Opportunities- Missed and Otherwise

Do you ever wonder how many opportunities you are presented with throughout any given day? I suspect that there are many more than we tend to realize. I know that when I am going through my day on auto-pilot it takes something unusual, extraordinary, or annoying to catch my attention. Today it was something in the "Annoying" category that made me think twice and recalibrate.

It was just minutes before my lunch break, and I was getting really, really hungry. All I could picture was a fat, juicy, ridiculously oversized burger and a pint of cold beer (for medicinal purposes). I imagined spending an hour in a relaxed little sports bar, some funny old dudes talking crap with the bartender and a few guys in dress shirts wearing their ties over the shoulder. Maybe a couple of guys with tattoos having a smoke on the patio. You know, a little slice of heaven in the middle of a work day. That was what I pictured. My reality? A bit different...

After navigating my way through a construction zone to access the parking lot, I went to check out a little sports bar that I hadn't been to and anticipated my fat burger and cold beer. On my way in, saw a guy on the patio with tats and smoke. (Check) Inside, lots of funny old guys around the bar chatting it up. A couple of booths and tables with dress shirt guys, some ties over the shoulder, some braving the bbq sauce with wild abandon. (Check, check) I found a stool near the back and watched some hockey and waited for the server to come take my order. Mmm, burger. Mmm, beer. The waitress came to deliver a pitcher to the table of dress shirts next to me; didn't acknowledge me. OK, I thought, I'm sure she'll be right back. She came back to the shirts with a pizza, and promptly left again-- still not acknowledging my presence. The shirts, at least they noticed me. Finally little Miss Can't Be Bothered came over and said, "Did you want something?" Um, really? I would have probably opened with, "Hi, what can I get for you?" instead of assuming that my sole purpose for coming there at lunch hour was to NOT eat or drink anything. But hey, that's just me. I sucked up my growing irritation and said "Yes, I would love a burger and a beer." "Oh, we don't make burgers," she said before rattling off some lame sandwiches and closing with a vaguely insincere "Sorry." I politely excused myself and thanked her for her time (ok-- that may have been vaguely insincere) and went back on my quest, annoyed and hungry.

Battling back through safety cones and torn up streets, I headed back towards the office wondering what to eat. I obviously wasn't going to have time for a beer now, which was fine. Probably for the best. At last and after a mini-meltdown in the car prompted by hunger and raging PMS, I pulled into the In-n-Out and found a parking space (small miracle in itself). #2, no onions, Diet Coke w/lemon. A different slice of heaven, and it was just fine. As I was finishing off my burger, a very dirty, very weathered homeless man came and quietly sat at the table next to me. I watched people in the restaurant look at him with unbridled disgust, and it hurt my heart. "How're ya doin'?" I asked him. He looked at me and just shook his head. I didn't have a response for that. I nibbled some fries, two at a time (it's my thing) and sent up a silent little prayer. God, what do you want me to do? I gathered up my trash and my purse, asked the gentleman if he had ordered yet-- he just shook his head. "May I buy your lunch?" I offered, and he quietly said "Thank you, Miss." I went and placed his order, returned and gave him the receipt and a cup. "Here you go- you're order #4, so when they call your number go ahead and pick it up. I'll let you get your own drink, okay? Take care, brother." He whispered another thank you, and I went back to the office.

Seems to me the opportunity to feed a hungry old man and show a bit of kindness trumps a cold beer in the middle of my work day. I wonder how many other opportunities I have missed each day by not stopping to just look around and see? At least this one didn't slip by unnoticed.