Beginning of an Era

For all my hand-wringing, all my worries, and the heaviness of the guilt sitting firmly in my chest, I made it to Memphis. Within a day, the worries and the guilt faded. I am still concerned this week with the Boss's welfare, but I continue to reassure myself that he will be fine. He found a fine replacement, and I know they will work well together.

Since I have not written for over a week, I need to update you on a few comings and goings of the past several days. Last Thursday we had an impromptu going away party at a local pub. Friends and family were there. Times like these teach me one important lesson: I am a blessed girl to have so many caring people in my life. Though it was neither requested or expected, some people brought parting gifts.

Once such parting gift was from the Boss: an aquarium. I admit that I was slightly puzzled. The Boss had threatened to give me our office fish as a going away present, but I had not believed him. Even when presented with an empty aquarium, I did not believe him. After all, it's not like he had delivered the fish in a baggie or anything. But throughout the night he continued to promise me that I would be taking our office fish with me when I departed.

A side note on this fish: We started out with four fish. Two blue guarana, one bigger fish, and one algae eater. The algae eater died first, though by the time we found him, he was merely bone. The bigger fish was then bullied to death by the two smaller guarana. Finally, a few weeks ago, one of the guarana went missing. He simply vanished from the tank. I dredged the bottom, but came up empty handed. Now, another note: our office tank was completely overrun with algae. We would clean the tank and it would immediately turn green again. At some point we gave up all together on cleaning the tank. One last note on the fish: On my last day I asked the Boss if he had been feeding our last little guy. The Boss said, "I thought you were feeding him." Oops.

Knowing all this about our final fish, I did not want him. He turns water green and seems to enjoy killing other fish. Still, true to his word, the Boss snuck the fish into my U-Haul trailer the morning I was packing to leave. In a water jug. I just knew the little fella' wouldn't last one day in there, but he somehow survived three days (that  is how long it took me to get his tank set up). Now he's the happiest little unkillable fish in Memphis.

Other than the addition of a new pet, this move has provided several new experiences for me. I went from living in a tiny triplex in Silverhill, Alabama to a roomy twelfth floor apartment in down town Memphis. My view, while not the best city view out there, is still a view of something. I see buildings and glimpse the Mississippi River through my large windows. While I have the convenience of walking to my bank, my stores, even my job, I have learned a few of the inconveniences of city living too. Pedestrians, one-way streets, and parking. My parking garage is across the street from my building, and it took me three miserable trips to and from my car on Monday to bring in several heavy bags of groceries.

But yesterday I literally went "walking in Memphis," and concluded that the benefits of this city life will outweigh the hassles, at least for now.

I start my new job on Monday, and I. Am. Ready. My friend at the firm tells me I already have an assignment waiting for me. I can't wait to jump in and hit the ground running. I also can't wait to be wearing something business-y when I hit the elevator in my building. So far everyone I have met in my building has been wearing a suit. I wonder what they think of the T-shirt-and-jeans-on-a-weekday girl they are meeting. I bet they are jealous, actually.

So I will slip through this week's vacation relaxing and being lazy. Then on Monday, I will be off to the daily grind. Stay tuned for the new adventures of the same paralegal. Or perhaps the little fish in the big-ish city?