Limes, Cheesecake and Donuts.

When I was hired in 1987 to my career goal of a job I had to live 6 weeks in Houston. It was for training classes before I got dropped into my territory which was in Cleveland Ohio. 

I was living as far north in PA as one could be unless you swam across the lake to Canada so I was used to the cold. What I thought was hot and humid had nothing on Houston. I learned hot and humid before I ever lived here. Houston has it in spades! It was so thick and difficult for me at that time. I was not used to being unable to breathe in that heat and oppressive humidity when I hit the outdoors. Now I live in that same kind of weather and find it funny that I have somewhat adjusted. Somewhat.

I also never saw such huge insects. And they were everywhere it seemed.  

Houston also taught me great tex mex food. Where have you been all my life was my thought at the time? I ate tex mex as often as I could while living there. All I had ever had at that time was Chi-Chi's and that isn't real Mexican food. But what did I know, I was from a small northern city with no Mexican food except one chain restaurant at that time.

I got my job, packed my things...oh who am I kidding, the company packed my things and off to Ohio they went into storage. I went to Texas with a couple of suitcases of clothes for the next 6 weeks.

This part of the story was in a snippet of a post from 2012 so you may or may not recall it. 

I flew into Houston late. There was" weather" as they say in Cleveland causing this delay. Imagine that.

I arrived at the hotel and checked in. It was 8pm and I was just exhausted, it was a very long day. I was to arrive at 4pm. A table was set up in the lobby by check-in to pick up your week's itinerary, books, lanyard with your ID, etc. I was told my "roommate" was already there. They shared her name with me, Deb, From Syracuse NY. 

I absolutely hated that they made us adults share a room with a co-worker. I may have just turned 30 but I was an adult!  I just loathed it. I asked if I could pay for my own room but it was forbidden. Thankfully 2 years later that rule was tossed out the window! We all bitched a fit about it so much that HR made the change. We got our own rooms during all business travel with the company or training or conferences etc.

After the long check-in process, I grabbed my key, my books, and binders and headed to my room. I couldn't wait to get out of these clothes and wash my face.

Now we all flew for free because we were considered airline employees even though we worked for the airline-owned GDS (global distribution system) which is just a fancier word for computer systems. So having the perk to fly free meant I had to be in business clothes to fly, skirt, hosiery, heels, jacket or blouse or both etc. I just wanted out of these clothes that felt cumbersome after a long day of delays and airport "crap"! Yes, crap is the technical term.

I got to my room and there sat a cute blonde thing sitting on her bed in her pj's.

We shook hands and introduced ourselves. I told her I just had to wash my face and get out of these clothes.  I proceeded to do just that. She was talking the whole time I was in the bathroom getting changed and removing the travel grim from my face.

I came out of the bathroom wearing a long T-shirt almost to my knees & my underwear. 

She looked at me, sighed heavily, and said, "I hate that I always get roommates with big fuckin' tits!"

Okay, that caught me off guard and I turned to look at her smiling on the bed as she points to her flat chest. I laughed like a nut. I knew right then we were going to be friends. I was shocked she just said it but I loved her for it. Then she says, let's go downstairs for a few beers. I had just washed all my makeup off and had my long hair on the top of my head like Pebbles from Flinstones. 

But I said, "Sure why not!"

I was living in this hotel I am sure they will see me like this a lot over 6 weeks. But first, let me put pants on. We laughed and went downstairs.

We went downstairs and bellied up to the bar and drank quite a few beers and ate some great spicy popcorn and got to know one another. We have been friends ever since. Two years later in 1989, she bought herself a big ole pair of boobies.  So now someone can say to her what she said to me. 

Our training was now complete and she was off to Liverpool NY and I was off to Cleveland Ohio. We were all part of the same eastern team so we saw one another a lot. And because we could fly free we could see each other a great deal.

She was working from her hometown. I was not. So my trip home was to a new apartment with none of my things. All my things were in storage on the moving van somewhere, hopefully, Ohio.

I arrive back in Cleveland with a new friend and the same damn clothes I've been wearing for 6 weeks. Once again my flight was delayed. I assume that happens because I just wanted to be home. It'd been a long 6 weeks. I just want to be alone in my apartment. No co-workers. No hotel food. Even though I know my apartment is empty it just was better than hotel living.

