Missing a minor friendship
By spalladino
@spalladino (17891)
United States
July 30, 2010 5:30pm CST
Today my daughter and I were running errands and we went through the drive-through at a McDonalds close to where I used to work. When I was working I used to go to this McDonalds 2 or 3 times each week and I developed a friendly relationship with the woman who took my money at the window. She was wearing a pin one day with a picture of some kids who turned out to be her grandchildren so we got into the habit of talking about our little ones. We probably *knew* each other for a year until I was laid off. I even swung by that afternoon to buy a sweet tea before heading home and told her the news...but added that I would see her around.
But, I got busy with other things. We opened our business and I'm not that crazy about McDonald's food anyway so I didn't go back. Today we stopped to try their new fruit smoothies (the banana strawberry is nothing to write home about) and someone else took my money at the window. I found that I missed the woman whose name I never knew. A small friendship...the only common denominator being a chicken sandwich, sweet tea and grandchildren. Has anyone else had relationships like this, which are long since gone?
3 people like this
13 responses
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
30 Jul 10
Yes, it is too sad how we take the tiny little things in life for granted. We expect that although we get so busy that person will always be there. I am sure you too have made an impact on her as well, and she can recall all your small daily talks.
Pray for her where ever she is and always remember that she is elsewhere shining someone else's afternoon.
So sweet thanks for sharing, I will remember this next time I have the same encounter. Have a Great Weekend 
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
31 Jul 10
That's great advice and I most certainly will pray that she is healthy & happy and that her lovely little grandchildren are still well. I hope that she does remember me as fondly as I remember her.
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
31 Jul 10
I am absolutely positive she remembers you just as much as you remember her. You said each time you visited you both shared special personal moments and that will forever live in her memory.
As humans although it takes time to forget the bad the good is never ever forgotten.
@kawalnarang (1095)
• Trinidad And Tobago
31 Jul 10
Of course ,, we all meet people, in similar fashion,,, as we move out of the area it is true that we do not meet them regularly,only by chance,,I have a few of my friends,in the previous colony we used to live in,,,,,,,,,now it will be once in a blue moon,or in case they have a yearly get together
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
31 Jul 10
I'm glad you have the opportunity to get together with your old friends, even if it's not very often.
@thedataminer (515)
• United States
1 Aug 10
Hi! I guess it depends, in part, on how important making new friends is. I'm sure many of us have missed out on developing new friendships because of one reason or another. And also we miss those missed opportunities.
@eileenleyva (27562)
• Philippines
30 Jul 10
spalladino. I can't recall missing a friendly relationship like yours. My friends are bundled up for my keeping, even if they live half way across the world. But you and your nameless chum had unique story. Your friendship was meant to be because you related with each other at a particular moment in time. Call it special bonding wherein exchange of names are not even necessary to find kinship with another person. Should you cross paths again, well it will be good to establish genuine friendship. Should you not see each other again, well, life allows us to have warm memories of people who, in on way or another, touched our lives, even if it is just a McDonald's pep talk.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
31 Jul 10
Thanks for the response eileen. I do believe that, if we ever do meet again, I will give this woman my name and phone number because I do think that we could be friends.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
3 Aug 10
Hiya spallo,
Friendships like that yes I have had quite a few friendships like that small ones. I had a small friendship with a Lady in the Checkout in another Store that does not exist now and I went one Day and I found she had been fired because her Contract had ended. Well I really missed her because we got on very well. After that going there was not the same thing but I still went. I also thought it was so unfair to fire someone who did her job properly and all the time. I mean they never gave her another chance in another Store or anything.
@sweetloveforeve (13120)
• Portugal
1 Aug 10
ohh sorry for what happened :( circumstances of life made you being friends. dont worry who knows you find her again soon^^ me also in my work in a cafe i have friends like people i talk with sometimes that are sweet to me. but i didnt lose them yet. anyway that happens sometimes^^ but dont worry you might find that person again also you still have the memories to remember what you talked about^^ also im sure the person wasnt angry with you bcs you were busy with your life too :)
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
31 Jul 10
Before they changed my hours, I would chat with a guy at the bus stop. I never knew his name but we would say hello and discuss football and other things. But now that I go in at a different time, I don't see him. It was fun while it lasted. But I did get to see one of my favorite bus drivers today! we hugged each other, it has been a very long time. So some friendships do last.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
31 Jul 10
Yes, I've had a few of them. I really enjoyed talking regularly to people like this and it made me aware of what a difference we can make to others. Sometimes the guy at the drive through gave me the only cheerful word I had all day and it really made me smile and made my day so much better.
We never know what an impact we can have on someone's day or life so we should always try to spread sunshine even when we aren't particularly happy.
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
31 Jul 10
Yes, isn't it wonderful how little things like that mean so much to you. Isn't it Godly how something can touch your life in that way. I wake up each morning and ask God to let me touch someone in a sweet way like that everyday. And then at night I thank Him for letting me touch them, even those that are known and unknown to me. By that I mean someone's life that I touched and wasn't aware of.
I met two dear elderly sisters, they are 85 and 90 years old, they are an inspiration to me, neither one has a problem with memories or some of the other things that go along with aging. Their problems are really at a minimum, I am determine that I will stay in touch with them and help them out in anyway I can.
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
31 Jul 10
I’ve got small friendships like that in our community. There’s the doctor’s receptionist that has a chat every week when I go in for my daughter’s treatment, there’s the checkout operator at the supermarket who always puts my glass bottles in two bags and who has a daughter who dances ballroom like mine, there’s the other sales person at the fruit and veg market who discusses with me our plans for the weekend...These are people whose names escape me but yes I would miss them if they disappeared. I will not take them for granted any more and I may just find out a little more about them next time I see them...
@Angelgirl16 (2171)
• United States
31 Jul 10
Hi spalladino,
That is kinda sad that you two didn't get to be official friends, but you know that she was friendly and caring.
There is a lady that I think about alot. She was a parent of a students who used to attended the elementary school where I work. We used to talk every morning when
she dropped her son off at the desinated dropoff area. She had a very serious illness and it helped her, I guess, to talk about it. When the son graduated over to middle school she gave me her phone number and said to call her sometimes. I promised I would,but I never didn't.
I saw her once in Walmart, but have not seen her for a couple of years since then. I did call the number on mother day, but it was not a good number. I look for her whenever I go to Walmart, but I am having not have any good luck. I wish I had kept in touch.
