Arnold Palmer

Virgie has worked the back register at Eatzie's for as long as I can remember, calling me "baby child" or "mama" for all that time, while she makes me the tastiest Arnold Palmer in town. Today, like usual, I paired my sammy with Virgie's special drink.

She handed it to me and said, "Mama, don't even think about comin' in tomorrow for another one of these. I know I make the best one in town but Miss Virgie's gettin' married in the morning!"

Then she pulled out a picture of her fiance and talked about how handsome he was. Isn't he handsome. Yeah, that's my man. Virgie was smiling in that disgusting way you do when you're just THAT in love. Although they had planned on getting married on Valentine's Day, he surprised her a few weeks ago with the suggestion of tying the knot down at the JP as soon as they could.

Mom said, "Well he was probably realized just exactly what he had and wanted to be with you as soon as he could!"

Virgie beamed, "Mama I know that's right!"

Virgie's Arnold Palmers are always better than the last one. Virgie remembers my face when I slap my goods onto the counter. Virgie has a precious life of her own, and that complete happiness that was painted onto her face made me want to cry.

There are so many tiny pieces of joy that make up the mosaic of people.

Tomorrow, at 11:30, Virgie is going to put on her sassy black heels, black skirt, and white blouse. Her man is going to put on a sharp black tux. And next to some fountains downtown in the midmorning, they will wed without the company of anyone else. Virgie has true romance after her shift at the register. And that is the greatest thing ever.

Not to go overboard, but on the way out of Eatzie's, we ran into a young girl embracing the man she was with, her hands shaking while she squeezed her cell phone. She looked up at us and had sheer relief and joy exploding from her exposed teeth.

"Sorry!" she laughs, tears rolling down her chin, "I just passed the Bar! I just passed the Bar."

She couldn't believe it. I was so proud of her, and we were strangers.

And then a few hours later, someone who was either the sickest or saddest human in Texas, took the lives of 12 people on his army base. Not one of them deserving of be shot out of the blue during their regular routines. That man, the embodiment of total anger, confusion, and emptiness, caused some of all that scattered joy to disappear for a little while. The joy that, before his rampage, was alive and well in that army base. He replaced all of that joy with fear.

I wonder if Virgie's joy is something strong and important enough to surpass the fear that the destructive beasts of this world so heartlessly invoke.

Because of her eyes and her smile today, I think it could be.