"Bye, Love You"

Judah called me on her way home from a Friday dinner shift a couple of weeks ago.  She said she had a story she had forgotten to tell me.

She told me about a couple who were relatively new guests to the Bee-stro.  As they were shopping in the checkout room after their meal, one of our regulars, Terry, came walking by on his way out the door.  He said to Judah, “Bye, love you”, to which Judah replied, “Bye, love you, too.”  The newer couple asked if all Bee-stro guests say they love her when they leave.  Judah said, “No, but when you are around often, you become family and we love you.”  As the couple continued shopping, Terry’s wife, Melanie, walked out to leave.  Melanie called out to Judah, “Bye, love you.”  The couple chuckled and said something to the fact that people really do feel like family here.  As the couple got ready to leave, they said to Judah, “Bye, love you.  We’ll see you sometime soon”, to which Judah said, “Bye, love you”, in reply.  As she told me the story over the phone, I could hear her smile.

That story sums it all up for me.  That’s why we do what we do.  When Judah told me that story, it just totally fed my soul and if you ask her, she could probably hear my smile, too.

I have always been a fan of having people over for dinner because it’s through the sharing of a meal that you really get to know someone.  You would not believe some of the people who graced our family table before we became a restaurant.  We have had Congressmen and dope smokers (not one in the same…at least I don’t think so…), doctors, lawyers, people who have had their kiddos taken away from them by the State, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, apolitical, all colors of the rainbow when it comes to skin color, all sexual orientations, and several faith backgrounds.  I have loved hearing their stories, their successes and heartaches, their goals and their upbring.  The main ingredient in a great dinner to me is not who you are, but how honest and transparent the conversation. 

We have had some great conversations with folks over the last 8 years the Bee-stro has been open.  We don’t get to have those conversations with every guest.  Sometimes we’re just busseling and don’t have the time and sometimes you can tell the guests really don’t care to have a conversation.  They just want to eat in peace and I totally respect that.   But there are some conversations that lead to friendship and kinship that makes saying “Love you” when you part come naturally.

A couple of weeks ago, Shahna and Brent from Chicago stayed at The Cottage.  We met Shahna and Brent 3 ½ years ago when they brought their daughter to check out Rose-Hulman.  They have been regular guests and have booked their stays at The Cottage until their daughter graduates.  They have become like family.  Shahna came and helped us in the kitchen and then we went over to The Cottage and spent the last evening of their three night stay chatting and learning more about their interesting lives.  It was so natural to run out the door when they arrived to hug them and say hi and to hug them goodbye before they left. 

In so many ways, our guests have fed our souls and have definitely influenced us for the better.  It’s not something I anticipated when we opened the Bee-stro 8 years ago.  I didn’t realize how deeply I would come to love “our people” as we call you.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  We haven’t made that kind of connection with everyone who has walked through our door, but we have even learned from those who have been less than kind.  For those few folks (and it has seriously been few over the years), we have accepted the fact that we are not their people and they are not ours.  And that’s okay.  We don’t want to steal their peace and we don’t want them to steal ours.

As I have shared the “Bye, love you” story with several people since Judah told me, almost without fail, they have said when they left, “Bye, love you”.  I hope it catches on.  In a world of AI, internet, social media, and divisiveness, I think we all could use a little heartfelt, “love you” in our lives.

Love you,

Jodi