Yesterday, I was struck by a memory of
Caleb that made me smile and I started to think about it so that I could write
it down and not forget it. But my memory is not completely clear so I will
reconstruct the bits and pieces of it that came to me and if anyone else
remembers it, they can add to it or correct what I didn't get right.
I was working at Lucky (a grocery store)
and I was on the express lane (which I always hated.) I was going through the
motions, just trying to get through the day when a young man came through my
checkstand. I rang up his order and he left but a few minutes later he went
through my line again. Now, here is where my memory is really fuzzy. I don't
remember if it was just the fact that I knew he had just gone through my line,
or if he had a single rose (for some reason, I really think he might have
bought a flower,) or if he attempted to purchase alcohol which forced me to
look at his ID and really look at him, but when I did, my eyes grew wide and my
mouth dropped open and I about wanted to jump over the checkstand. I loved the
look of mischief he had on his face when the recognition dawned in mine. It was
my nephew, Caleb, standing in front of me and it was the first time I had seen
him with facial hair. It was at that point that I noticed my sister and
brother-in-law standing a few feet away, laughing at me. I was chagrined that I
had not recognized this boy who was so dear to me (and that I was so zoned out
that it took him going through my line twice to get my attention) but it had
been a while since I'd seen them and I could not believe how much he'd grown
up. Suddenly, the precious little boy was a man.
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