*smile*

Before I was pregnant, and money-conscious, and watching what I ate to ensure I had a strong, healthy child (which has been mostly true, save the past week or so) I used to eat at my favorite "fast-food" Thai place at Northgate fairly frequently.

Which for me means only once a month or so.

There is a young guy who has worked there for a few years who I often saw, and would say hi to, and when I was pregnant he would always ask how I was doing and tell me that I looked so happy. And of course, while I was pregnant it was nice to hear, considering my ankles were twice as big as they were supposed to be (but I'm sure he couldn't see that) and even when I was miserable from having to pee every half-hour (of course, he didn't know that either) it always made me smile how sweet he was to an angry, sweaty, hungry County drone.

Before today, I hadn't been back there in probably 8 or 9 months, since last summer most likely. But T-Boog was sick today, and I nursed her at home then put her right to sleep after giving her some Tylenol, fed the dogs and realized I had nothing to eat. I figured I may as well buy myself something since it was one of the few times I could go where I wanted without worrying about anyone else.

So I headed over to Jhan Thong (?) ordered my customary noodle salad, pad thai and ginger chicken and went to the register to pay. Smiled at the guy, because I recognized him, and almost dropped my fork when he asked how I was doing, how my daughter was, and how old she is now since he hadn't seen me in so long.

I remember working in customer service and seeing so many people a day that their faces became a blur to me. I remember people stopping me on the street (which actually still happens at the new gig) asking how I was and I couldn't for the life of me remember who they were.

So to be remembered... it sounds lame, but it made my day. After feeling so transparent yesterday, it was just nice to have someone ask about me, and my kid. It was just nice to know that even when I'm not there, someone remembers that I still exist. And there's no flirty-nothing going on, it's not like that, though the guy is cute (don't tell P I said that!) but I guess because I've been going there so long, from back in the day when I worked at Mervyns, it's just one of those people that you say hi to, not even on an aquaintance level, because I have no idea what his name is.

*sigh*

How to explain? Maybe I can't, or maybe I shouldn't. Maybe I should just appreciate it for the simple, friendly gesture it was, appreciate the smile it left on my face and go on with my day. I guess I'm just realizing again how you get what you need when you need it. It's so easy to forget sometimes.