Some people say things happen for a
reason and that something happens at the precise time it is meant to
happen. I used to believe in many different things but I guess I grew up
and I have grown out of it.
Since arriving in the United States for
my fellowship program my daily morning routine has always been about a
five minute walk from my apartment building to my host organization's
office and everyday I pass by this quaint little house turned into a
cafe called "Daughters Cafe" that serves breakfast, lunch and evening
desserts. I never bothered to check it out because I like my usual
routine and I guess I have never really been curious to check it out.
This morning however became different
and I was really going to submit to the loneliness I have been feeling
lately being a foreigner and not having friends to hang out with. Then
something happened.
My host supervisor invited me to tag
along with him to a meeting and we left in a jiff. An hour in the
meeting I was bored to wits and I realized we have online classes on
Thursdays so I excused myself, left the meeting and walked back to the
office. There I realized I left my office keys inside when we left an
hour hurriedly for the meeting. So I decided to just pick up my laptop
at my apartment and just camp out at the office building hallway for the
class since I could still pick up the office wifi anyway. Arriving at
my apartment building I realized my apartment keys are attached to the
office keys. So I have just been walking around in circles for nothing. I
figured I could go back to the meeting and ask my host supervisor for
his keys but at this point I was really thirsty and it was almost noon.
As I walked back again towards the office I then became curious as to
what lunches Daughters Cafe have to offer. So I went in.
No other customers, so I had corners to
choose from to sit and have my lunch. I asked for the menu and ordered a
panini sandwich plate of bacon lettuce and tomato, and a diet coke. The
lady left to have my order prepared then almost quickly she returned
with a glass of iced water with a straw and commented about the weather.
She seemingly assumed I am just from here, in Reno. I smiled and said
this is going to be my first snowy winter when it comes. She then
assumed again that I must be from the Bay Area. I said, no I am from
the Philippines. She said "oh that's nice, my cousin is married to a
Filipina". She was about to say something else to me but was interrupted
when a UPS guy came in and delivered a package. At this point, an older
looking lady came out with my order. The younger lady said to me, "this
is a package of flowers for her (pointing to the older looking lady)
from the boyfriend who wants to apologize" and then I started laughing
because I was thinking to myself, I really didn't have to know that. But
the older looking woman opened up to me as if we were friends for a
long time. She said, "he really went too far this time", and started
opening the box to take the flowers out. As she was doing that, she
somewhat muttered to herself but was actually talking to me saying,"I
have lived my life contentedly and if a man that I welcome into my life
does not make me better or nourish the life I already have, then there
is no need for us to be together anymore". I thought to myself, that
was the most beautiful relationship advise that I have ever heard.
The flowers were orange tulips and we
had a "girl talk" about flowers and men and how they think everything
will be okay with a bouquet of flowers.
We talked and laughed and exchanged
stories. It turns out Barbara is an anthropologist by profession and has
the passion for cooking so she and her daughters decided to open up
their house and turn it into a cafe. She opened up some more about her
lovelife and her daughter jokingly informed me Mom is uncomfortable
calling the man her boyfriend because she's too old for that but rather
prefers the man to be called her male friend or gentleman friend. We
shared a good laugh. Barbara commented on my English and said that this
was why they assumed I am just from here. I told them why I am here and
what I want to do while I am here for the rest of my stay. We exchanged
cards and Barbara said she will call me whenever she is free and she
will drive me around to check out the national parks and to show me
around the mountains and beautiful places in Nevada she had left her
home state for.
I paid for my lunch and left with a
smile, for I now have a place to go to whenever I feel like sharing and
just chatting the hours away.
It is a nice feeling to know more about
the meanings of each flowers and what orange tulips represent and how
what seems to be trivial things can be the beginning of a budding
friendship.
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