Gracie & Me #5: Gardening with Gracie & Martin

     I'm flummoxed as to what should be the lead sentence for this particular blog. After all, the blog's title is "Gracie & Me." So, it seems appropriate to begin with something "Gracie-ish.". I guess what I can honestly post is that I've never been the type who puts pets, a.k.a. animals, above human beings.
     I just can't cross that threshold. I love my children far more than I'll ever love Gracie. But now that I'm a devoted canine's Human, and I think for the very first time I'm experiencing that pet loyalty that's fodder for so much more than this blog, I can temper my previously vocal disdain for what I, up until very recently, considered unrealistic behavior regarding commitment to pets versus people. (Whew! How's that for a run-on sentence? Can you tell we've been binge watching "The Crown" on Netflix?)

Gracie @ WRP/Snyder, TX

     At first blush, Gracie looks like a Lab, "America's Family Dog," in fact the dog I've always wanted to follow me around, sleep on the foot of the bed and just be. But the truth is, Gracie's a stray, a mutt, a mix. She's like Heinz 57. If it weren't for Gracie's gentleness and Teresa's insistence, I'm not sure she'd be part of our family like she is now. Don't get me wrong. She's still a dog, an animal. We don't call ourselves mom and dad to her. But, she is our dog now and unless she freaks out on us, she'll get presents at Christmas.

     Another gentle soul who I would've missed if it weren't for Teresa's insistence to 'give him a chance... I see hope in his eyes' is now someone I consider a good friend. He's someone who's leaving our city for more opportunity and our city's going to be worse for his departure. If you live here, you've seen him, probably walking all over town with what he calls "my life." That is ubiquitous, brown backpack.

Martin Edwards/WRP, Snyder TX June '19

     My friend is Martin Edwards. We met one day at our restaurant, The Big Apple Deli. He and his wife, Rachel came in for lunch. Martin didn't hesitate to ask for a job.
     My response because it was the lunch hour and we were busy was honestly not good. It was Teresa who talked me off the ledge.
     Teresa: "That guy asked for a job. I think you ought to talk to him."
     Me: "IT'S THE LUNCH HOUR! Wrong time!"
    Teresa: "Give him an app after lunch. I see sadness in his eyes and hope."

Martin & Gracie/WRP, Snyder TX June '19

     Long story short is, we hired Martin and within days he became our 'right hand man.' We hired dozens and dozens of employees over our eight years, many were absolutely fantastic, but Martin is the one who set the 'incredible employee bar.'
     He's as honest as the day is long. He's as kind as Gracie is gentle. He's as hard working as anyone could ask. And maybe most importantly, he was NEVER late for work.
     Put it this way; If Teresa & I ever go back into business for ourselves, we'll ask Martin if he'd like to be our very first hire.      No doubt about it. If we opened a brain surgery clinic, we'd hire Martin first! If we opened an all you can eat fried chicken and veggies place that serves homemade, ole fashioned 'soda biscuits' like Mrs. Goodwin in Snyder with an unlimited salad like the Wall Street Grill in a place that's open only on Sundays for after church family meals, we'd hire Martin first.

     We're gonna miss Martin. He and Rachel are moving on to Lubbock. We can't blame them. Rachel's moving up the WalMart ladder and Martin deserves a chance to be someone else's right hand man.
     I hope whoever visits with Martin will see what Teresa convinced me to see in him and in Gracie. That is, don't judge a book by it's cover. Read a few pages. Give it a chance.

Bill Robertson
Next, sorry Gracie. We're only following Bob Barker's advice.