Making Friends

Gabe is a self deprecating, cheerful, loveable loony tune that my youngest daughter works with at a local grocery store. Since meeting him about four years ago, he has always made me smile. On the last day of March, he turned twenty-two and just last night some folks got together to acknowledge his place in their lives.

My daughter and I sat in an Orange Park wings joint, with about twenty other people that I had never before met. When we arrived, Gabe and Frank were sitting at a long string of metal tables, empty except for the aftermath of a previous chain smoking customer. Gabe's dad and brother were off to the side, trying to determine when they would leave. People came in small groups, and as they were added to the larger group I tried to get their stories and their affiliation with Gabe.

Frank was apparently the guy that Gabe could count on to always be there. They have been friends since Gabe offered to share his lunch with Frank after a high school band class. There were four women in attendance, including myself, that were old enough to be his mother. One with whom Gabe worked at McDonald's, had her husband and beautiful miracle daughter in tow. I am not sure whether Kim and Lori, (customers from the grocery store) have daughters Gabe's age or not. I was impressed that he inspired them to travel fifteen miles to come eat wings, with people they did not know. A couple that work with Gabe at the store did come visit for a while. Ashley works in the bakery and takes credit for having gotten my daughter and her boyfriend together. Talbot works up front with Gabe and my daughter  and does not care to be called "Talbert."

My children will attest that I sometimes make things awkward by the stories I tell and/or the questions I ask. That happened last night and I embarrassed my baby girl, leaving her feeling as uncomfortable as I had felt at the beginning. It was an interesting evening and I hope that Gabe was happy with his friends, family, and food. I can only hope that he understands at twenty-two, that his "crew" may be a rag tag bunch, but we all care. Until Later ~ Rita Darlene