Goodbyes

With approximately 12 hours left in Berkeley, and about 15 remaining in California (at least for this summer), I've been saying "goodbye" a lot lately. Not that I particularly have many friends out here, but there are some people that cross my path on a daily or weekly basis that I've developed relationships with. I've written about some of them, but some I haven't.

It started this morning with Angel, the owner of the coffeeshop at the French Hotel (or maybe the entire hotel, I'm uncertain). Every weekday morning, while I'm in the long line, he greets me with a "Hola, senorita! Coffee? Bagel?" and by the time there's only two people in line, I have a cup of coffee in my hand. By the time I reach the register, there's a sesame bagel (or if they are out, an everything bagel) with cream cheese in a bag. Yesterday, for the first time, I got there about 30 minutes early and wanted my bagel "for here," which totally threw them (he and his employees) off and they had to take it out of the bag when I got to the register. I just like that no longer do I have to wait 5 minutes for them to toast my bagel. It's just there for me. I informed him earlier this week that I was leaving and going back home to North Carolina, so today as I was in line we chatted about home and he told me how he'd miss me. Believe me, I'll miss that place more than they miss me. It's been a bright spot in my morning since I got here and the employees are much nicer than those at Open Eye back home where everyone pretends not to remember me and that they're too cool for school. Damn hipsters. When it comes to barristas, I'll take a Hispanic Californian any day.

After that, work was a flurry of activity with people in and out of the office all day. The vice president of my organization was extremely sweet and complementary and we wished one another well as he left this morning. The good reverend has been one of the biggest joys of my time out here as he is sarcastic and witty and always giving my boss a hard time. We even hugged. It was cute.

For lunch, we had a little going away party. Not really a party, but we ordered pizza and one of my coworkers that doesn't work on Friday actually came into work on her day off to join in on the fun. As we listened to my boss regale us with tales of labor unions in the 30s and 40s (she's 83, if you'll recall). I've gotten a lot more vocal with this bunch (this bunch is two women in their late 20s, one in her early 30s, a former postal worker/labor activist in her 50s, my boss who is in her 80s, and her love interest, who is 89....a motley crew to say the least), and so I talked of my future plans and my love for immigration law. I told of how North Carolina and California are oh, so different. While I wouldn't call any of these people good friends, they are my social group out here. My fellow coworkers and acquaintances. They are all interesting in their own way, and I have to say that I actually will miss seeing them day to day. Richard, the 89-year-old author and my boss's love interest, raised a glass and gave a toast in my honor. He's the silliest 89-year-old I've ever meant. Sharp as a tack. No alzheimers or anything. He's brilliant. He was a contientious objector in WW2 (when that was not popular at all) and while I can't agree with his stance in that war, he is a brilliant activist with a sharp wit who likes to giggle. I think he and my boss are a good fit. He still flirts with her even at his old age and she pretends not to like it. All in all, it's a funny bunch.

At the end of all that, my coworker (who wasn't supposed to be at work that day) gave me a hug and said some very nice things about me. I wasn't sure if she liked me until the final weeks of my job, but she's a cool girl and the only one who worked there that really knew how to handle my boss. She was a godsend this summer and I'm glad to know that she actually admires me and has great hopes for my future.

After lunch, my hippie friend stopped by. He bought me and the rest of my coworkers BBQ last week because he knew how much I missed NC BBQ. It was kansas city style, which I'd never had, but it was pretty decent and I at least appreciated the thought. He's taken to calling me "North Carolina," probably b/c he's too stoned to remember my name, but he's truly a good soul. Good heart, very chill, nice guy. He only came around once a week, usually on Friday afternoons, but I have to say, I'll miss his antics. He likes to call my boss "sweetheart" which is amusing since he's in his 40s and she's in her 80s, but it's cute. As he gave me a hug goodbye, he decided to give me a paternal speech about what kind of men I should avoid (he has no idea I'm in a relationship). I assured him that while I appreciated his advice, I could take care of myself. I'm glad to have met a genuine Berkeley hippie stoner. His final salutation to me was quite fitting, just a simple, "Peace!"

My boss and I had a good farewell too. She shuffled me into the house to see some old newspapers. Her father, in the late 30s/early 40s ran a newspaper in Michigan, focussed on workers rights. She had old copies so I was actually able to read articles in their original form from 1937. One of the headlines was about when the U.S. decided to stop drafting soldiers. Anyway, She is truly an amazing woman and while she drove me up the wall all summer long--today being no exception--I put off leaving for a little longer than I usually do. We chatted about my drive back and I thanked her for the opportunity to work there and learn from her. She gave me one of her books that she wrote on Carol Weiss King, who was a female attorney in the 40s, and a friend of hers. Carol King was an immigration attorney when women weren't attorneys, so the book chronicles the history of immigration law in the 20th century and, i suspect, a good deal of the women's rights movement. As a future female immigration attorney, I think this book will be invaluable inspiration. When I told my boss at lunch that I would like to purchase a copy, she told me to just take one, but that when I won my first immigration case, I owed her $5.75. I happily obliged. I can't wait to pay her back.

All in all, it was a long day of byes, but good ones. I think the best "byes" are ones in which you are not incredibly attached to the people you are leaving, but still will miss in their own little ways. The one person who it would have been hard to say goodbye to left at 4pm to go get the mail and called and said she wouldn't be back for the rest of the day. She was my favorite coworker and the only person I truly got along with all summer long. I will actually miss her and she just peaced out without saying goodbye. I suppose that's a taste of my own medicine since I frequently duck out and don't say goodbye b/c I'm not good at them.


In any case, I am looking forward to heading home, but happy to have met so many interesting people in Berkeley. I really haven't chronicled my whole summer here, but that's okay. There are some things that everyone just doesn't need to know. Suffice to say, I've had one of the best summers of my life and will most assuredly miss California. I can't wait to come back, whether it's to visit of live still remains, but I WILL be back.