I confess that I'm a bit of a Star Trek fan.
Star Trek is associated with years of great memories for me. Mostly, memories of my Dad and brother and the time we would take out of almost every weekday to sit down together and watch episodes of the Next Generation on TV. It was an oasis for me. A calm break between my day at school and the inevitable pile of homework that I dreaded and resented doing every single night.
Fast forward twenty some odd years and the Star Trek prequels are out. I LOVE them. Problem is, I live at the end of the road and we're the last people on the planet to get to see movies in theaters. It came out last week here in Homer.
Last Wednesday, two days before opening night, I drove a half hour up the road to Anchor Point to post signs for a couple of recently listed properties. I was feeling totally legit as a Realtor with my new hammer tacker, a bundle of survey stakes, a brand new mallet and some freshly printed signs. Heck yes, I can tackle this job! Woo hoo!
I get to my first property and discovered to my horror that my hammer tacker was out of staples. I drove 30 minutes out of town with an empty hammer tacker! Wasn't feeling so legit any more. Kinda like in the first Star Trek where Sulu couldn't get the Enterprise moving. That was me.
I weighed my options: I could drive back to Homer, I could beg some staples from the Anchor Point realtors who would no doubt laugh at my predicament and never forget it or - wait! There's a hardware store in Anchor Point!
I drove over to Anchor Point's tiny little hardware store and it was there I met the Hardware Store Lady. Not only did she have the staples I needed but she was wearing a Star Trek Badge.
As I was checking out I said simply, "two more sleeps." Her face lit up and she told me her Star Trek story and of her trip to the Experience Music Project's Star Trek exhibit. We took a moment to remember Anton Yelchin and talk about our hopes for the new movie. "See you at the theater!" I hollered as I left.
I left feeling once again like a legitimate Realtor, like an outed Trekkie and totally excited about the movie.
There's been some drama with extended family lately and it's left Hunter and I really pondering our existence and taking to heart that saying that friends are the family you choose.
Hardware Store lady reminded me of lovely times with my Dad. Of sharing something and the power of finding your tribe. I owe her a thank you. Thank you for talking Star Trek with me - I loved it. Thank you for the high five at the theater on the way out. Thank you for showing me, in a crazy way that after 7 years, Homer's home.