Grocery

I awoke at the crack of 8 AM today to drive out to the Reasor's Foods store just north of Owasso.  I'm not used to getting up early anymore, and it took some doing.  Factor in that my apartment was roughly 57 degrees and you have an unhappy camper.

The day I found out about my Dad's passing, I contacted his employer and let them know.  His boss in Kansas City was very sorry, enjoyed working with my father, and asked if there was anything he could do.  Like most people, no, there wasn't, but I appreciated the offer.  He told me that Dad had a few things in his possession that would need to be gathered.  No problems, that is to be expected.  Dad's last job was traveling around the Tulsa area for Acosta, Inc. building displays and checking product layouts for certain General Merchandise products in area grocery stores.  He had a small AT&T HTC phone used as a mobile computer, part of a Colgate display, and a red binder of corporate information.

I got a call from a lady on Thursday.  She was in charge of actually getting the items that were in Dad's possession.  She asked when she could get them.  When I told her I'd be in Pawhuska until the weekend, she was audibly disappointed.  She begrudgingly asked if I could meet her at the north Reasor's at 9 AM on Monday.  When I went up there this morning, I met her in the HBC section.  She was pleased to get the items back, and said, "Where are the services?  They're going to ask me so I better write it down."  I gave  her the day, time, church.  She said, "Well, okay, that should do it.  It was a shock to hear about Tony.  Have a good day."  And walked off.

I just wanted to punch her.  I understand that she didn't really know my father.  Honestly, sympathies from a stranger are the least of my concerns at this point in my life.  I went back out to the car and cried.  It's tough being in any kind of grocery store because they remind me so much of him.  They were his life.  To be dealt with so curtly by one of his coworkers was a stunner, for sure.  But it showed me that the rest of the world keeps rotating.  My father is gone.  Life moves forward.  I'm caught in a whirlwind, but everyone else continues BAU.  That's okay.  That's how it is designed.  Today I go back to work and try to apply that same concept to my work day and hope I don't break down too much.