The Philosophy Of Adekwasity

Rey King had a rough morning, and it was only 4:55 AM.

For starters, a delivery had been left out in the rain overnight. The floors had also not been swept or mopped the night before. Lastly, someone had sprayed "gravy" (not gravy) with a super soaker all over the bathroom.

"Donut Stop" donut shop was located just off the highway. A small place owned by a semi-retired couple, it specialized in cafinating commuters.

Hiram, one of the owners, would often say proudly, "Donut Stop; it's the stop that keeps you going!

Rey didn't share his passion for the place, but Hiram and Miriam were sweet and proud of this little shop. It had survived for decades, so they must be doing something right. When Rey was offered a job managing the place, they took it.

Rey had just lost their car, apartment, job managing a bar, and an eight-year relationship. It hadn't been a fantastic job - but the place had been a big part of Rey's identity for the last three years. Their ex still worked there.

Rey met the old retired couple through Craigslist in the scramble to find new digs. They were renting out the top floor of their 80-year-old house. The tiny attic apartment may not have been legal, but the price was right. When the couple met Rey and learned their profession, they asked if Rey would be interested in managing their donut shop.

"It's sad," said Miriam, "No one wants to work anymore."

It was a relationship of convenience.

Rey got to cleaning, salvaging, and organizing. The baker, Darkson, had been at the shop since 3 AM and was blaring reggaeton. Rey scrambled to get the shop ready for 6 AM. No one else would be there until at least 6:30.

The first wave of customers was uneventful. Then, at 7:24, there was a loud bang and crunch, followed by a high voice over the speaker, "Excuse me! Excuse me! I'm coming inside; I need to talk to a manager!"

Jody Hill had hit the gas instead of the break. This caused her car to jerk through the drive-through lane and off to the right. She hit the side of a dumpster. Her right front bumper crumpled on impact, and the headlight popped out.

Yet she could not have been more excited. She immediately backed up and almost hit the car behind her.

Jody lived what appeared to most people to be an average life. Everything was just good enough, but nothing in her life was big or spectacular. Many described her life as "mediocre" or even "run-of-the-mill," but she often fought those terms. She went out of her way to explain that what seemed average to everyone else was not average - it was "adequate."

Adequacy was something she strived for and a distinction she took seriously.

She attempted to explain it all to Rey, who stood in front of her, very confused.

"...so 'adequate' and 'average' are related concepts, but they have distinct meanings, you know?" she said with a wide smile.

"I'll take your word for it, Ma'am, but I don't understand what you need from me. I mean, you said you hit the dumpster…"

"Oh no! No! I don't need anything for the car! What I'm trying to explain is that I'm supposed to be here - to help YOU!" She saw the worried look on Rey's face, "Are YOU okay? Does all this make sense?"

"I'm afraid not, Ma'am."

"Rey. That's your name, right? Call me Jody. Can I buy you a coffee, Rey?" she asked.

Rey looked around as if on a secret camera. They first thought of the mug with "Doughnut Boss, Me!" written in a circle, sitting, full of coffee, on the desk in the back.

They'd learned early on that the customer wasn't always right - but that they should always be listened to. Rey now hoped that if Jody were listened to, the problem, whatever it was, would resolve itself.

"Ma'am, let me grab YOU a coffee. On the house. How do you take it?"

"I drink tea - but that would be wonderful! Just by itself, please."

"Of course, Jody," Rey escorted Jody to sit in a pink plastic seat in the dining room. Behind the counter and under the coffee machine was a dusty box of Lipton tea bags. This tea had worked at Donut Stop longer than Rey.

Rey rejoined their curious and bubbly companion with a large paper cup of tepid grey water.

"Okay, I'll start over," Jody began with a charming smile. Rey wondered if she'd hit her head on her steering wheel.

"Adequate means something is satisfactory. It's acceptable. It meets the smallest requirements. It's deemed sufficient to fulfill expectations." she looked down at the tea, "Like this tea! This tea is… well, yeah! It’s adequate!"

"I'm glad it works," responded Rey with a furrowed brow.

"Yes, but while 'average' often describes something ordinary, it may not connote adequacy. Average just means it falls within the middle. Adequate almost always can surpass average."

Rey nodded in agreement, with almost no idea what they were agreeing to.

"Take evolution." she continued, "Evolution strives for adequate. Organisms are designed to stay alive long enough to reproduce. Anything past that is superfluous. That's why we can choke on a teaspoon of water. Our bodies need to be able to take in water sometimes. We need to be able to breathe sometimes! So long as sharing the same tube works more often than it doesn't, nature's needs are met. We haven't evolved beyond that."

"Be careful with your tea," Rey said jokingly, receiving no reaction from Jody.

She smiled at them, "But we know there are great things in the world, right Rey?"

Rey thought about this for a moment. It was hard to feel like this was true. Privately, they'd describe their life as a failure. Not a criminal failure, but empty and lacking color. Their days included listening to random people babble and stopping teens from making babies in the back closet. Rey hoped "great" existed, but it didn't feel like it.

"Oh, of course!" Rey said enthusiastically with a smile, "Lots of great things!" Rey paused. Jody stared at them. Rey filled the silence, "like... um... there are sunsets. Puppies!"

"Yes! But, how do we get to sunsets and puppies?" she took a sip of tea and winced. "I have a working theory that you get to those great moments through the awkward moments! The hard parts, the accidents, and bumps propel us into virtuosity."

"I see," said Rey, clearly not understanding.

"Rey, I work as a philosopher and consultant. I make my money telling large companies how best to operate. I've always told people that they must strive for adequate. Then, as problems arise, you raise the level of 'adequate.' Those problems are the awkward moments and the stumbles. Eventually, all these awkward moments bring you well above..."

Jody looked at Rey, expecting them to finish her sentence. Rey sat frozen.

"...Average! Rey! Average!" she smiled and raised her hand for a high five.

Rey reluctantly connected their palm with her palm.

Jody continued, "If you keep adjusting your levels, adequate rises above your other averages! It's not about finding magic bullets or perfect solutions! It's about figuring out how to meet people's expectations! Once you do that, you have virtuosity! The sweet spot where 'adequate' and 'awkward' give you something greater than the sum of its parts!"

"I'm sorry, Jody," Rey frowned, "but I don't know what this has to do with me or the Donut Stop."

"Rey. I came through here for tea and a glazed donut. I had a mild fender bender, with only me to blame. When I hit the dumpster, it hit me! The universe is telling me that this is my next project. This is where my Philosophy of Adekwasity - adequate plus awkward, leads to virtuosity - is needed!"

Rey looked around, confused but suddenly struck by possibility.

"Well, Jody, if you can work the opening shift... you're hired."