JUST BECAUSE I WANTED TO...

I went to Gloria Jeans today...of course...carrying two bouquets of flowers.  

One was of beautiful, white gladioli (gladiolus, singular, for those non-flower savants out there...ok, ya I had to look it up).  I've always wanted to buy these flowers when I see them at the market.  I just always thought they'd be too expensive, so I never even asked.  Well, today I did.  They were only 15 UAH!  SCORE!  

 (I don't have a camera, so I have to use my webcam to take pictures...please excuse the poor quality)

The other bouquet were a bright, colorful mixture of different kinds of flowers.  I just had to get them because they were so cheery and lovely!  I couldn't just stick with white flowers!

Ok, so back to my story....So I walked in Gloria Jeans, getting my normal greeting of, "Hey, Brittney! Good to see you!" (i love it)  Then Luba, one of the girls I talk to often, asked me what I was celebrating because I had these flowers.  I told her I bought them just because I wanted to.  I said my apartment is now empty and boring, so I need some flowers to brighten it up.  She smiled, liking my answer, then asked about when my last day in Ukraine would be.  I told her Monday.  Sad.  I said I would probably come in again tomorrow and Monday just because I want to...and to say goodbye.

Gloria Jeans has become more than just a super, fantastic, beautiful place to get tasty coffee.  It's become my usual joint of socialization.  I have meetings there, took the interns there (often), journal there, lounge there, and mainly meet new people there.  I have come to know the manager and three other workers (including Luba) well.  It's fun.  It's my place.  I'm really going to miss it...not the coffee necessarily but the sweet times I've had there getting to know the staff, coming in, and being known.  Sure, to them, I may be that crazy American that comes in way too much and smiles a lot...but I like to think I'm that customer who actually treats them well, tips, and takes the time to talk to and get to know them...beyond what the special of the day is.  I'm really going to miss it.