My Friend Argus

 

My very good friend Argus came up for a visit this week, and we got to go out Saturday night and catch up. He lives in PA and I hadn’t seen him in over a year (thanks Covid!). As we reminisced over potato skins and chocolate chip lava cake (which had NO lava, by the way) I remembered when we first met.

Theoretically, we shouldn’t be friends. My original job moved to Atlanta, GA 3 years ago and I wasn’t mobile. Luckily, I had taken a couple of Civil Service tests and was number one on the lists, so I got to interview for my current job and they loved me! So, I was in.

My first day I pulled into the parking lot and parked. I was early so I sat there for a few minutes. Presently, I saw this young man heading for the building. What was notable was he had a backpack, and even though it was August he was wearing a jaunty hat. Not a fedora, but something smaller and kind of similar. I immediately thought he was crazy and forgot about him as I got out of my car to go to Human Resources.

Afterwards I was escorted to my new office. Imagine my surprise when I entered, and the first person I saw was the guy in the hat! I was introduced to those I hadn’t met during the interview, and discovered his name was Argus. And based on the hat: the name fit. They had a nice welcome to Financial Aid continental breakfast spread for me, and everyone was very nice.

The brunt of the training fell on Argus, as I’d be doing that kind of work. It was a little awkward with both of us sitting at the same desk, but we made it work. He wasn’t the cuddliest person I’d ever worked with but I figured it was because we were strangers.

WRONG!! I asked one of my friendlier coworkers where I’d be sitting after my training. She said, “At Argus’s desk.” “Um – then where is Argus going to sit?” “Well, you’re replacing him so he will have to find another job.” I guess that explained the frostiness! Apparently, he had gotten that job through a temp agency and he knew in order to keep it and be hired as a permanent employee, he had to pass the civil service test and score in the top three. Unfortunately, he did not do so; so after almost two years they couldn’t put it off any longer. Some people just don’t do well with testing; whereas I used to do it as a hobby (yep: more proof I’m a nerd).

So now I was faced with a quandary: how was I going to get him to like me, when I was taking his job?  The simple answer: charm him with my usual friendly, funny, twinkly self! I knew this might be a challenge but I was up for it!

Well you know the rest: he couldn’t hold out when my charm is on full blast! It took a little work but eventually he thawed out enough to be friends. We would sometimes have lunch together, and I really have no idea how the other people in the room could stand us. We always ended up laughing uproariously at something, and they would just look at us and roll their eyes. Don’t be jealous of our good time! And occasionally we would meet out for a bite to eat or a coffee just to chat. He is quirky and funny and has the best laugh. I’m glad I got to find that out!

But alas: all good things must come to an end. His time in our office ended and he was going to see where his next work adventure would take him. Little did we know that it would be to an office 2 buildings down! So he got to come back for a while. Just when the 2 ladies in the break room thought it was safe to have lunch!

Anyhoo, getting back to his last day: he walked me to my car so we could say so long, not goodbye. We stood there and talked for a good 40 minutes, neither one wanting to leave. But we both had things to do so finally we wished each other well. And then he opened his arms. Yep: like a homing pigeon I went right into them. It was the best hug I’d ever received, and coming from Argus it meant a lot. It was a good, strong, full-body full-of- meaning hug: the kind you want to just go on forever. But we finally separated and I told him he was one of my favorite people in the world; and he dittoed that sentiment. Thankfully, before it got mushy, I said to him, “I’m really going to miss your hat.” That brought on the laughter.

Since then, he has moved to Pennsylvania but we still keep in touch. When he visits family members up north he lets me know when he’s coming so we can get together. I will text him and say, “I miss your hat. And your face.”  So when we get together we laugh. And hug. If he could bottle those, he’d be a millionaire.

We just got together this past Saturday night. We enjoy spending time together, and he has admitted that no one makes him laugh more than me. I say, “As long as you’re laughing with me and not at me!” to which he replies, “No guarantees!”

So that’s my story of Argus, the best hugger in the world. Yes, we hugged before we parted Saturday night. And that was even better than the lava cookie. 😊 I wish I could have one of those every day. Maybe someday from some lucky man! And in case you're wondering: the hat is called a Trilby. See: you do learn something new every day!

Aww...no hat!

Friday Flash

 

I’m at work and listening to my cool tunes on the Victrola (my phone). The song “The Big Payback” by James Brown comes on, and suddenly I have a flashback…

I’m back in high school at a Friday night dance. My best friends are with me, and the deejay is actually pretty good.  We were chitchatting, but all of us had our eyes on one of the chaperones. It was a student teacher named John Kahn.

In my mind’s eye I can still see him: taller than me, slender, slightly wavy dark hair, dark brown eyes and glasses and a mustache. Being a student teacher, he wasn’t all that much older than we were; and every girl I knew had a crush on him. Of course, I didn’t let anyone know that I had a crush, because I didn’t want to seem like everyone else. And you know how I like to stand out in a crowd!

Anyhoo, when a group of girls would dance he would join them and they would be jostling for position next to him. But being me: that wasn’t good enough. So during a lull I actually went up to him and said, “Do you think we could dance to the next one?” “Yeah sure!” he responded. Now I wasn’t sure if he actually meant it, if he said it to be nice, or if he was stoned and didn’t know what he was saying. (Oh please: we all knew he’d snuck outside to smoke weed with whoever was holding!)

Imagine my inner surprise and delight when he came to claim me for “The Big Payback”, which was one of my favorite songs! I couldn't believe the deejay had that song! And although his rhythm was a little off: who cared??? I was the only one he was dancing with and everyone was watching and all of my friends were totally jealous! And at the end of the day: isn’t that what it’s all about? I was the only one he solo danced with, probably because no one else knew how to catch that rhythm. (including him but again: who cared? He was hot.)

Ah, memories! And this was a good one for me. I sometimes wonder what ever happened to him, and if he really became a teacher. Regardless: I hope Mr. Kahn  led a good life and kept on dancing. You know I did!

A Little Bible Lesson

I feel like a little sermon today...

 Once upon a time I knew a man who swore up and down that he didn't believe in God. Yet in the next breath he would say, "I know my mother has her angel wings now that she's in Heaven."

Really? Who is she in Heaven with, if you don't believe in God? How did she get there? How would there be a Heaven without God? It just sprang from swamp water after the "big bang" happened?

And while he didn't "believe" in God, he would say, "My name is taken from the death angel." Wrong again! With no God, there would be no angels. And check the Bible: Michael is the angel of war, not death. "And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." Revelation 12:7-9. There was no name for the death angel in the Christian Bible, (just in other religions and paganism), whom God sent to kill the firstborn sons of the Egyptians. God told Moses to tell the Israelites to put lamb's blood on their doors so the death angel would pass over their houses. "For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle." Exodus 12:12-13, 29.

By the way, just for the record: people don't "turn" into angels when they die, nor do they get wings. Angels are created beings, created to serve and worship God, often referred to as the Heavenly host. “You are the Lord, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host . . . and the host of heaven worships you.” Nehemiah 9:6. God formed man from the earth, and breathed the breath of life into him. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7.

Even though I know this particular man won't see this post, I feel good having rebutted his supposed beliefs. 😏 

So there you have it. All scripture references are from the King James Bible, which is my favorite. If you want to discuss or have questions, feel free to contact me! Or better yet: come to church with me sometime. I guarantee you won't regret it!