My Fellow Wahing-tonians

If I can’t come to Washington, Washington will come to me! Last week a woman approached me and asked if I was Laura. I told her yes and she proceeded to hold up her name tag and ask “can you pronounce this?” Underneath everyone’s name is the state and city of which they are from. However their name is in large bold writing where their hometown is in smaller, regular text. Naturally my eyes focus on her name. Her name was a short, simple name and easy to pronounce. I won’t mention her real name but for story purposes lets use the name Liz. I looked at her confused and responded “uh…Liz?” She shakes the name tag (as if I was I was completely missing the point) so I redirected my attention to her hometown. E… e-num…ENUMCLAW! I shouted in disbelief. She started laughing and said “nobody has 1. ever heard of it, and 2. can never pronounce it.” Somebody had told her I was also from Washington so I was able to share with her that I too am from a place people have never heard of. Finally somebody who knows where I’m really from! I told her I had just graduated from CWU and used to play basketball tournaments in Enumclaw; she was thrilled to hear that I had spent time in eastern Washington.

The fun doesn’t stop there. This week as I’m doing arriving guest’s screenings, there were FIVE people from Washington! Three from Spokane, one from Vashon Island, and one from Port Orchard! I couldn’t believe it. Besides those from Spokane, people were arriving that were from places closer and closer to my home! I was so excited to tell them I was from Bainbridge Island and that I know people from the places where they are from. They thought it was so cool I found my way all the way here to Hilton Head. Besides the lady from Redmond my first couple weeks here, I was yet to meet anyone else that had come from as far as I had (within the country.)

I had to share that with y’all. It was too exciting! : -) Yayyy Washington!