Earlier this week, Tyler mentioned that he would probably have a short work day on Friday in San Francisco. I asked if I could go with him. I was struggling some, and I have fond memories of Jack and I spending a workday in the city with him during the pandemic. So yesterday, I got up and dressed, grabbed my good long forest green coat (one of my best thrift store finds ever), shut the door, and left.
It did feel odd to leave the house without making certain Jack was settled in. It felt odd to have a day when there was no reason to be home at any particular time. There is always the risk that concern, while at times can be laudable, is too often habitual. Sometimes we humans just have to accept feeling odd and get out and meet people.
I had met Yuji before and I was grateful to see him again. He is a very lively Japanese musician and artist who is enthusiastic about everything from Tyler's music to Japanese football, to a dog named Rosie who comes to visit when her human companion needs something from Yugi's incredibly well stocked corner market. As Tyler concluded his transactions, I went outside to take in the sun. It was a beautiful clear day in the city, and the beautiful pink blossoms I spotted in a container alongside the building were so encouraging. Later, I met a proprietor who has created a lovely container garden that stretches for close to half a block alongside his building. I marveled at his rose geranium and its large fragrant leaves. He surprised me by giving me a cutting of it as well as a cutting of a fuschia (okay, I confess I am intimidated by that).
After lunch, we stopped by a dumpling shop where I have shopped before. The women who work there are extremely efficient, so the lines in and out of the cash only shop move quickly, except perhaps when I am there. The only amenities in their small space are their good food, and the warmth extended to those in the neighborhood who appear to stop by regularly. Besides their coveted dumplings, they offer some entree items, and a couple of older customers gave me the sense these women help keep them, and probably others, sustained on a regular basis.
Yesterday reminded me that businesses can play a large part in helping a community thrive. Their presence can be healing for those who are appearing for an hour or so, or for those who are growing old right before their eyes. I was also reminded that Tyler can drive through the city with remarkable alacrity, and he is far more optimistic about being able to fit his car into a small space than I will ever be. I also learned that a hamburger served on grilled bread with homemade sauerkraut and whole grain mustard can be worth sacrificing a diet for. Maybe that is part of what healing is about: tending to the daily, while making room for the new.
May I remember.
image: December 2022, 26th and Guerrero Market, San Francisco
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