Skyline

Last night, driving home from Montebello with Irma and Chris, we rode the 10 freeway past downtown Los Angeles. What a beautiful skyline! Impressive buildings that seem rather imposing in the daytime, blend into a perfect mix against the backdrop of moonlit mountainscape. 

Lately I've imagined my life as a 7-story building. (No, there weren't any drugs involved.) First of all, I'm not made of glass but if I was, I would point out that the sleek, shiny surface belies a steel spine imbedded in  a concrete footprint designed to withstand the California shakes. Not indestructible, but certainly not fragile. 

My initial thoughts have not been so much about construction as about occupancy. Let me give you a tour...

Strangers live on the first floor. On a planet with a population over 6 billion, you must understand that the first floor is magnificently expansive. I see these people everyday and smile. Sometimes they smile back. There's a weird rule on the first floor about strangers not talking to each other. I don't always abide by the rules. If we don't talk, how will I invite you up to the second floor? It is my building, after all. Well, I don't own it, but  I'm the manager. 

Acquaintances live on the second floor. It's really a short climb up the stairwell from first to second. Look someone in the eye and smile. A conversation begins. You find out you have things in common. You begin to realize they're much like you in ways you might not observe at first glance. Next thing you know, they're on the list of familiar faces which bring to your eyes the light of recognition. Next time you see them, it's easier to rejoin the conversation in progress. 

This is where Azin lives. She's the beautiful lady at the cleaners, who went out of her way to have my favorite green shirt ready for an important workshop.

Many of my business relationships live on the first and second floors. The premise of networking, however, is that we would rather do business with our friends. My friends live on the third floor. 

From first to third you can take the stairs of ride the elevator. Have you ever met a stranger who went directly to friend? Ryan Penner did that to me. He just hopped out on the third floor and introduced himself. I had no choice but to let him stay. He brought all his stuff with him. There's a permanence about the third floor. In my building, we promote from within. Once you make it to the third floor, you've demonstrated a desire to move up. Friends seldom go back to being acquaintances or strangers. 

It happens, though. I guess it really comes down to the basis of the friendship. Sometimes acquaintances who know I like to do business with friends will hitch an elevator ride just to get high enough for a sales pitch. I say hitch a ride, because you need an access card to operate elevators or to open stairwell doors.

You can always visit or relocate to lower floors, but to access higher floors you must be accompanied by someone with appropriate clearance.

To apply for higher clearance, you may contact me directly. I live on the 6th floor. 

Hello! My name is Lennox.

To be continued...