I’m currently amazed by the people we meet as adults. And the things we get to witness when we branch out from what we’ve always known.
There’s this guy that used to work with my husband. He was let go about a year ago now. And while, as with most things, we disagree with how the situation was handled by corporate, we also understand the business logic and wish he could have held it together a little longer to keep his job. Or at least leave on his own terms so that he might not be stuck in what appears to be an unhireable situation.
He’s still invited to all our friend events. At our wedding, we insisted on a photo with my husband’s work and the guy politely stepped aside and said he wasn’t part of them. I insisted that that’s how we know him, he sat at that work’s claimed table, and to get over here, he was going to be part of the picture!
A few weeks ago we were at a birthday party and the waitress put his tab on someone else’s bill. It was completely by accident, and we all kind of saw the receiver of the large receipt’s face that he wasn’t happy about it, but he paid it without question. He hadn’t had much sleep, so maybe that was a factor? But the point is they both were not happy about it; but one paid it forward and the other was grateful.
Tonight we were all out for a bittersweet celebration. When the bills started coming around, he asked for his bill, another friend pipped up and said it was taken care of. Once again the guy wasn’t happy, and the other guy said, “No. Thank you for all the help with my wife’s party.” (The event a few weeks ago.)
Later my husband heard the guy say, “He can be mad right now. I’d rather him be mad now, but if I help, he can still come out with us.” I guess it’s weird for me having grown up without my own social group, but watching my sister’s stab each other in the back. I never wanted that, therefore I never wanted a social group. Here I sit watching such good friends, from such different parts of the world, and at different points in life, yet they all have each others backs. And it just truly amazes me! It’s so rare that you get to see a community in action. I was joking earlier that my social identity now runs through my husband’s friends. But you know what, I’m okay with that. I can’t meet a better group of people. And tonight, I’ve never been happier to be completely surrounded by the most loving nerds.