I get into my apartment and there is no furniture and it seems so big and empty. There is nothing but a phone. No cells at this time in 1987.  

I immediately decided to go to the store. I buy some quick type food that I don't have to cook since I have no pots and pans. Lean Cuisines I could put in the oven, 2 towels, and plastic utensils then head to the liquor store for my beloved Tanqueray Gin. I buy gin, tonic, and limes. 

BUT as I walked out of the liquor store a man bumped me and spun me around and I dropped my bottle of gin on the ground and it shattered of course broke. $34 everywhere. I was so pissed. The guy never even looked at me or apologized, just kept walking like he didn't just plow me over. I was still in the doorway. I turned around and the first thing the cashier said was, "You have to buy another, it is not replaceable. We will clean this up."

Great, so I bought another bottle. It was not a good day!  It didn't seem like it wanted to get any better either and it was only 6 or 7pm. 

I get home and unpack the few groceries I bought. I had a freezer so I bought a couple pints of Ben & Jerry's because a pint of ice cream is a great dinner. I put the 2 towels in the bathroom. I then made myself a gin and tonic. I go to cut the limes and I realize I only have plastic utensils. I knew it wouldn't work but dumb ole Margaret had to try cutting the lime with my plastic knife. It didn't do anything more than break my knife. Just then my phone rings. Who would be calling me was my first thought. I just got here. Must be my mom but she's rather cheap and it is long distance. (remember long distance?) Probably a wrong number.

It was Rick. How was your flight? Hows the apartment? When do your things arrive?  I gave him all his answers. Then I whined. I have no knives to cut my lime. I can't have gin without lime. Most times I just drink gin with a lime, no tonic or added anything but it needs it even more with tonic. Rick busted my chops about being such a brat about not having a lime and whining about it. He told me to knock on doors if I wanted it that badly. I couldn't do that I just moved here I tell him and don't know anyone. Hey, I need my fix of gin with lime can you cut my lime up for me or let me borrow a knife? I told him I'd rough it out until I at least see one of them in the lobby or meet them somehow. By age 35 that would not have bothered me one bit!

He said he had to run, he had things to do. I said, okay I understood, leave me here to sit on the floor eating alone and having a drink with no limes. See how you are?

90 minutes later there was a knock on my door? It had to be a neighbor was my thought because who else could come into the bldg without buzzing me. Ooh, maybe I can then ask for a knife.  I didn't care who it was I was in an empty apartment in a new city alone. I welcomed the company. I open the door and Rick was standing there with a knife and another lime. He said, "I heard you needed a knife." I was so thrilled to see someone. He also brought a tiny 8 inch tv for me to have until my things showed up. That 8 inch TV was a godsend for a couple of nights alone. He left me the knife too. 😏

That ended up being a better night than I thought it was going to be that is for certain. After cutting the lime and having another drink we sat and chatted about my training, my new title, and job, the new girl I just met, when my things will be arriving, etc. He said where are you sleeping until your things arrive? On the floor. But it's only for 2 nights. No blankets. Nope on a truck. I have my raincoat to throw over me.  He said, "c'mon we're going to buy you some pillows and blankets." I don't even recall the store but we went in and got pillows and blankets so I had something until the truck arrived with my things.  He grabbed two pillows and I said, "I only need one until my things arrive."  He said I am not driving back to PA tonight so I need one too. Okay then.

Remember we were just friends at this point so he stayed and we both slept on the floor with each of our own new blankets. Since I had no pans to make an egg or anything else in the morning he took me out to breakfast before he left. Then he headed back to Pennsylvania. 

Rick and I talked every day after work. If I made the mistake of saying, Man, I am craving cheesecake. He would show up with a cheesecake. 

He buzzed me to let him in the bldg and said, "Hey you busy?"  Instead of answering him, I recall saying, "what the hell are you doing here?" He told me to buzz him upstairs. I did but he didn't say he was coming.

He got to my door holding the cake with two forks and said, "I just hate to eat cheesecake alone." 

I quickly grabbed the cake from his hands and said, "I don't!" and ran into the kitchen with it laughing.

I imagine today he'd have it delivered but back in the 80s there wasn't much of that.  So him sending donuts to his sister is not out of line for this man's behavior. They just don't know that yet. I've known him for almost 34 years. 

They have only known him for less than 5.  They will learn.