This weekend was so busy that no one on staff had time to eat lunch. We were literally flying all day, drinking coffee and eating sugar plum candies to sustain us. By about 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday we were staggering around the store crashing from the excess of caffeine and sugar. Before things got ugly two friends saved us by bringing us food.
My friend Kim had come by earlier in the day to shop and noticed we were knee-deep in customers and unpacking a surprise distributor order. I barely had time to chat with her before she and her friend left. An hour later she texted: “What do you all like on pizza?” We all chimed in, “Veggies!” Then she showed up with a steaming hot pizza for all of us. And serendipitously when she arrived, the store was empty long enough for the four of us to eat leaning (okay, slumped) against the counter. Refueled, we were ready to tackle the last two hours of the day.
Sunday found a similar situation. The store was busy, no one working had brought lunch and we found ourselves starving by 2 pm. There is a butcher shop next door to the store and Mike and Louiza were working. I popped over and asked if they had any sandwiches (sometimes they do) but they were out. I was about to turn and leave when Louiza offered to make us some of her famous pierogis that they sell uncooked at the shop. Turns out they have a hot plate and Louiza was more than happy to make us some.
Not only did they make us cheese and potato pierogis, they delivered them on a china plate with a fork. Energy restored, we continued about our day refreshed and ready to sell books.
There is a loveliness and kindness that always touches me when people see that we are all starving and too busy to eat and they walk in with food. It reinforces what I grew up with as a kid: food is love. And during the holidays there is a lot of love at the Flying Pig.