gratitude

In the latest Exciting Episode of "Give Pizza Chance"...

As word of job losses or layoffs creeps a little closer to the places and people I know, I find more and more gratitude for my steady 20 hours a week as a pizza delivery driver. Even if I gotta wear a dorky outfit. The fast food business, for now, does seem to be recession-proof (which, of course, I have mixed feelings about). But they're grateful mixed feelings. The literacy department at the community college laid off half its staff this week, due to loss of funding. Not only a blow to the 5 or 6 people who are now without jobs, but also to the neighborhood community learning center - part of the ESL program - which is now closing due to the loss of the people who run it. And just when I had helped talk one coworker into applying for the program, and was about to tell a couple more about it. He'll still get a tutor, at least: there's no money involved there. We tutors are all volunteer and so we have our job security. But here's to finding a lot more local collaborations that don't involve money, toward our collective sustainability, our mutual security and support...

So really, it's not hard to be grateful for my job. Not only does it continue to be better pay and a better work schedule (for a night person, and a single person, evenings are way too long otherwise). But it's also just plain fun. I work with some great people. Some entertaining people. A buncha comedians in matching outfits, some nights. The simple comraderie, the constant unpredictability, the steady activity are always welcome alternatives to waiting out life at a desk somewhere. My boss is calm, a good communicator, always on top of things. And the customers are still the best and worst part of the job, but much more often toward the positive.

It's not all that often that a customer calls out, "Wait! Come back and let me give you some more money",...but that happened not once, but twice, last week. It's not that often that I get such a great tip that fairness (and a kind of long-time, unspoken driver policy) asks that I give a share of the wealth to all the inside workers that made the pizzas. But that was the case tonight, with a $22 tip from a department store manager. It's hard to imagine a 10-hour shift passing in the blink of an eye, at most other jobs. And the job takes the cake for its truly odd moments. In what other line of work are you ever required to ask a topless woman for her I.D.? I had to do that, the other night. A dancer at Cheeks paid for her order with a credit card. And came out wearing only black underwear and high heels. I felt a little bit overdressed, in my pants, 2 shirts, hat and jacket. All in a night's work...

In the week ahead, it looks like I might have the privilege of seeing a different beautiful friend on every consecutive day. Wow. And I get to play the Conductor - connecting the currents of ideas and energies between people, toward the more complete use of hearts and resources. This week, that involves two friends working with horses, healing, and kids. This is the real work: helping to channel these energies toward the destinations they seek. It's the kind of opportunity that makes the everyday labor - as well as the spaces that part-time work leaves open - well worthwhile.