I work in Downtown Nashville; the "it" city. It is crowded. Construction sites are everywhere. Unfamiliar faces abound. But, then there are those oh, so familiar faces that I see every day.
Reggie is a favorite. He is from New York. He wears beautiful suits complete with colorful pocket squares with flip flops. He is fast to laugh and when he is really tickled, he puts his fist up to his mouth. He is married and calls his wife "Upper Management." He says it with humor, and I am always interested on Monday mornings to hear what Upper Management has required of him over the weekend. Every morning he searches me out to give me a hug and gallantly asks, "how's m'lady this morning?" The fragrance of his cologne lingers when he leaves. He is my son's age. He is in school getting a degree in accounting. He has two daughters, one grown, one at Harpeth Hall. Reggie is taking a new job. After May 23, I won't be seeing him. I will miss him.
Paulino is an enigma. Some mornings he just grunts at me. Some mornings, he will come sit and chat while I wait for my tour group to arrive. There was a time when about every fourth or fifth word he said was the "F" word, but I have noticed that he has tempered that. He is from Guatemala. He is a hard worker with myriad skills. He always has on an LSU sweatshirt in cooler weather months. I have never seen him in a hurry. His wife has a big job; his children are brilliant and accomplished, and he is very proud of them. He comes across as a grumpy guy, but he has a heart of gold. The other day he handed me a rubber band....for no apparent reason. Reggie laughed, and I jokingly told Paulino that I would cherish it. In a way, it wasn't a joke. Oh, I don't still have the rubber band, but I have the memory of Paulino joking around with me. It was the rare occasion when he did not seem burdened with the day ahead of him. He still gets upset with me because I don't tell the children that the "Yankees came down here and stole our women and our land." I think I won't get historical information from Paulino. He told me not too long ago that he was going to retire. I will miss him.
Chad is The Contributor seller I see every morning. He is always faithfully at his spot, eager to share with me any new stories in the paper, especially if they pertain to celebrities who have been interviewed. Often when I ask how he is doing, he will reply, "I am really tired." I don't think he gets good rest at The Mission or the other places he goes for the night. One day this week, he asked if I like chocolate. Of course, I told him yes. He had a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup that a rep of the candy company had given him. According to Chad, this particular version of the candy is not sold in stores yet. Chad handed me the candy bar that had been tucked inside his shirt. He suggested that I open it and take one of the cups. I asked if he was sure he wanted to share it or would he rather save it for himself later. He sincerely wanted me to have it and it occurred to me that in his economic situation, he probably has very little opportunity to give something to another. So, I took it, I ate it. Later, I found Chad and encouraged him to tell the candy rep that those Reese's Cups definitely need to be in the stores. It had tiny chocolate chips in it. I like to see Chad selling papers to his regular customers, on his corner, sharing his pride in the paper that he sells.
Steve is the doorman at The Hermitage Hotel. Never have I seen anyone more perfectly suited for his job. First of all, Steve looks like he was born to wear a top hat and tails. He has the kindest smile which never leaves his face even as he is trying to cram 3 suitcases in the trunk of someone's tiny sportscar. Every morning as I walk by, he gives me a small bow, asks how I am doing and greets the children as they walk by. This morning, he told me he had just figured out who my mom is. She is a sort of crowned princess of the Hermitage Hotel, and everyone there loves her. Steve called her "a force of nature." I had 200 people walking behind me, so I could not ask how he made the connection. He did say that he could see the family resemblance. I really know nothing about Steve's life, but he certainly seems the loveliest sort of man.
So, these are some of my favorite people I see along the way. I consider myself a very fortunate person to do the job I do. I live a very non-glamorous and, in many ways, a very simple life blessed by the comings and goings of many interesting folks.
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