A Treat For The Heart
Today, I was provided with a real treat and one for which I am grateful.
Seemingly out of the blue, Carmen happened to come by the office this afternoon and we had a chance to reconnect.
It had been a few months since we last saw each other. I can’t even recall when we were last “together” like we were today. We last communicated by phone in April, though we still text regularly. I suppose one could say that we were overdue and we definitely took advantage of the opportunity that we were afforded today.
People around the office happened to see us strolling around the office and those who have known us through the years were quick to chime and tell us something to the effect of, “Seems like old times. You two are back together again”.
I suppose in a manner of speaking, we were.
Years ago, Carmen and I were a team. We met each other in training when we first joined the department and as they say, the rest is history. We worked especially well together then, both during training and after, and we did our jobs with the kind of effectiveness that is seldom seen today. At times, we were inseparable. To say “those were the days”, would be a drastic understatement. We were damn near attached at the hip for 11 years, before she left for another office. I stayed put in my office. We never lost touch though. Sure, it took a bit more effort to connect and stay connected, but it always seemed that we were always more than willing to make that effort.
I’m glad that we did.
Today, we pretty much vented (which I’ve been doing a lot lately with various co-workers) about how the overall dynamics of the department have suffered through the last few years. The powers that be are hiring more for quantity than quality. I’ve been saying that for a while and without me saying it, Carmen would utter those same sentiments. Like minds, I suppose. She’s been frustrated with what she has seen as the current poor work ethic that seems to be oozing throughout the department’s various offices. Work output is especially sub-standard. There’s a certain laziness that looks to have taken over. No one wants to go that extra mile to ensure that quality work is being done. Everything is just below average.
After we parted ways, we would end up talking on the phone for another half hour as she drove home. The venting continued. It’s amazing how misery can unite people, even us, it looks like.
We decided that we would get together next week for lunch, where I assume that venting and general conversation will continue. I think we agreed on Monday, which I know I’ll be able to make. I’m hoping that her schedule remains clear so that we can finally have that lunch together. We haven’t had a meal together since May 2024, so again, we’re overdue. It’s not a date per se and I haven’t told her this, but I’m paying. Why wouldn’t I? I don’t mind.
To say that Carmen is my heart would be an understatement. We got so close during those 11 years that we’ve built a very strong and tight bond, one that we’ve been able to maintain even as we’ve worked in different offices. That sort of thing takes effort and we’ve exerted ourselves just enough to keep things strong and undoubtedly intact.
As I’ve said in a previous post where I’ve talked about Carmen, when we get together, it’s like nothing between us ever changed and we continue on as we always have, without skipping a single beat. Everything just moves along so perfectly, just seamlessly, like it was just yesterday when we were a team, inseparable and very much in sync.
It feels so good knowing that two people could be so connected, so united, so bonded.
It’s magical with the way that it all works.
Sometimes even I struggle to put it all into words.