Things For Which I Have No Answer
The older the four quills get, the more questions I encounter for which I have no answer. Here are a few examples:
As I was leaving the dinner table to go have a cocktail with my friend, I informed my family that I won’t be out late with the comment, “I’ll be home early, I’m an old fuddy duddy, much to the chagrin of my friend who would most likely prefer to go clubbing into the wee hours.”
“But you’re our old fuddy duddy, Mom” chimed in the 18 year old. Somehow that made me feel good, I have no answer for that.
People invest in an animal, feed and water the animal, pay for its care, but then take it out on a 10 ft leash, on the local bike paths where cyclist speeds routinely top 25 mph, A dog encountering a bike seldom yields a decent ending. I have no answer for that.
“Mom, if we clean the kitchen and the living room, can we rent Up? We really want to cry so we want to rent Up.” Hmmmm, “sure” was the best I could muster for that one, at least I get to come home to a clean kitchen.
I spent 3 hours at the DMV with the 2nd quill acquiring a learner’s permit. There were 80-100 people in line, of which at least half were newly minted drivers with their moms, and 2 staff people methodically filling numbers. At AAA, where they are paid by the transaction, staff is proportionate to demand and the wait is rarely over 10 minutes. The answer is intuitive here. The question remains. Curiously, I was overcome with cravings for junk food this past 24 hours. Is Teen Angst truly that contagious?
I feel particularly generous towards the curbside solicitors that are out-of-work contractors in our area. Mr. PQ was a painting contractor right up until the economy tanked. He looks far more settled and satisfied in our little shop in North Minneapolis, with our wonderful customers and amazing staff. How did we find ourselves blessed to live in so great a country that affords the freedom and ability to transition one skill set into another, thus keeping a roof over our heads and food on the table? For that I have no answer but to be humbled.
Here we arrive at the two year anniversary of Pad and Quill, an idea that began as a way to pay off some accumulating debt and perhaps provide a transition into a new career in commercial real estate. It is said when God closes a door, he opens a window. In this case the window wonderfully turned out to be an Apple, and a company that has grown and multiplied and allowed us to meet some amazing people around the world. So thank you to all who believed in us from the beginning, purchasing some of those first renditions, and returning for more. For telling your friends and family about us and spreading the word and for all of our wonderful vendors, customers and employees. We are looking forward to all this third year holds!
-Mrs. PQ
