… but I’m glad there are.
What a Friday in October! I need to be less happy about no customers arriving at my cart the past hour. Seems a bit strange I am not. As well, the minutes here – writing on my blog for the first time in roughly two weeks – is bringing me a pleasant joy unfelt in as many days. It’s been a really scurryingly busy time with this-and-thats. Stainless metal pans banging my every last nerve against each annoying little noise inside my tired, overworked, chili-laden noggin. Bills are lapping receipts at the moment. Oh, the true drudgery of being a surviving human sometimes wears a ragged coat of one, weary color.
All is not lost on me, however. I have a very solid brick wall steadying my sore back at this moment. The shade of a friendly tree is keeping me company as, on other days, customers would. We’re at a comfortable 70-degrees with a very slight breeze lifting my spirits over the steady flow of hurried traffic buzzing by on 6th avenue to my left. It would be my wish to have one, possibly two, of those destinal auto occupants stop for a munchie, but alas this is not to be today. S’ok. One hour left to serve … maybe, just maybe.
Fall months ahead for business in 2020 aren’t going to be normal … I’ve come to expect, so days like today are likely to repeat. Attendance limits on events not cancelled already are restricting opportunities for guys like me to make money. Most of us “foodies” knew this coming into our big October month season of festivals. Fortunately, I have wonderful contacts – and 15 years of Doug’s Dawgs – behind me to weather this slippery slope of knowns behind the Covid curtain.
Tomorrow hosts an event here on the lot, anyway. Its ArtOberfest. An activity, crafty, foodie, musicy, nine-hour long opportunity for the neighborhood folk to get out of their habitats. I’ll be here along side my good friends who pop Kettle Korn and bake BBQ chicken. Kiddos will scamper around in what should be another beautiful fall day and the evening will end with a concert by a local cover band.
As is usual, I’ll finish the day over a three bowl sink full of dirty dishes soaking in 110-degree water … waiting for my already chapped hands to scrub, rinse, and sanitize their precious little shines for use two days hence. Over and over the process. Life for all of us.
Until then, life now is just as slow as 1/2 hour ago. One phone call received and four hot dawgs were the only interruptions since I began this entry. I’ll end shortly as I must begin the closing process. Daily life, phase two, begins shortly.
This now, I’ve enjoyed. Can’t say missing sales is something pleasurable, though. My expectation, while setting up four hours ago, was to wait on customers – not write on my blog. That said, I have no regrets. Brick walls, trees, breezes, and grass can be just as enjoyable as money … and more rewarding when seen through the eyes of someone who needs time to relax and appreciate the moments like these.
DougHugs 