I’ve been noticing a small group of older black men that hang out down at the convenience store late in the evenings after the heat of the day has passed. They sit upon the retaining wall drinking wine and smoking cigarettes ignoring the no loitering sign. I want to befriend them, but I am not quite sure how to go about it. Any ideas? I thought I could drink my two evening beers near them as I sit on the wall smoking every evening. Maybe they will see that I am a fellow partaker of the spirited drinks and will ask me to join them in conversation.
I was sorely dismayed tonight to find the city had removed all the benches from the park. I am hoping they are just replacing them. This didn’t deter me, though. I plopped down on the still warm cement, donning my headphones, and drank my two sunset brews. My brews went to my head tonight as I downed them quickly and I smiled giddily. I smoke like a fiend when I am drinking my brews. It is so, so pleasurable.
Rusty Humphries was spewing bile on the radio tonight of what a nuclear danger Iran was. My thoughts were that an altercation between Pakistan and India nuclear wise was entirely more likely and much more of a threat. Iran couldn’t even win a war against Iraq and these fear mongers want to stir us up into a frenzy over a nonexistent danger. Iran is decades away from being a nuclear power from what I’ve read in various credible sources.
Conversations with Kim…
Kim called me when I arrived home. She said she had been trying to reach me all afternoon.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I just ate some leftover lasagna I cooked the other night,” I replied.
“You are just a man of many talents,” she said of my cooking.
“I will have to cook dinner for you soon,” I told her. “I love to cook. I would cook all the time if I had someone to cook for. It sucks cooking for one sometimes.”
We had a nice 30 minute chat. She was complaining of work, though. It reminded me of my ex-wife who constantly did the same. She was never happy with her jobs as a librarian. I told her I loved my job and my supervisor was so accommodating. I still haven’t asked her out – so nervous to do so. Maybe, I will get up the courage before the weekend and my day off.
Musings on Marriage…
My afternoon job went well. We got my benefactor’s flower beds looking really nice and neat. Now all we need is flowers to add color such as pansies. I told him he needed some hostas and they would be perfect for some edges of his beds. I am to go tomorrow and buy pallets of flowers to plant. This is more of the type of work I enjoy – much less physically taxing and anxiety inducing.
“Have you ever been married?” my benefactor asked me this evening as he stood over me drinking a beer.
“Two years once,” I replied. “It certainly was interesting.”
“I was married for twenty miserable years,” he told me. “Twenty years of hell. My wife nagged me until I was almost crazy. She left me for another man saying I was only interesting in sports, television, and beer.”
I smiled not letting him see it as I continued to spread mulch. “We all lead interesting lives,” I mused as I finished my work for the day.
7 comments:
Ah, yes! The outside world is just chock full of interesting people and situations! I think every person has their own baggage - some just carry it better than others, LOL!
What a great week, huh?
Love ya,
Grannie
seee , most people are just like you , they want someone to tell their stories to . sounds like you would be a great landscaper , you sure know what plants to put in what part of the yard. good work and many more happy days to you . you deserve it :)
It's too hot for pansies now. I would suggest marigolds, cleome, coleus, zinnias, or the like that do well in summer. Gerbera daisies do well if not overwatered. I have a number of flowers (my wife is the flower wizard) gardens so I get the scoop on the flowers that get put in. Pansies do well in early spring but fade out in the heat of early May here in Charleston.
Sir:
Very nice writing. Thank you for sharing your ideas with us.
In terms of the gentlemen hanging around the convienience store... I would say, go ahead and give it a try. The worst that is likely is that they will ignore you, but more likely they will have you join in their conversation.
I am glad you and Kim are enjoying each other's company and that you both are enjoying speaking to eachother on the telephone. Do not try to worry about asking her out... when it feels right for you to do so, it will happen naturally. Just continue to build your friendship with her until you feel you are ready for more.
I hope you have a good evening sir!
PipeTobacco
http://frumpyprofessor.blogspot.com
Good advice Pipe.
I don't think hanging out with the local winos is a great idea. It might encourage more drinking and less moderation.
Welcome to the "real" world, where people complain about their jobs! LOL. I'm glad you're conquering your social anxieties enough to speak on the phone, and that you're cultivating a relationship with this young woman. I have a feeling based on what you told us about her, that she'll be very understanding of any issues you have. I'm also glad that you're mailing your blog posts to George, I'm sure he enjoys hearing what you have to say. He's always been a good friend to you, and if you print out the comments too, he'll see that many of us wish him well too.
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