Itching to Hug
It’s been many months since I quit my job as an In Store Shopper at Whole Foods Detroit. After quitting, I avoided going in to shop partly because of the widespread Covid outbreak there and partly because I felt a bit guilty for quitting. The fact that I “could quit” bothered me greatly while knowing full well that many of my coworkers couldn’t quit to take care of themselves.
Eventually, I worked up the courage by going back every once in awhile for just a few items at a time. After a few months, I began returning to shop for a full list of items. Since it’s usually just the two of us at home these days, I really don’t need to shop all that often. When I do shop, I have noticed that I seem to keep an eye out for my former co-workers. The turnover rate is actually quite high at our particular location for a variety of reasons that would require a lot of unpacking to explain. So, I will spare you the details. :)
Anyway, there’s been one co-worker that I had heard that she had remained, but I hadn’t yet seen her. Over this past weekend, as I was in the Produce section deciding what size salad combination I needed, I thought I saw her out of the corner of my eye. I’ll call her “Dey”. I said her name and she looked up. We caught eyes and smiled behind our masks. Her eyes shone with joy and mine glistened as I felt the sting of a salty tear burst forth. I could hear my thoughts begin to corral the salty drops before they gathered size, strength, or momentum and before gravity could have its way.
Dey was always such a pleasure to work with. Her outward meticulously gorgeous black beauty was like magic to me… and she presented herself in a way that mystified me. Her inner beauty always came through the smile from her eyes, her kindness, her joy, and her exquisite mannerisms. Dey lighted up the work environment just through her being.
As we passed the time, spoke the pleasantries, and tried to catch up on months away, while she was on the clock, I noticed our bodies responding instinctively like they had magnets inside ~ shifting, inching, perhaps even itching to hug.
We didn’t know each other pre-Covid. We had never hugged before. Was it what she wanted? Was it okay? And then that’s what happened —a simple hug —an “I see you” sort of thing. I’m glad to see you. I missed you. You matter to me in this life sort of thing. I’m glad that we worked together — that’s the the kind of hug it was in this not-yet-Post-Covid-world.
Are we friends? I don’t know? Are we acquaintances? I don't know. I just know that we spent many hours together on the same shifts. We were kind to one another. She mattered to me. I’m glad we responded to those itches.
