33 Things They Don't Tell You About Being Basic

19: It's Never Just Thinking

Just as I got off the phone with a very friendly old lady who was thrilled to add my name and business to the list of participants, my work phone rang. I hadn't really gotten any calls from anyone yet, but I picked up and answered in my best customer service voice.

"Hello, Marigold. It's George. Glad you're where you're supposed to be this afternoon," he said, and I held in a sigh. I guess I deserved that.

"What can I do for you?" I asked without telling him that the vast majority of the time, I was where I was supposed to be.

"I'm going to be out of town for a few weeks visiting family, so I really need you to keep a close eye on the winery. Make sure everyone's doing their job, customers are happy, all your work is getting done—"

I looked at a pile of papers that I was ignoring on my desk. Then I looked away.

"—You know how to do your job better than I do. As long as the place doesn't burn down by the time I get back, I'll be happy," he continued.

I nodded. "I can handle that no problem."

But it was a problem. I was way too far behind on my crafts to be in charge for a few weeks, and the last thing I wanted was to have nothing to show at the craft fair in Columbus in a month or so. It was a couple hours away, so I had to make it worth my time, money, and energy if I wanted to ever get my crafting business off the ground.

I wished him a good trip and hung up like there wasn't an issue in the entire world, but having responsibility after responsibility thrown at me at the last minute was beginning to feel a little overwhelming.

At least I wouldn't have time to think about anything else besides working.

***

A few days into my reign as the sole person in charge, I was getting used to having all of the authority in the winery. If there was a shitty customer, I got to deal with them in my own way, by offering them a free dessert, and if that wasn't good enough, then telling them to get the hell out (in a customer service tone, of course).

It wasn't particularly difficult making sure that all of our ducks were in a row, so I was sure that I oversimplifying it or forgetting something, but in that moment, it was much more peaceful in my office than outside where all the people were, and I didn't even have a piano to trick me into being calm.

I was still plenty behind on my work, but when I looked at my computer screen, then down at the paper in front of me, then back to the screen, the words and numbers from both blurred together and made a pot of alphabet soup that I would never be able to decipher until my eyes got a break. I got up from my office to see what was going on in the outside world, but mostly to refresh my three brain cells working overtime just to keep up with the rest of me.

Man, I would kill for a latte right about now.

When I retreated to my office earlier in the day, it was a bright and shining afternoon, but now the clouds had taken over the sky for an overcast beginning to the evening. I had always thought that I wouldn't like a nine to five because it was almost always dark outside when I wasn't at work, and I was quickly learning that I had thought right. It was miserable as the nights got longer with each passing day.

As I passed by tables of people who seemed happy enough, my mind went back to the craft fairs and events I was reading about earlier. There was plenty of time to prepare, but that meant that there was plenty of time to wait as well. And in the meantime, I wasn't making the kind of money I wanted from my true love of a hustle.

I kept my frown to myself as I thought of the fact that the lost revenue was covered by my new role at the Lakeside Daisy. It was great, but it wasn't everything I wanted and more.

No one was at the piano since it was still relatively earlier on in the evening, and I couldn't help but notice that it was rather empty when there was no one there. Lydia would have had it decorated with something fall-related, but she was gone, and George didn't care about keeping up appearances nearly as much as she used to.

I supposed that was my responsibility now. I didn't have much money, but I did have plenty of leftover yarn from completed and scrapped projects over the years, so maybe there was something I could do with that.

Maybe I could make some little fall decorations. Lydia would have liked that.

Maybe I could make some fall decorations and such to sell at a little stand I set up in the corner, because that was what Lydia would have wanted. George would be out of town for a bit, so he couldn't call it insensitive. And it would be a way to use what I already had and make a little bit of money doing what I really loved.

Perhaps it was a little inconsiderate, but that was capitalism, baby.

"Excuse me, Marigold," Mason said as he stepped up to the piano to start his shift.

"Do you think a little craft stand here would be a cute idea to make sure it looks festive in here?" I asked.

"I think it'll be in the way and make it look cluttered," he replied. "You're not thinking about—"

I interrupted him. "I'm just thinking about it right now."

He didn't respond to that. Instead, he sat down at the piano and began to play, and there I was, standing right in the way of everyone's view.

I headed back towards my office, and I took a few more glances over my shoulder to visualize my latest idea. As long as the stand was small enough, it wouldn't be in anyone's way, and every regular knew that cute, festive, local decorations were one of the most fun parts of the Lakeside Daisy experience. It was only right to make sure that tradition lived on.

Maybe this would be just enough of a step in the right direction up until the next craft fair. My sanity depended on it, really.

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Hi! Thank you so much for reading!

So for today's question, would you rather have a rewind button or a fast forward button through life?

As nice as it would be to fast forward the healing process, I would definitely rather have a rewind button. I would love to go back and relive some moments throughout my life. I probably wouldn't even change anything by going back. I'd just like to have certain experiences again.