If you can’t finish that phrase don’t get all nasty gutter thinking up in your noggins.  I’m talking about Mr. Poppin Fresh.  The Pillsbury Doughboy.    Dang Darn Adorable piece of Doughboy meat that doesn’t stand more than 8 and 3/4 of an inch tall.  CUTE!

And he made my day today.  More specifically, a surprise gift from a resident at work made my day today.  It’s funny how it sometimes doesn’t take much. Or, rather, something so small really amounts to something really big and perfectly timed and a complete game changer.

This resident didn’t know that I had had a really bad day.  She didn’t know I had spent the first half of my day crying.  She doesn’t know about the recent life changing events in my life and doesn’t know much about me at all.  Until a week ago, most of them didn’t talk to me.  But now I am here at the desk every day when she gets home from work.  And we have something strangely in common.  She is back to work for the first time in a long time.  This week.  She was very nervous and very excited and every day I ask her how her new job is going.  And we have talked a little.  She is quiet about why she was out of work, but I suspect it was unforeseen and possibly health related.  I told her I too, am just back to work.  This is my first job being out of work for a while.  “So you understand what its like, then,” she says to me.  “Oh, yes,” I respond.  There is a silent bond for a split second.

She has picked up a job with General Mills.  And she is fascinated with the offices, the set up.  She talks about the Caribou Coffee and the food joints all right there.  She talk about the store there where they have discounted food and some fun merchandise too!  She mentions pajama bottoms that say Wheaties and the ones that have the Pillsbury Doughboy all over them.  And I say, “no?!! I love the Pillsbury Doughboy!!!”

“Do you?” she asks.  Then I tell her about my Kitchen.  Yes.  I have a Doughboy kitchen.  I have always wanted one.  I denied myself for a very long time.  I thought it wasn’t a very adult or professional thing . . .  especially since I already had one room in my house dedicated to silliness:  my beloved rubber ducky bathroom.  But my mother, fun room enabler (she threw me over the ducky fence) gifted me with the most amazing cookie jar, salt and pepper shakers, tea pot . . .   years ago she started it just with pot holders.  She’s so bad!

The kitchen is still a work in progress, but I have some very cute things.  The kitchen is painted blue and ready to be ready.  And in my mind I have a Pillsbury Doughboy Kitchen.  And this resident thinks that’s hysterical and great.  She asks what I have, cus they have stuff at the store there.  I tell her what I have and she is impressed.  She says she’ll keep an eye out for me.  I tell her I’m not really in a position to be buying, but we both agree that you never know what might be there, so it doesn’t hurt to look!

So today, of all days, she comes . . .  I ask how her day is.  She had a better day today, not as hectic.  I grab her mail for her and she has a package in the pack room.  I leave to go get that for her and as I come back and place the package on the counter there is this tiny adorable Mr. Poppin Fresh refridgerator magnet sitting there.  He’s holding a pie!!!  and smiling really big!!  and I gotta tell you, so did I.  Lit up like Christmas.  And I probably giggled.  And grabbed it and held it up to my nose like a stupid little girl and told her she had no idea how she just made my whole week . . .

And I have to say, I am moved beyond words.  I really hope my mind can remember a thank you card for her tomorrow.  I really want to extend a gesture for this.  For her gesture was so meaningful for me.  The magnitude and layers are not lost on my injured processing self.  She has been out of work and hasn’t even received a paycheck yet and makes a selfless, silly purchase for the front desk attendant?  A front desk attendant who, until this very moment was pretty sure most people that lived in this building didn’t remember her name, let alone like her enough to remember a conversation regarding her Pillsbury Doughboy kitchen!!  BUT, most assuredly would NOT think to spend a thought, let a lone a dime, of theirs outside of the two seconds they see her a day to pick up their mail.

These people have made me cry for feeling small and insignificant countless times . . . and this woman, on a day I very badly needed to feel . . . not invisible, came through shiningly.

Mr. Poppin Fresh is hanging out in the top corner of my computer, smiling at me with that wide eyed excitement.  I think every time I look at him I will remember the way this lady made me feel today.  I actually think Mr. Poppin Fresh’s face says it all!