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comes to an end, I reflect upon my life - knowing that God has bestowed good fortune on me and that I am rich beyond measure. Many years ago, in an office on Waters Avenue, she gave her team Gumby figurines for Christmas. Laughing, I asked why Gumby? And she told us that ‘flexibility is the key.’
After making a decision to change my life for the better, I was about to lease an apartment in Tampa. The year was 2002 and my change was about to be trumped by one much bigger – the office was closing and we would be moving to the ATL. And I had breakfast with my youngest son, then a student at UF and told him of the news. What he said to me was wise beyond his years. ‘Mom, this is your time, time to live your life. Go and pursue your dreams. I’m not going to be here forever and will be pursuing dreams of my own.’ And with that, I packed my car with my clothes, dishes, pot & pans, my computer, camera and Gumby, then hit the road. Little did I know when I pulled out of that dirt driveway my life would be forever changed. I said a prayer as I merged onto I-295, and in retrospect I imagine God was pleased as he knew, even then, what was in store.
The first year away from the life I left behind was liberating as I realized that I deserved only the best in life, and that it was the beginning of a wonderful journey. Now, that isn’t to say that I was overjoyed when I woke up the morning after arriving and walked outside to a frosty Cavalier. Hmmm…. gloves – did I pack gloves? Did I even own gloves? Note to self, start the shopping list – gloves and ice scraper at the top. And that small group of friends who happened to be co-workers stayed close for the first few months until we gradually spread our proverbial ATL wings. And I placed Gumby on my desk as a reminder that life could change at any moment, and to just go with the flow.
My cell phone contract was up, finite, kaput and just as well as I wasn’t particularly impressed with it. And so I drove down the road, to a T-Mobile store which was kitty corner from the Big Chicken (for those not from the South, this is the landmark by which all directions in ATL begin and end) to check out my options. A new phone with T-Zones (old school INTRA-net) was the ticket. And as my family was in town, I rode in the back seat playing with my new phone…. Games? I’m not much on games…. but what is this? The Love Game? What the heck…. create a cartoon profile? Check. Answer a couple of questions? Check. Click start. Searching…. (The song Looking for Love in all the wrong places comes to mind, LOL!) Here’s a 90% match….. and I ask, ‘Are you over 40?’ No? Please go away little boy. ‘Are you married?’ Yes? Go away!
And then …. a couple of weeks later – here’s another match…. 80%? OK – I’ll play along. Fun conversation through the game and I find myself having a twinge of feelings for this little cartoon character on my cell phone. What? I look around me now and chuckle at the thought. And so one week later, I say, via the game…. Why don’t we just simplify things and text? The alarm goes off, I hit snooze (you already knew that, right?) and turned back over pulling the covers over my head. There it goes again! Ugh. Wait. It’s a text from him. And there is a text coffee cup. [_]P and a rose --- < ---(@ I’m reduced to a school girl and excitedly show everyone in the office. It’s been two weeks, and it’s time to take it to the next level….. And I send a text that says, ‘Why don’t you use the information and the technology that you have at your fingertips to contact me?’ And the pendulum on the regulator clock hanging on the wall is incredibly loud… click, click, click….. as an hour goes by. And just as I’m about to give up, the phone rings…. Trying to be cool, I ‘flip’ it open and say ‘Hello?’ anxious to hear his voice. Four hours later, we both decided it was time to get to sleep as we both had to work the next day. And as I ‘flipped’ the phone closed, I closed my eyes and smiled. What are the odds that this man had just relocated to ATL with his job three months ago, and just signed a new contract with T-Mobile? A feeling of overwhelming calm intermingled with excitement filled my being. And Gumby still sat on my desk reminding me that life is about going with the flow, or is that riding the wave?
And as I listened myDarlin' Robert Kenui Pope tell others about how we met, he always included the part about telling his co-workers…’and she has a JOB! A good JOB!’ And it is our jobs that brought us both here to the ATL, and God that put that silly little game notification on both of our phones.
Serendipity? Coincidence? Today I am filled with gratitude that God authored our Love Story and reminds us daily to be like Gumby. Go with the flow and Trust in the Lord.
#KeepLookingUp #Gumby #TheLoveGame
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