Twilight Joy

It is going on 9pm. Twilight still lights the horizon – one of the joys of living on eastern daylight savings time. A train is roaring through downtown and I am writing down the locomotive types and their numbers upon my scratchpad as I and Rosa stand next to the tracks.

"This has to be the most boring shit I have ever done," Rosa says loudly over the din of the passing train as she looks on with the most disinterested look.

"Hey," I reply, putting my pad back into my backpack. "You said you were bored and wanted to hang out with me. This is one of my favorite things to do."

"No wonder your ex-wife divorced you," Rosa says snidely as she smiles. "This is about as boring as watching plants grow."

I laugh and say, "Rachel divorced me because I was a crazy lush who wouldn't take his medications. She would actually go to the hobby shop in Atlanta and buy me trains."

"Well, from what you've told me, she was weird as hell."

I couldn't argue with Rosa. My ex-wife was pretty interesting.

"Come on," Rosa says as she grabs my hand. "I am leaving. You've had enough trains for one night."

Just an hour beforehand, I was standing around in a circle holding hands at the end of my A.A. meeting saying the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father, who art in heaven…hallowed be thy name…

The Celtic beauty was standing next to me with her hand in mine. It was a wonderful moment of intimacy and touch – her warm hand feeling soft as the finest silk.

Thy kingdom come…thy will be done…on earth as it is in heaven…

"I'm sorry about the other night," I tell her after finishing the Lord's Prayer as the meeting concludes and we walk outside to our cars.

"Sorry for what?" She asks as she stops walking and looks up at me with a confused look. I am a good foot taller than her.

"Sorry for coming on to you."

"Oh that," She says. "I thought it was sweet. You were so nervous your hands were shaking."

"I thought you would never talk to me again," I reply as I laugh trying to make light of my nervousness.

The Celtic beauty throws back her head and laughs as well.

"Silly," she says of me. "I just need some time in sobriety before I start dating again. My divorce drove me to drinking every night and I almost lost my job and life began to spiral out of control. I would date you in a heartbeat if it wasn't for that. Just give me some time."

I felt so much better after she told me that. I thought I had ruined everything and now the door is cracked slightly awaiting me to open it and come inside. I drove home with a big smile upon my face as I headed to Rosa's house which soon found us down at the train tracks and the start of this story. It has been a pretty damn good day.