Catchin a few Obaba-like moments
Good good evening. Yup yup it's me the nighttime blogger. Hehehe we're starting to get in the habit here. We're back at the train station. It's about 7:20 pm and our train pulls out at 8:40 pm. So ... looks like we're glued here for the time being. We'll probably write for about an hour and then we'll make our way to the train station. Our head was so focussed on getting a drink though that we walked past the concession stands and set up our computer with a COUPLE of drinks before we thought we should have gotten some food first.We went out for lunch with somebody really nice that we met, but that ended about 1:30 - 2:00 pm and I haven't had anything since. I think it will be ok. Maybe something will be still open by the time I get up for the train. The last thing I want now is to pack up all my stuff AND the drinks to just get food. It will be soon enough. Beside it's been all day since we've been around our computer and we're thinking we really need some time to be here. It's been a real long day.
You wanna here something really cool though? After we left 233 N. Michigan, we decided there was more cab traffic on the other side of the street so we walked over and got picked up right away. It was a Jamaiican cab driver and he started to talk right away. He said something pretty late for these offices, so we told him we were working for Obama all day. He just started hooting and hollerin!! He was pretty cool I could mostly understand his accent ... he broke his sentences up to be more understandable. And, he started to tell me that he was the biggest political fan ... watched it all the time and there's no doubt in my mind he was going for Obama. Matter of fact he said he picked up somebody high up for the campaign - he definitely knew that was Barack's building - and he said that he told him to go say sorry to Iowan's for something he had said, and within two weeks that happened and he was pretty much sure it was because of the advice he gave.
Might have been ... might have been something different, but while flying along in that gentleman's cab, I was pretty sure he was the real thing and had done Obama a great favor. We talked and he talked and we jived the whole trip to the train station. It felt like we got here too fast. When I held up my money and said how much do I owe you, he said - no he was taken me home ... which of course meant the train station. I was like no no ... you can't do that ... and he insisted differently. I said no you and your wife you gotta live too ... this is your job you gotta take money, but he was in no way going to take my money. So, we said thanks and gave him a blessing and was on our way, but obviously you can tell we're still thinking of him. He really made the most of a good day!
We worked hard for most of the day. I think though that we ended up taking an 1 1/2 hour lunch. It was one of the most natural things. We hadn't done a lot with the lady who sat across from us, but we were friendly, and when I said at 12:30 we were going to get something to eat, she said there was a place around the corner. Well you can imagine how confused that might make me, but then she kind of looked the right way and I said would you like to go with me. And, she said yes!! WooHOO this was something ...here I am in the middle of downtown Chicago and I'm going out to eat with an interesting Chinese lady who was about my age, maybe a little older.
It wasn't until we were out until I realized the gem I'd gotten. She was intelligent, well at least as intelligent as I was. We both talked and talked like it was nobody's business. She was the one to ask first what we did and then I asked her ... and there was plenty of conversation in the middle. We even talked about both divorcing. I told her my story in just one line, but she talked about her husband wanting to go back to China to become an important businessman. It was a good story. I'm not sure really what she does for work, but she works in finances for something. We talked more about a job she'd held for 6 months for a non-profit. I think she was working for Head Start and apparently it was a pretty bad deal. I listened to that story a lot, because it seemed she needed to talk about it ... it was such an offensive position. I felt bad for her for having gone through the experience. Apparently, she had been a program manager and the bosses ... were idiots.
I don't think she said that much directly, but if not came real close. I think it hurt her bad. She was from Chicago .. well at least recently. I think she was born in China too. I told her my daughter-in-law was Vietnamese, but had also been born in China. We didnt' need to go into anything real deep, because the conversation was moving and changing so much on its own accord. I didn't have to repeat things, because when I said them she already knew what I was talking about. She was really smart!
I confessed to her on the way back that people I worked with, the women weren't very smart or at least tried hard not to show it. They didn't talk about things past a local level. This lady ... her name was Pearl and I had probably a half an hour or more conversation just on how we thought and felt about politics. This is about the most awesome thing anyone can do in my book. I loved her to pieces.
After lunch we both went back to work. She and I had come in at the same time in the morning and she worked up until about 5 pm. I stayed until about 6:45? somewhere close to that. When it was time to go, we were like working with her in trying to coordinate the exit. I was on the phone when she finally stood up. She walked in back of me so I thought I might never see her again. But, she held up talking to one of the new girls who had come in. And, then after I looked up I realized that she'd held up for me, just like we'd held up for her in having come through the turnstyles downstairs before her.
It made me feel terrific ... I knew in a flash that I was going to sneek in a hug before she got away. I told her how she'd made it such a special day to be working. She was similarly impressed I think, because she asked if she could take down my number. We of course gave it to her and asked for her number too. She was just so gosh darn cool ... words cannot express. I really hope we connect again. Maybe if she hasn't called in a couple of days, we will call and ask her if she's going to volunteer again next weekend. She wasn't sure when we had left. I really hope so ... I'd like to see her again.
I think she's more uppidy in the world as to making a much better income than me. But, she doesn't act like she's better or nothing strange like that. She dressed well, has a nice thin shape and is very beautiful. I think she said something about if she had been given more meat when she was young that she'd be a different size. I think their family was very poor. I was worrying over her, because her work is going through some changes. It was just taken over by new management, and they are being very noncomittal as to whether anyone would be asked to stay or leave. She's not sure, but I can tell she's making plans for what to do. A couple of possibilities are that she works for herself or she contracts through someone. She might just try working from her home.
I didn't get a very firm idea what kind of financial work she did. She didn't look like an accountant. I don't think she's got a serious relationship with a guy right now, but if she didn't have it wouild be because she has high standards and has been too busy. I think she takes care of her mother ... I'm not sure about that though because I might have gotten that mixed up with the story from the woman the day before. I got very excited when she talked about her working standards and being a different kind of boss. She knows what the others are doing right and wrong and she has the kind of courage that would work to make something happen. I don't know, but she seems pretty financially sound. I know she has to work and there is noone that's going to take care of her, but I'm guessing she's invested so that she will not be thrown out on the street. She's a very impressive lady.
So anyway ... that's our story on Pearl so far. Again ... I hope that I run into her again and I would hope to become friends, but that's so major that I don't think I should hope for that so much. I can hardly wait to tell Rich I met a really nice lady, but I know Rich ... he's going to throw out 10 yards of caution. I know he's my best friend and always will be, but it was something to meet a woman that I loved and to have her connected to my Obama world. Hmm, that would be interesting. It be cool to have her out on election day or for a celebration after Obama wins. We're pretty sure of that ... just has to happen.
Shoot this place is closing gotta go.
posted by Ann Marie @ 10/20/2008 05:50:00 AM
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