check in and show love and concern. I’ve noticed that conversations are more real too. There’s a lot of genuine ‘how are YOU doing'?’ and honest answers coming back like ‘things are really hard right now’ or ‘I’m doing well physically but mentally i feel like I’m going crazy.’ Genuine care and concern is a distinctly human thing and it’s beautiful. Keep doing that.
This has turned into more of a ramble than anything. I meant to write a few times last week but I just didn’t have the headspace for it. But right now what I really want to say is a big fat THANK YOU. Thanks to all my friends out there reaching out to me and others. For the most part you are people that I’ve never met and only know a little but you’re a friend nevertheless. Thank you for supporting my little business - it’s pretty overwhelming to feel the support I’ve felt even in these ‘certain times’. I’m surprised, honored and genuinely thankful that I’m able to still build rods right now, even more than ever. I’m shipping out 5 rods tomorrow, and that’s pretty great.
I thought I’d show my little cave, where I talk with most of you. It’s ever evolving with orders coming in and going out but as of today, Sunday the 19th of April 2020 here it is. I know where most things are but not everything.
Thank you, friends.