A Long Night at Work, A Really Good Song, and A Great Friend

I remember watching the clock, waiting for the final bell to ring and excuse us from my 6th period class. I don't know why I watch so anxiously at the clock. It must be an old habit because honestly sometimes it seems like I have nothing to look forward too after a long day of school anymore. It was a Thursday afternoon and sitting there in my human biology class I realized that the ringing of the bell almost never means I get to go home and relax for the rest of the night. Being a senior in high school, I am busy! I still had practice, homework, and a closing shift at work. No time to relax for me.

I tried to maintain a positive attitude at practice but I have to admit I was in a horrible mood. Some days it feels like I am caught in this vicious cycle or school, practice, homework, chores, work, and sleep. And I just can’t escape. Some days it isn’t so bad, like when I don’t have to work that night, but other times it just puts me in the worst mood.

After practice I hurried home and quickly did my chores and got a start on my homework. Before long I got ready for work and left the house. As I was leaving my dad was coming home and said “See ya on Sunday. Maybe.” And I felt a little guilty. My dad works two full time jobs and isn’t home as often as he wishes. He works at 4am and usually doesn’t get home until six or seven and tries to go to bed by ten in order to get a little sleep before his vicious cycle starts again. He didn’t see me at all the day before because I had gotten home from the track meet late and he knows closing at work will get me home even later.

In my car I blast the music and try to block out the world. It had been a bad day and really, I just wanted to go to bed.

When I arrived at work I came to the wonderful realization that tonight I would be closing with one of my best friends and the nicest manger McDonalds has ever known. I let my friend talk, junior prom was only 2 days away and she was going with the guy of her dreams and she was excited.  I didn’t really have anything to say so I just let her talk and I listened. We got busy and I could tell it was going to be a long night, and my bad mood came back.

While I was out cleaning the lobby, a song came on by Jack Johnson called “Upside Down”. This song had hit me hard this summer and if you haven’t heard it I encourage you to look it up. Some of the lyrics are:

Who's to say
I can't do everything
Well I can try
And as I roll along I begin to find
Things aren't always just what they seem

I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I'll find the things they say just can't be found
I'll share this love I find with everyone
We'll sing and dance to Mother Nature's songs
This world keeps spinning and there's no time to waste
Well it all keeps spinning spinning round and round and

Upside down
Who's to say what's impossible and can't be found
I don't want this feeling to go away

Please don't go away...

For some reason this simple song put a smile on my face. As I went back behind the counter to tell the manager I was done so I could go home, my friend asked me a question about what had been bothering me earlier. After I had clocked out, I sat and we talked about it for the next hour. Just the fact that I knew she cared had a huge impact on me. We have known each other for barely a year, but I feel like I have known her my whole life. We have been there for each other through a lot and help each other out whenever we can. We kind of have this quote we use to describe our friendship: “With friendship, it doesn't matter how long you've known each other, or how many fights you've gotten into. What matter is who said, 'I'll be there for you,' and proved it.”

What experiences and tender mercies have you felt involving some really close friends? Feel free to comment and share!

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