This past Friday, Jim the Mailman buzzed me from downstairs and told me I had a soft package waiting for me in the lobby. (He didn’t have to do that… I love Jim the Mailman.)
I go downstairs, grab the package, bring it upstairs—and inside was a lovely letter, a spray of blue face mask filters & three handsewn masks—all from a very dear blogger-friend of mine (who wishes to remain anonymous). It was such a sweet surprise, I couldn’t believe it. Thanks so much! I hope someday I can repay your kindness.
I tried on the first mask (a black, white & purple number that looked & fit great) and headed back downstairs to get my mail. When I got to the lobby… Betty.
Betty is 75 years old, lives on the sixth floor and is one ornery character. She’s always busting my chops but I don’t mind, I love Betty. She’s one of my favorite residents in our building.
She pointed at my face and said “Where’d that come from?”
I explained it was from a friend of mine on the internet. She said “You’ve got more masks than Carter’s got pills! You probably don’t know what I’m talking about.” I said “Carter’s Little Liver Pills, I know the quote! Gee Betty I think people stopped using that after the Civil War.” She said “You just wait… you’re going to get old too!” I said “You’ve only got 15 years on me!”
Betty waved me off and went on her merry way.
So I bring my mail upstairs (my electric bill is only $37.18… nice!) and take off my mask and try on the second one, denim blue & green. It’s quilted & very comfy. I wonder about the Amazon packages I saw downstairs and if any of them were mine (I AM expecting something) and I go back down again. Betty is still down there, talking to Mary who lives on the first floor. She sees me and does a double-take. She says “Another mask! Buster what are you trying to prove?” I laughed and said it was from the same online friend, then said hi to Mary.
As I’m in the lobby going thru the stack of Amazon boxes, Betty comes up beside me and says “I told Mary that women give you things because you’re a widower.” I said “Hey Betty, you and Mary are wearing masks that I gave you!” She said “I thought they were from that church lady friend of yours?” Fine Betty, whatever!
(Note to self, tell Mary I am NOT a widower.)
After I came back upstairs, I sat down to write my anonymous benefactor a thank you letter, then changed my shirt and put on the third mask (a dusty periwinkle, this one’s my favorite) to take a selfie photo to include with my thank-you. I figured as long as I was cleaned up, I might as well grab my wallet and head up the street to the market.
I got on the elevator, headed down to the lobby and when the doors opened on the first floor, Betty was standing there waiting to get on. She looked at me and my third mask for a moment, then said “Now you’re just showing off.”
Who, me?
Thanks again, my kind friend
Oh my gosh! Priceless! I love it! I especially loved reading this about Betty.
ReplyDeleteHaha, thanks Kay! I do love Betty, she tells every resident here they should wear a mask in the building when they leave their apartment, I think she's right :)
DeleteHa! If you got 'em, flaunt 'em! A bit of a status symbol, I'd say.
ReplyDeleteFlorence I do feel a little extra special with my hand-sewn masks :)
DeleteThat many masks proves your are highly thought of. You can make a regular fashion statement and color coordinate. I really think someone is missing out not making this a clothing line.
ReplyDeleteHaha, thanks Patti! I consider myself pretty darn lucky to have 2 friends that think of others--and are great mask makers :) And I agree about these becoming a new clothing line, because I think they're going to be with us for a lot longer than people think. Hope you're doing okay :)
DeleteOh my. Hilarious! I love Betty. We all need a Betty in our lives.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gigi! I would say we could all use a Gigi too :)
DeleteYou are in good shape for a while. BTW, I think Carter is long out of pills.
ReplyDeleteJoe you will be happy to know you can still buy them on Amazon! (Or maybe you don't give a hoot) https://www.amazon.com/CARTERS-LITTLE-PILLS-75S/dp/B072JP39KM/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=carters+little+liver+pills&qid=1590625329&sr=8-2
DeleteThere are some slight parallels with us. There are six apartments in my block, but only two in the front section where I live. I’m up the top and Hazel is below me. She went to visit relatives in England some time ago and was due to return about the time the virus hit, and she’s stuck over there, so I haven’t run into her on the stairs for about six months now.
ReplyDeleteAlas, I don’t have friends who make and send me masks; I had to buy them at my pharmacy.
Also, I’m about the same age as Betty, you must be a really young person.
Elevator? Goodness me.
Peter the Music Man.
Peter it's great to hear from you again--I was thinking about you last night, I'm hooked on those Juice Media videos from Australia. Anyway, I sure hope your neighbor Hazel is alright, wow 6 months... is she a friend or a thorn in your side? As for the masks, I originally bought some off Etsy that weren’t comfortable; if it hadn’t been for me sharing that on my blog here... :)
DeleteHazel and I get along fine, although even when she’s here we seldom meet, just pass on the stairs and stop to complain about the world and our various infirmities (she broke her shoulder blade and wrist in a fall a couple of years ago; I broke my neck about eighteen months ago in a different fall).
DeleteShe’s staying with her daughter in England, whom she went to visit. He sister comes over occasionally to check her apartment and reports everything’s okay with her.
Peter I sure was sorry to read about your breaking your NECK. Good Lord, I hope you're doing ok...
DeleteYep, I’m pretty much back to what’s laughingly known as normal. It did give me practice to staying inside for a few months.
Delete