Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 13

MILL CREEK STORIES

repartee is our version of a cardio workout. We talked
about his family, his children, his many grandchildren,
and why I was there.
The next time he came down to the dock, he brought
an office chair for me to sit in. Said I should be comfortable. Again when he appeared, he brought a small oriental
rug, just the size of a welcome mat, and said I shouldn't
soil my shoes with all the stickiness on the dock. Said the
next time I visited I should wear sturdier footwear. He was
convinced I could "catch something" because my shoes
weren't work boots.
I had nothing to give him unless he was interested in
blank orchid entry forms, so I tried to be entertaining. I
wanted to be a bright spot in his day, because he was certainly shaping up to be the highlight in mine. Every time
Patrick got another cart of plants from the truck, I had a
few more amenities. I was seriously expecting a flat screen
TV and a cable connection to appear by sun-up.
The last time I saw my new best friend, he commented
that the truck was empty and that must mean our time to
visit was ending. With a great flourish and the style only

an old-school gentleman can pull off, he gave me a nut
off a large bolt, placing it on my finger as a ring and kissed
my hand. It was a goose-bump moment. So very sweet.
As he's getting on the freight elevator, I realized that I
did not know his name. Wait. What's your name? With
a bow worthy of royalty he purred, "The ladies call me
Nacho." The doors closed and he was gone.
I can't forget my friend Nacho, nor the wee hours of
the morning we spent bantering on the loading dock of
the World Trade Towers. I don't know if he was in the
buildings when the Towers fell. I can't search for him on
the list of victims because I don't know his real name. I
truly hope he had finished his shift and gone home to his
family but I just don't know.
Life goes on. We continued to attend flower shows.
The New York International Orchid Show moved to the
Rockefeller Center and persisted. People come and people go. But every September 11th, I take that nut out of
my jewelry box and wear it to appreciate that talking to
strangers can be a lovely experience. Every September
11th, I wear it to remember.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

13


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Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018

Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - Intro
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 3
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 4
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 5
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 6
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 7
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 8
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 9
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 10
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 11
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 12
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 13
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 14
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 15
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 16
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 17
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 18
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 19
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 20
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 21
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 22
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 23
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 24
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 25
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 26
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 27
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 28
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 29
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 30
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 31
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 32
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 33
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 34
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 35
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 36
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 37
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 38
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 39
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 40
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 41
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 42
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 43
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 44
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 45
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 46
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 47
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 48
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 49
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 50
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 51
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 52
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 53
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 54
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 55
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 56
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 57
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 58
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 59
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 60
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 61
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 62
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 63
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 64
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 65
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 66
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 67
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 68
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 69
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 70
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 71
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 72
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 73
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - 74
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2018 - Cover4
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