Hey guys!!!!
Oh my golly it seems like forever since I’ve talked to you all.
So sorry for that by the way. Life seemed to have laced up its sneakers and run away with me over the past week or so…and it was a blast! Lots of family fun, eating, weddings, eating, work, eating, boat rides, runs with the pup, eating, major book reading, Brewer game watching…and did I mention eating? But that’s what summer is all about in my opinion. Spending time with the ones you love, doing the things you love, eating the oh so yummy and delicious food you love and LOVing every second of it! Ahhh summer…what’s not to love? Except for maybe the over abundance of uberly gross spiders that have seemed to crawl out of the woodwork and taken up residence in my shower or the fact that I have to literally take three showers in said uberly gross spider infested hangout a day because of the crazy sweat-in-places-you-didn’t-even-think-you-could-sweat heat that is a mainstay in the Peach state this time of year. But besides that…ahhh summer!
So how has everybody been doing? Any crazy stories or shenanigans to share with the class?
I guess I can start things off by telling you about….The ‘Chad’.
Hair as dark, silky and smooth as a piece of Dove chocolate.
Eyes as blue as the Aegean Sea.
A smile that could melt your heart and arms that even the Hulk would find enviable.
The ‘Chad’.
I first introduced to this Greek Godly man of a specimen last week. I remember it well…it was a Tuesday night and the sun had just started to say goodbye to the world, leaving in its wake a beautiful sky filled with the deepest purples and brightest pinks that left a stained-glass imprint through the store windows. I was wearing my lovely pink polo shirt, complementing very nicely with Mother Nature (we had coordinated our ‘outfits the night before of course) along with a very chic Panera hat and apron, khaki shorts and my oh so enviable rubber-soled, non-slip shoes. In other words, I looked hot! 
As I was just getting ready to start closing up shop for the night, the door to the restaurant opened, and in walked….The ‘Chad’. The moment he walked in, all things suddenly seemed to come to a halt. The girls working beside me took in a heavy breath of anticipation, the fellow dining patrons turned to witness what was happening before them and was it just me, or did there seem to be an actual glowing ora surrounding his head, making him look like the very angel David himself?
Apparently, The ‘Chad’ is a frequent visiter at work, a football player from KSU who comes in to Panera to get his serious grub on.
Apparently, the lovely ladies I work with have HUGE, GIANT, MAGNAMAMOUS crushes on The ‘Chad’.
Apparently, The ‘Chad’ is a pretty big deal around these parts.
And apparently, I was not in the loop.
As The ‘Chad’ placed his order, my girl Haily gave me the quick 4-1-1 and brought me up to speed, including but limited to The ‘Chads’ football position (running back), his age (21), his preference for grilled cheese made with gouda and just a touch of peanut butter and jelly (Interesting. Very interesting.) and that his hair was always perfect. Always.
I was just putting the finishing touches on his grilled cheese, heavy on the gouda with just a touch of peanut butter and jelly, sandwich, he walked to the side of the counter, looked at me with those blue eyes and perfect hair (It didn’t move. At all. Is that weird?) and said with a southern drawl mixed in with a little Ryan Gossling…”Are you a runner?”
Poor Haily who was standing next to me looked like she was going to faint, just fall right over.
As I wrapped his sandwich, I looked at him, rocking my pink polo shirt and dirty green apron and said, “Yeah, actually I am.”
There was a moment, just a second, when I imagined the soundtrack to Pretty In Pink to start playing in the background, a camera panning from his face to mine in a dramatic yet romantic way and terribly corny way, catching our raw emotions. The ‘Chad’ picked up his sandwich, walked over to where he was now standing directly in front of me (Haily was barely hanging on at this point) and said, “I could tell. Nice calves. Very nice.”
And with that, The ‘Chad’ walked out, perfect hair and grilled cheese with gouda and a little peanut butter and jelly and all.
Haily grabbed my arm and exclaimed, “Oh my gosh! The ‘Chad’ talked to you?!?!”
Twas true…I had been ‘Chadded’.
I’m not going to lie; The ‘Chad’ was drop-dead gorgeous, and I liked his creativity when in comes to sandwiches, but he just didn’t make me want to fall to the floor the way he did to Haily and as it looked, the whole female population that was in the vicinity that night.
Apparently, I am in the minority.
But, I am also not going to lie, that compliment totes magotes made my night. Made my week even! Yes, my co-workers may now only refer to me as The ‘Calves’ and LOL their bums off every time they say it, and yes, I may have tried The ‘Chads’ sandwich just out of curiosity and had to wash my mouth out with ice cream afterwards because it tasted so nasty. But it was SO worth it!! 
Because you know what, I do have pretty dang nice calves! Even when wearing my stylish khaki shorts and black, non-slip rubber-soled shoes.
Sometimes it’s a smile, a simple hello, a person giving you a blush-worthy compliment that can really make all of the difference in your day. I know it made mine!
I think we all should search our inner ‘Chads’ and pay it forward to a friend or even a stranger; a smile, a simple hello, a blush-worthy compliment.
I just might not suggest giving them a gouda grilled cheese sammy with PB&J.
Question of the day: Have you ever been given a compliment that made your day?
