Yolly Molly Ahoy!

Today, I met the manager and hopeful future co-owner of the Yolly Molly Cafe in Fairfax. When asked where the name came from (something I've always wondered), he shrugged his shoulders and admitted it was something that always puzzled him as well. It happens to be one of my favorite froyo cafes. It may not have as many different flavors of yogurt or toppings as other cafes, but I like their yogurt best. It's a creamier consistency than most others I've had. Plus, they make coffee drinks and amazing smoothies. But for the purposes of this blog, I shall move on to the man behind the counter.

Twenty four year old Adam has always been a laid back kind of guy. He just rolls with the punches. Even as a child, he didn't really have any grand plans for his future. He worked construction for eight years (still does a little on the side), worked in Dick's Sporting Goods for a while, and now, he manages the Yolly Molly for a friend/future brother-in-law, just biding his time while they make plans for expanding the business.

Physical Description (In his own words): 5'10, athletic build, brown hair, brown eyes, fairly tan, Native American/Italian/Danish/a whole lotta other stuff he doesn't even remember. At the time I met him, he was wearing a Dallas Cowboys Reebok jacket, distressed jeans, Nike athletic shoes, and glasses.

Things that make Adam Smile: 1) Dallas Cowboys victory. Even though he's a 100% Virginian, born and bred, he has always had a rebellious sort of love for the Cowboys. From the Dallas paraphernalia that deck his home walls to the giant Dallas Cowboys tattoo stamped on his ankle/lower leg, he displays his Cowboys pride for all to see. 2) Action/Comedy movies. Among his faves are the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Ocean's Eleven, Super Troopers (Hehe. Shenanigans), and anything with Will Ferrel or Vince Vaughn.

Most Embarrassing Memory: Adam recalled a time when he was at a picnic in a park full of people. He was feeding the ducks on the lake, threw the bread in as hard as he could, but ended up throwing himself in the lake with it. A poor, sopping wet little Adam had to pull himself out, and face a crowd of howling picnic goers. The other time was the time he fell backwards down an escalator. Ouch.

Best Memory: Without a doubt, the day Adam graduated from high school. Even though Adam was a fine student, graduating with a 3.5 GPA and scoring a 1200 on his SATs, academics was simply not his forte, and those four years of high school were just four years too long.

I was rather impressed by what a level headed teenager Adam seemed to be. He watched friends invest in high school relationships that never lasted, and didn't like the way they seemed to be throwing away their youth, so he chose to stay single throughout high school. In fact, very soon, he will be marrying his first love and girlfriend of the last four years. He hasn't proposed yet, but he's been holding on to the ring for several months, waiting for the perfect opportunity. Adam first met his girlfriend through a mutual friend. He got her a job working with him at Dick's, and they built up a sturdy friendship base before dating. It just seemed right, as they got on so well. After being with her for a while, Adam started to see that his girlfriend seemed to be an exact replica of his mother. I guess the saying is true.

Family Situation: It's complicated. I'm typically interested in the beginnings, but what really grabbed my attention was the sort of ending. Adam's mom worked in a paint store, and his father was a painting contractor. He would see her at the store everyday, and that's how they met. They were married for 20 years, had three girls and one Adam, then got "divorced." The reason I use quotes is because they have been in a pending divorce for six years. They moved to separate houses, drew up all the paperwork, and went to court... yet, neither has actually signed the divorce papers. They still remain good friends, spend all the holidays together as a family, and have not even been seeing other people during these six years of separation. With an amused grin on his face, Adam admits that he would not be the least bit surprised if they ended up reuniting. Hmmm. Well, I'm a sucker for love and marriage, so I hope it works out for them.

So what now? Adam's immediate goals (besides finding the perfect timing for asking his lady-fair to marry him) are building and expanding the business. He is thinking of taking classes in marketing, and is eager to promote the Yolly Molly Cafe whenever possible. Well, I've always had pleasant experiences there, so I say, "Go for it!"