You jerk awake with a start. As your vision adjusts to the dim light, you see the blurred form of someone in front of you. Given the subdued nature of the lighting, it seems to take longer than normal to happen; almost as if the person’s form keeps shifting. Eventually however, the familiar form of the bartender comes into focus; staring at you, and seemingly, only you.
“Long day?” he says, smiling.
“Yes..?” you respond.
“What, you’re not sure?” he asks, still smiling.
You begin to respond, but then you realize, with dawning uncertainty. that you’re not. It feels like time has passed, but, for the life of you, it’s hard to tell exactly how much.
“I guess that depends.” you say. “Was I sleeping?”
The bartender turns and grabs a glass to clean. “Ho-yeah.” he says, matter-of-factly. “Technically, we’re not supposed to let you do that, but, it’s been quiet, and it seems like you needed it.”
You smile, sheepishly; that was nice of him. Still, it feels very out-of-character for you; not to mention, you still have no clue what time it is.
“How long was I out?” you ask?
The bartender looks up, his eyes darting back and forth in calculation.
“Hmm. If I had to estimate,” he says, “I’d have to say at least a year.”
_____________________________________________________
One year.
One year. 52 columns, and several hundred comments.
When I started this, if I’m being honest, I did it for both selfish reasons. and as a bit of a larf. A way to keep up my writing. while also stating active in the community; both becoming increasingly more difficult given the nature of my job. Furthermore, if I can continue with the honesty, even on my best days, I am a lazy, lazy man when it comes to personal endeavors. Inspiration comes in bursts, and never seems to last long enough to allow for the completion of big projects. Even with something as seemingly minor as this, the idea that I could get something weekly for a year, well, I didn’t expect to have it in me.
That’s where you all came in. Where originally, only a few responses would trickle in here or there, I began to notice, over the course of the year, several responses from the same people week-after-week. Eventually those responders began to engage with one-another, commiserating, complimenting, offering advice and encouragement. And eventually, despite a complete lack-of-effort on my part, began to form a small little sub-community within the wider cultural maelstrom that is The Avocado.
And then I realized: At the end of the day, you all are why I do this. You are the ones who help to get me off of my ass and force a modicum of creativity through my head on a weekly basis. (No pressure) While this may have started as a selfish way to keep me writing, and while. at the end of the day. it is, and will remain a place to bitch and moan about our jobs, I’ll tell you something that it no longer is:
Mine.
This is your community, now. All of the stories, the sorrows, the screw-ups, the little victories, they’re all yours. I’m just here to bus the tables and make sure you’re all comfortable; and I’m more than happy to do it.
So, let’s all raise a glass to a year of employment ups and downs, and while I hope for you all to have far more of the of the former than the latter, just know that I plan on making sure you have a place to do it for a long time, yet.
As ever, have a safe and productive rest of the day, safe trip home, and a great weekend. And remember: It’s 5 o’clock, somewhere.