Many years ago, I was a Shoney’s restaurant soldier. You had 90 seconds or less to the table, pick up dishes, food out in another predetermined measurement of time, and OMG it could be a shopper!

The mere thought of all of these rules frightened me, and being the shit test taker that I was, it only served to make me nervous and mess up.

John, our hunch-backed manager said of me one night, “she’s dropped everything but her drawers.”

John despised me when I first started waiting tables at HIS restaurant. I dropped things; I was rough around the edges, and without culture.

He was polished, he was smooth, he was at least 9 feet tall, and he made me nervous. This type of a person had always made me nervous; causing me to act like an idiot and asking very stupid questions. John wore a Christian Dior pin on his tie. One night, I asked him if that was his girlfriend. You can imagine his disdain.

Oddly, John and I became good friends after he got to know me better. He was an Aquarian too, so it was only a matter of time before he fell for my silliness and we became good friends. This friendship was never based in anything sexual or romantic, just a deep respect and admiration for one another.

It helped that I would scratch his hump back after the restaurant closed, while he counted money and did paperwork.

I followed him to another store in the same restaurant chain to work for him part time. The only reason I worked there was because he claimed he needed me. And golly, if you needed me then I was there.

There was one New Years Eve night that he begged me to work for him. I explained that I would definitely be under the influence of many substances, and if that were acceptable to him, I’d be there.

He agreed it was fine and added that maybe I’d even be a little more cheerful under the influence. We made a deal, and I showed up around midnight and as promised, and I was loaded.

He loved me and seemed to feel better when I was near. This is a common issue with Aquarian people; they are often misunderstood and looked upon as an alien subject. It didn’t help that John was at least 9 feet tall with a huge hump back.

He helped me to become a more polished person over our time together and I like to think I helped him be more humble. If I have support and admiration from those I respect, I can achieve great things. He was one of many along my journey that helped me to become a better person through friendship.

I lost contact with John somehow; perhaps my journey into addiction could be blamed. I’ve often thought of him and how much I really loved him and the friendship he gave me.

We were an odd couple, his height/my shortness, his being a polished Northerner, me being not polished and from the South.

I miss him. I just bet he’d be quite surprised with my life now, or surprised that I am still alive. I had heard through the grapevine that he may not be alive due to his condition; I’ve tried to look him up in Google but no luck.

I like to believe that he can hear my heart words. It offers him thanks and admiration for his friendship and care. It would like for him to know that I am sober, a mom with a beautiful family, and that I am no longer lost. Because of him, I became a better person.