She Remembered...

Every two weeks I frequent a certain facility which has a security guard out in the front lobby. There are two guards that work at this place.

One is a 60ish white man with white hair, just shorter than I am. I always flash him a smile and say hello. The other is a 50ish black woman, about 5'7", a little heavier set who always has a very kind expression on her face. She brings her lunch everyday to work in a Walmart bag. You usually find her sitting just inside the door or standing in the doorway holding the door open for people as they walk in.

Having observed her for the last 10 months, she does not look or really act the part of a security guard at all. Quite soft-spoken, but comfortable talking with most people. And yet she is dressed in her black uniform. Still, I think it odd to see her belt holding a pistol on one side, a walkie-talkie that I never hear go off and the other normal things you see guards wearing. I was surprised one day as I was walking in, she firmly asked me to remove my sunglasses before I made my way into the facility...

She, along with a number of the employees in the facility, has come to recognize me quite easily and we talk about any number of topics. Last time I was so excited about the upcoming beach trip I had planned, and talked it up with her. Two weeks went by, and I went back into this facility. I was pleased to see she was working when I walked in. She took me by surprise almost immediately after I came through the door by asking me how my trip was.

Why surprised? Well...I don't remember ANYTHING. K, let me rephrase: I remember some things, but I quite often forget important things along with the unimportant things.

So when she asked about my trip, I was really shocked. My beach trip was my favorite subject for at least a week...until it didn't happen of course...thus it was a fairly safe assumption that I 'talked it up'. I have absolutely no memory of our conversation at our previous meeting. In fact, I had to clarify that it was the beach trip she was talking about.

I was remembered. It was a good feeling. Actually...it was a great feeling. :)