Last Week

I was thinking about all the stuff I didn’t do while I was in Florida this past year. Things like go see the mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs, the mouse in Orlando and the school teachers in Sarasota. With only seven days left in Tarpon Springs, I have run out of time, especially when I have to be in New Orleans on Friday.

My last inventory assignment is tonight. I got called in four hours early. I assume the job will be a bear, much like last Saturday night when I worked until 2 AM recounting racks long after the rookies left. (How you can have four stacks of jeans with eight pairs in each pile and not know that totals 32 is beyond me?) After four months I’m considered a seasoned pro in a profession with high turn over.

I’ve said good bye to my three writers groups, the staff at church and a few people at work. It’s like closing down the circus. Everyone enjoyed the show, glad you came to town, but life continues long after the bear with the tutu leaves town.

Why the heck am I leaving such a great place? Sure the weather has been a little too cold for me, but it ain’t New York. The past year was about learning to make a commitment and to quit living out of a box. After nearly three years of doing so, it was hard to sign my name on the dotted line and say, “Okay, I’ll live here for a year.” Guess I got beyond that when I bought a condo in Hawaii. But honestly, it still churns my stomach.

I imagined sequestering myself in the condo for a year, pounding the keys on my lap top as I created my novel. Pieces of the book fell into place, but I backtracked several times as I learned more from my writers groups. Ah, those writers groups. Unexpected treasures.

I ventured out and found support and friends at church, the health club, in the condos and work. I got connected...even found a couple of guys.

And there were the Terbushes. Bob and Angie. Chuck and Susan.

With friends, writing, writers groups, kayaking, sailing, running, roller blading, swimming, and that crazy part-time job who had time for mermaids, mice and school teachers?

I really should have seen the school teachers.