Yesterday, the mothership decreed that all of us here in the backwater of The Planet Ann Arbor were free to leave at three in the afternoon today. Oh, and it was a jeans day. Not that I ever wear jeans. I am much more comfortable in my own personal brand of bizcaz than I would ever be in jeans. But still. It was a wonderful gesture and greatly appreciated.

And then today, at exactly 2:44 PM, the LSCHP came along and asked me why I was still at work. I mentioned the three o’clock thing and he said, “Round it up.” In other words, “Git outta here.” So I got.

I could’ve met up with the GG and a friend of his from college but I decided to let them have their own time together. I also knew that traffic around town would be ridiculous and what I really wanted to do was just get home and tinker with my minimalist Thanksgiving plans, not navigate through downtown, et al. And that’s what I did.

Round it up, pay it forward.

After tinking around for a while at The Landfill, I walked to the Plum Market for a few last minute supplies. I knew it would be nutso there with all the last-minute shoppers, etc. But at this time of year, I love walking over there during the sunset or twilight or even dark. It was nutso and another day, I might’ve been annoyed by the space cadets ahead of me in line. But I couldn’t be because of another thing I witnessed at the Plum Market today. A super-nice Plum employee had helped a frail but with-it older lady shop and then helped her get into what looked like the fastest line. And made sure she felt comfortable holding her small basket of groceries. I bet that Plum woman is getting paid to do that but I was impressed. Do all grocery stores have folks who help disabled or frail shoppers? It seems like a good thing and I hope those people are getting paid well.

And then, after the space cadets ahead of me in line *finally* moved forward just a bit, I put my grokkeries on the conveyor belt, and I bagged them into my backpack as soon as the young cashier had finished ringing them through. She said, “Thank you for being so efficient.” What can I say? (Besides, “I am very efficient except when I’m not.”) I was a cashier for a while back in the Jurassic Age. I know what her job is like and if I can even begin to make it easier for her, I will try. She asked (as they are trained to do), “Did you find everything all right?” My answer was, as always, “Yes, but I’ll probably be back tomorrow.” And I probably will… She said she would be working tomorrow. I’ll look for her line. Sometimes I wish I could tip grocery store cashiers…

I am looking forward to a small, quiet Thanksgiving here at The Landfill tomorrow. For the first time since something like 2005, both of the beach urchins will be here.

Round it up. Pay it forward. Watch the sun set if you can see it. Go outside no matter what the weather is (unless it’s dangerous). Put up strings of xmas lights (no matter what the season). Round it up. Pay it forward. Have fun. Live.

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