Building Rome in a Day

        Today I opened a book from the shelf and inside there were notes I must have jotted down at least a year ago for topics I could write for the memory-a-day! Of the seven items mentioned, two I have already talked about, two I’m not sure what I meant, and that leaves three almost-random things I can talk about on the blog. Two of them I can put together into one – so that will be this one.

        I’ve heard authors say that they are blatant eavesdroppers on others’ conversations in restaurants – what they hear gives them ideas for their writing, dialog-styles for their characters. I find it difficult to purposely overhear other patrons’ conversations; they fade in and out of auditory range. But over time my daughters and I have heard a few juicy tidbits that are decidedly blog-worthy.

        One afternoon at Steak and Shake, we were having an early dinner after school. We were at a booth, and because there was no one else in the restaurant, the two employees took this break from customers as an opportunity to sit down with the manager and have a talk. They picked the booth right next to us to have the conversation. We couldn’t hear well what the employees were saying, but it must have been something to the effect that they were disappointed that they had not been promoted in the time that they had been at Steak and Shake. The manager, whose voice was louder, I think because he was hoping to drown out the sound of his own bs, could be heard saying platitudes like “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and “Be patient, there is gold at the end of the rainbow.” Sarah and Amanda and I could barely keep from laughing out loud. The girls kept repeating “Rome wasn’t built in a day, you know.” If I say “Rome wasn’t built in a day” to them now, they are right there with me talking like the Steak and Shake manager. I seem to recall the reason for the talk was that other people had gotten promoted ahead of these two employees – and all the manager could offer was more bs. And, personally, we were all smelling the truth of the matter.

        Another afternoon we were at Max and Erma’s having a meal. At the booth directly behind me there was a young man with an African accent sitting across from an elderly husband and wife. We could hear bits of the conversation and soon realized that the man was new to America and was engaged to the daughter of the couple at the table – they all went to the same church. The mom and dad were trying to impress upon the young man the importance of taking care of their daughter the right way. They said that they understand that some of his earnings would be sent back to his family in Africa – but some money needed to stay here to take care of his wife. Dad was explaining that aside from serving meals at the church once a month, his darling daughter had not worked a day in her life. She shouldn’t have to change her lifestyle once she’s married.

        All I could picture from this scene is a young immigrant getting married for the purposes of staying in this country and sending good money back home to his family in Africa, joining a church and wooing the most unmarriageable single woman there in hopes of her saying yes. And included in the scene were two parents eager to get rid of their disagreeable never-worked-a-day-in-her life daughter but worried they may not be able to convince the husband-to-be of what mom, dad, and daughter were expecting of him in the marriage. I wanted to stand up, look at all three people in the booth behind me and yell, “Run! All of you! Run far far away!”

        Well, those conversations were all a long time ago now – enough time has passed for Rome to have been built – hopefully there has been time to create some happily ever afters for the church folks, the restaurant employees and even the clueless manager!

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