I love to talk to people. Working in an airport is the best job someone like me could possibly have, despite the lousy pay, 10 hour days without breaks, and my aching feet.
I talk to everyone whether they're in the mood to talk or not, but somehow everyone is in the mood to talk to me. My friend Suze the bartender is fond of saying, or rather sneering, "Everybody loves you!" (you have to say it with a sneer to know how she really feels...lol).
And I reply, "Why yes, yes they do." I guess it's because I make the effort to make everyone feel at home in our cafe.
I was poring a coffee for a young woman tonight, my last customer, leaving on the last flight to LA Guardia. She was on the phone with her mom in NY, so excited because her favorite designer was on the same flight. When she hung up, I asked her who it was. She said Betsey Johnson came through security right behind her. Poor thing was so awe-struck she could barely speak.
"No kidding", I said, "Where is she?"
"At the bar. I can't believe it! She's right over there!"
"Go talk to her, go on."
"I can't! Oh my God, no, I wouldn't know what to say, no, no."
I said, "Look, give me your email address. You can trust me, see? I have a security badge", and I laughed. I told her I'd take a picture of Betsey and send it to her.
"Are you serious?"
"Sure. I'll ask her if she minds, if she says she rather I didn't, I'll just thank her and leave her alone".
So I get my camera out of my bag and go to the bar. Betsey is just about to ask Brian for a glass of wine when I say, "Excuse me, Miss Johnson, there's a young lady over there who is a very big fan of your designs but is too shy to talk to you. Would you mind if I took a picture of you so I could email it to her to show her mom?"
Good timing, too, because Brian thought she looked like she'd already had a few and wasn't going to serve her. Have you ever seen Betsey Johnson? I think she's adorable, but he's never heard of her so he just thought she looked weird.
She was so sweet. I took a picture and she said, "Lemme see, lemme see. Yuck, take another one. Lemme see. Can you delete that one? Take another one."
Finally satisfied, she asked where the young woman was. When I pointed her out she asked why she didn't come talk to her herself. I said "She's young, you know, and very shy, I'm old and very not shy." She loved that, cracked her up. Then she asked how old I was. I told her I was 60, and she said, "Well, I've got 6 years on you and I'm very not shy, too."
I said "Shut up! You are NOT 66! Girl, you are my hero!".
They announced boarding and she said she was going to talk to her new fan and she'd see me next time.
So I just emailed this picture to Tonya. If she hadn't been so scared, she could have been in the picture. Sometimes you just gotta take a chance.
