doulos

you just never know how things from the past will be beneficial in the future.  i met a woman at the galaxy diner on 46th (which is a great place for a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich, by the way) and we got to talking about a variety of things.  another aside, i love that this little place would choose to call itself such an all encompassing name like "galaxy."  if you dropped a denny's on the corner of 46th and 9th, you'd have the galaxy diner, just fewer places to sit and not quite as well lit.  i don't think the galaxy diner has "moons over my-hammy" either...which is definitely to their detriment.  

so anyway, we got to talking about what we're up to and where we've been.  she is a relatively new attorney and is starting to partner with another attorney friend.  they just got a new office on the 4th floor of an old building right on the avenue of the americas.  good location, old building...very old building.  no elevator and the four flights of stairs have that slightly questionable look that make you wonder if they're really going to hold your weight.  or you strategize about where you should place your foot on each step to avoid toppling the building.  and you could swear there's a tilt to the whole thing that could never be blamed on drinking too much wine.  keeps things exciting, i guess.  the office space itself has newly refinished wood floors, high ceilings, and three windows looking out on the avenue.  

the whole reason we went by the building was because as i shared about where i'd been, i mentioned building homes in mexico with college students over the past 18 years or so.  this was met with great enthusiasm that maybe i could build the wall partitions they wanted for their office!  i tried to mention that there are a number of obstacles...

1. i'm not a professional

2. i have no tools (i only packed two bags and didn't think it necessary to throw in a hammer.  probably would have raised a few eyebrows at security if i had.  

3. i can't build anything without my steel-toed work boots.  (didn't throw those in the bag either)

4. a little thing called code inspections!  (i built homes in mexico...there are no building codes.  this is why all the church mission trips that involve construction go to mexico!) (ok...not all...but most)

5. i still have no tools!

my concerns seemed to be no issue for this attorney.  doesn't that seem strange?  someone who is concerned about the law isn't concerned for this minister to work a construction project in midtown manhattan on the avenue of the americas!  amazing.  and for me, fortunate.  i need the work.

so, it looks like i'll be acting as a foreman of sorts for this light construction project in manhattan.  haven't  even been here eight days.  i suppose i could wear my tuxedo pants and bow tie. 

perhaps i can start a whole new approach to construction in new york.  maybe i can combine some singing with the swinging of a hammer, or sing the "happy working song" from "enchanted."  regardless, it will be a fun story for the talk shows when i catch my break.

go on those mission trips!  you may learn skills that could come in handy later in life when you're unemployed on the streets of manhattan meeting people in various diners that have not creatively named their egg dishes.