Regulars

Today I spent my day working at Bethesda.  I was either in a conference room surrounded by coworkers or in the visitor area on a conference call.  I had a few hours sprinkled throughout the day where I wasn't in a meeting so during those times I worked from the cafeteria.

There was a pretty steady flow of people in and out of the cafeteria.  Employees stopping in to get their morning coffee.  Small groups of employees on their first break of the day. A few employees finishing up for the day and stopping in for their coffee to help them stay awake on their drive home.

Whatever it was and whomever they were one thing was constant.

The lady in blue in this picture.

She was on her break sitting by the door.  She would great almost every person that walked in.  Most people she knew by name and if she didn't know their name she knew what they were there to get "We have those caramel rolls you like today.  I just made a fresh pot of decaf for you.  There you are- must have been a busy night if you are just getting out now." 

I sat back for a few minutes watching and listening.

It took me back to those days at the Bingo Hall. 

You can't help but remember the regulars.  Some people are just creatures of habit and would order the same thing every day.  I knew their orders and somedays the line would be quiet as I filled orders while they pulled out their wallets to pay - noone had to say a word.   Tammy worked there with me most weekend nights and usually those nights we would work the fastest.  We knew these people and what they wanted.  The people who wanted extra ice, those that wanted extra butter, people who wanted the popcorn kernels, the ones that wanted a lid on their coffee, those that didn't want a lid on their coffee, etc.

For a few minutes today I actually missed it. 

I said a few minutes...