87. Hi Patty

The best part of this Okay listener’s week is the Monday morning coffee and chat she has with her local friendship club. 

Transcripts may not appear in their final version and are subject to change.

INTRO MUSIC 

 I’m Nora McInerny, and it’s going to be okay.

And that it…could be anything. And today…it’s from a listener named Patty.

VOICEMAIL BEEP

Okay Caller: As a journalist, I worked a Tuesday to Saturday schedule for four years. I had not been outta college long enough at that time to have shaken the notion that Friday afternoons should start no later than 3:00 PM with a feeling of freedom for two more full days instead on Fridays, I felt like everyone in the world was heading out for the day.

When I was just getting started on the daily cop calls to find out what accident, fire, or festival I needed to cover that weekend, and Fein interest in. I had Mondays off, and that would be walk around an uncrowded mall day or sit quietly by myself day. I learned to enjoy the time by myself. It was actually lovely, but that job at a small, upstate New York newspaper.

Transitioned into a regular nine to five job. When I decided that growing up meant having a family who would need me to be involved in soccer games and stuff on Saturday mornings, no longer working weekends or holidays. There were many sporting events, birthday parties, school projects that filled my weekends for a couple of decades after that.

And always back to work on Monday. The transition, even though it happened every single week, is still surprisingly jolting. Some years brought dread on Monday, some excitement to get in, but always a workload that felt on Monday that it was impossible to complete. Today was one of those Mondays, the list is long, the task.

Seemed just too big, too hard, but fortunately when I walked into my office at a small nonprofit, I remembered it was Coffee Club Day. On Monday mornings at 9:00 AM there are members of Highland Friendship Club who gather and grab a cup of Joe and talk about their weekend or whatever comes up. Bobby reports that he might get a job at Panera.

Jake is able to join via remote connection on iPad, and everyone’s excited. To see him. John already got his coffee before he came because he doesn’t like to be without a cup in his hand. Most of the time, conversation is about trips, favorite foods and whatever else comes up. All of these fabulous humans are teens and adults with disabilities.

Many of the activities they participate in revolve around learning skills, challenging their creativity, and music and arts, or taking a physical fitness class or testing their creative writing skills. The coffee club is just about hanging out, talking or not talking, chilling, laughing, and just knowing that you belong somewhere on Monday morning

And when I stop in before dumping my laptop bag and putting my lunch in the fridge and settling in with my to-do list, I stop in to coffee club and I always get a big old, hey Patty. Sometimes with everyone in unison and all of a sudden Monday is suddenly a pretty cool time and a time to remember how lucky we are to have a place to go and a list that we’re responsible for.

And a friend or two or 10 who will give you a big old hi Patty on a Monday morning. Aren’t we lucky?

It’s Monday today, and I hope you all have your own version of coffee club. That someone, somewhere in your day greets you with a big ol’ hi. A hey, even. That we all feel some level of gratitude for having a place to be, wherever that is.

OUTRO MUSIC

I’m Nora McInerny, and it’s going to be okay. 

The IT in it’s going to be okay is different every day, for everyone. We love hearing — and sharing — yours. You can attach a voice memo to an email and send it to us at [email protected], like Patty did, or you can just write us an email . You can also call us at 612.568.4441.

It’s going to be okay is a production of feelings&co. You can find all our shows — and our merch — at feelingsand.co

CREDITS