A Toast to Chris

I worked with Chris for 19 yrs. Through the years she had different lunches, but her favorite lunch ritual was to drink a Diet Coke. She did not bring it from home but would get it from the soda machine at the hospital. Around noon, she would start gathering her coins or dollar for the machine. Chris wore boots with a heel which made a distinctive noise on the floor. So you would hear her get up from her desk, walk across the floor, through the treatment room, out across the parking lot to the soda machine. Once there she would have to deal with the machine not having the change or not taking the dollar. Sometimes she would come back and ask if anybody had the change. Other times she had to settle, in disgust, for something less than a Diet Coke!!

But usually she would get her Diet Coke and walk back across the parking lot, through the treatment room and back to her desk. Once at her desk, she would start tapping with her index finger on the diet coke lid. She would have the tab towards her and tap in her rhythm. She would talk and tap and then at the right time, which only she knew, she would pull the tab so the opening would be facing away from her. She would turn the can around and enjoy her lunch.

So on this day, I would like to celebrate Chris and have us partake in her ritual with a toast before our meal. Please pick up your can, place the tab towards you, take your index finger and tap on the lid. Now pull the lid open, raise your can and together on the count of 3, we will say “Cheers to you Chris!” 1, 2, 3,

Cheers to you Chris!

Written by Jan Sargent-Beach
Sunday, 23 January 2011 14:32