Gap Heroes...

As most of you know, I spend way too much time at the mall these days. Especially funny to me because even as teenager, the mall was not where I spent my time, in fact I generally avoided it. Retail can be tough, especially in a highly affluent area with people so full of their own entitlement and personal wealth. But I've discovered a few unsung heroes at the Gap, and though I know that none of them read this blog, in fact I'm pretty sure they are completely unaware of its existence, I'd like to introduce you to a few unlikely friends.

A few weeks ago, we organized a little picnic gathering to hang out unhindered outside of work, and though I was initially a little disappointed because not so many people showed, as I've thought about it, almost all the people I would have wanted to be there, were there.

Here are Josh and Natalie. Josh doesn't actually work there anymore, but he's just great; he has an uncanny initially grasp on who he will inevitably like and not like, his prejudgements of people are spot on. And he's a riot, always expect to have a good time when he's around, even when it's not always fun. And Natalie, though not very much like me, is so much like me. She tends a little to the liberal side, while I tend towards conservative, she's very right brained, while I am very left, and yet she and I seem to agree on so much. She's just finished her masters in education and invited me on a couple of occasions to help chaperone her class; she figured out all on her own my passion for students and challenges me to pursue that. We love to grab a bite to eat together because we want to share and try everything alike, and though not the same, we share a desire for the spiritual and thus have had several engaging discussions on the subject. She's my "deep" friend who cares about all the things I know nothing about; we seem to compliment each other well.

Polly and Ben. Polly is one of our managers, who started with Gap after managing elsewhere right about the same time as I started at this Gap. You can't tell from this picture, but we look a bit alike, red hair, fair skinned, and we are often confused. I take this as a great compliment. Polly is a terrific manager. She knows how to treat her employees well, but stands firm for the company. I hope that if and when I become a manager, that I'm like Polly. I also hope that we will continue to be not just colleagues, but friends; I respect her lots, but also just like her as a person. And Ben, look at that grin: really that says it all. Ben is super compassionate with such a cool flair. He's the guy you hope your sister ends up with; he's fun, funny, light-hearted, but way deeper if you choose to look. I'm always comfortable with Ben, I know I can be honest with him and that he does really care.

Mary and Marcia are the two in red. Mary is wonderfully humble. She works about twelve jobs, but always comes in with the best attitude. She loves to do the one job everybody else hates, man the fitting rooms, and she's great there. She also notices the little stuff; I sort of planned this picnic, mostly because I wanted to, but also to try and bring our team together, build some employee morale that might have been lacking. Mary noticed that and even brought me a little thank-you in recognition; those of you who know my love-languages know what that meant. Yet she waited until it was just us, not making a big show, just humbly letting me know that she noticed. I want to be like that. And Marcia, she's our other full-timer; she's worked for Gap for almost ten years, but you'd never know it. Most people who work in retail for that period of time are jaded and cynical; not Marcia. She is one of the most genuinely sweet people I've ever met. Even when she's not feeling it, she'll make you feel like a million bucks. She's a sincere faith-filled person, and as that type usually does, she shines in some way I can't quite describe.

Eric, "E" (sorry Svoboda, hard to stop once you got me started!) is here on the right; his girlfriend is sitting next to him, and who knows what he's doing, but this is a typical E expression. Eric is the gangsta bad boy of the store, who somehow found himself in a supervisor position. He's always good for a laugh, and though he makes fun of us most of the time, you know he'd be there to have your back if you needed him. He's one of my most loyal volunteers in my efforts to make them "socially aware" and he likes to use the fact that he volunteers as a pick-up line.

In the middle is Jesse; he loves this picture because he thinks this makes him look really cool as he looks off to the side while macking on two of his bosses. Which is pretty ironic: Jesse can play the bad boy too, but he's such a good guy at heart, it's hard to believe his act. Jesse is like the little brother I never had; I'm probably not cool enough so that he might think that was a compliment, but it is. He's the guy that I would have loved to have follow me thru high school and been so proud that he was my brother. Jesse really cares about people, sincerely, which sometimes is a rare and vulnerable trait for a guy. His other job is at as a valet at one of the swanky restaurants in Minneapolis, and he recently got to park KG's car; he was stunned and smiley after meeting this childhood idol.

And last, but certainly not least, here' me with Becky. Becky is the boss that everyone loves. She works too hard, she's amazing at her job, even when she's a little crabby (she has to work some really early mornings and long days), she never complains or takes it out on anyone. She gives and gives, and sometimes I worry she doesn't get enough back. She's the type that would give you the shirt off her back and apologize that it wasn't clean. I want to be as humble and selfless as Becky...

So that's some of the crew that I spend the vast majority of my week with. Thanks, fellow Gappers, for putting up with me, especially in all my recent moods.