I'll Gladly Pay You...Next Wednesday

This is my friend, Glen. For the last few years I will hear a pretend yawn, "Hey buddy..."

~End of 1st Year

A pretend yawn, "Hey buddy."

     "Hi Glen. How goes it today?"

"Boy," with an overworked look each time, "I could really use a cold drink right now..."

     "Sure; the regular Dr. Pepper?"

Thoughtful pause, "Yeah...I like Dr. Pepper...better make it a Dr. Pepper...and...I promise to pay you back...hmm...next Tues...how about next Wednesday? Yeah, I promise to pay you back next Wednesday. Is that ok, buddy?"

     "Of course. Here you go, Glen."

"Thank you and I promise to pay you back because you're my friend."

~End of 2nd Year
"Hey Glen, every time I see you I say your name. How come even though I have told you my name many times you never say mine?" My pride.

With a frown of frustration, "I'm sorry...I try to remember...but I have a hard time remembering some things..."

~End of 3rd Year
"Did I ever tell you why I can't remember...things?"
With the most tender mind, "I remember before being born and I remember fighting inside my birth mom, yelling at her to stop taking drugs and alcohol! She wouldn't listen to me! So when I was born half my brain was damaged. The doctors told my adoptive parents and that I would have problems but they adopted me anyway. So I am glad to be alive. I just wish I could have asked my birth mom why she did drugs..."

As I get to know Glen day by day, he teaches me how to be gentle and a gentleman.

*It might take a little while, but even though he does not have to, Glen doesn't forget and always remembers to pay for his drinks.

This Is How We Stroll

These are my friends, the roosters of the mall. Every first part of the day, you find the walking living getting in their daily quarter mile (more or less one inside lap of the mall). Afterward it is the celebratory coffee and chitchat over the daily hearsay.

For years, two mutually respectful cliques guard the north or south seating, God forbid a rival retiree to rest on the wrong side. Francis (far left) once complained boredom and revolted to another wing of the mall. His protest persevered for six months of solitude, then submitted back to the north.

In our day to day greetings, my friends share their latest limitations and almost always add, "I was like you once..."

Life Advice From Dr. Pepper

This is my friend, Adolph, but folks call him AG.
Twice a day he strolls the mall to rehab his double knee replacements and eight other surgeries. Daily salutation, "Getting ready for a busy day, eh? Get me a...medium Dr. Pepper. Uh, better make it a Diet Dr. Pepper. How's business?"
     "It is slow but I am trying to keep busy." smilingly I reply.
"Well, you gotta get ready for a busy day. It will come." (Points his finger at me) "But don't work to hard and take it easy, ok?"
     "Yes sir."
"Yeah, gotta get ready for a busy day. You take it easy, ok?"
     "I will, AG."

For 49 years through 16 hour days, AG ran a Mexican restaurant and worked tirelessly to make the American dream. The last couple years, he shares with me earnestly, "Let me tell you something. Don't work too hard just for money. I had it all but never got to enjoy any of it because I was always working. Before I knew it I'm like this now. It's not worth it. Your health and spending time with your family is the most valuable thing. My job now is to tell everyone to enjoy life while you can. I am not going to be around much longer. But maybe one day you will realize what I said and thank me in your mind."

This repetitive liturgy everyday gets prosaic but maybe I should take time to consider. Back to work.

Mala-Ban

This is my friend, Julian. To his knowledge, he is uniquely the one and only half Filipino and half Korean in the valley. Visit his home and find a luscious field of Filipino/Korean legumes and herbs grown by his parents. They are always smiley generous to share with their neighbors and friends.

In the back kitchen of a local restaurant, Julian worked his way up from dishwasher to bus-man to prep cook. During a break chat, I bluntly asked him why he is so...stinky from work. Apparently the kitchen averages 100 degrees due to a perpetually malfunctioning air conditioner - but in less than a year, he lost 30 pounds from the cookhouse conditions.

Because of this unexpected metamorphosis, Julian has curiously applied to the U.S. Army and hopes to enlist as a cook.

Day After

This is my friend, Michael. Watching him take his time towards the counter, I say, "Good morning! How was your weekend?" He looks at me, and uncertainly responds, "Oh, it was ok; I worked all weekend."

     Ten years ago, my Appa passed away from this earth. It feels like yesterday and I still dream about him.

After a long hesitation, Michael begins to share, "My father died a month ago and I keep calling his cell phone because I usually call my father everyday but I keep forgetting expecting him to answer but I forget he is not here anymore."

     The day after Father's Day. Waking this morning, I remember I not spending this holiday with my Appa for the last 15 years of his life because I was too busy dedicated to my local church and the special events for other fathers believing that was faithfulness. Nostalgic regret.

"My father was a good father. He worked so hard to support us and was always good to us. He was the type of father people always wish they had."

     My Appa was a good father. He worked so hard to support us and was always good to us. He was  the type father people always wish they had.

"He was 180 pounds before chemo. His weight dropped 60 pounds but he was doing great. Then he couldn't walk anymore and had to stay in bed. I told him I was scared. He told me he was going to be ok and to take him out to eat for Father's day. He passed away the next day."

     I took my Appa out to Golden Corral the night before his surgery. He tried entrees he never ate before. I asked him why and he said this would be his last chance to try new food. I became angry and told him he will be fine and can eat all he wants when he comes out of surgery. It was his last meal.

"Before he died, my father told me to always work hard and pay your bills on time. So I have been working a lot to not think about my father but I had to take a break and came here to shop to get my mind off of things but I can't believe that he is not here anymore."

     Before he died, my Appa told me to always be good to my mother because I only have one mom, and to be good to my brother because I only have one sibling. Michael reminded me.

I empathetically offer a pretzel and he stayed for another half an hour standing at the counter, in between customers, sharing memories and shock. He said he will be back Thursday.

Such and Such

By bound-for chance, my life was no longer peachy and routed back to apple country. Now two years ended on a provisional lease, today begins such-and-such life for this favored Sahaptin.

In Yakima, the people are represented by two separate, yet equally important groups. The locals of a growing family and the people of the gap. These are their stories. DUN DUN