A Few Minutes this Side of Midnight.....
I find myself trying to at least attempt to finish this story in a tasteful fashion, without it sounding like some kind of Harlequin romance. Readers and friends be warned, I have no idea how any of this came about. I'm still trying to figure out if it really happened. That's my disclaimer and I'm sticking to it.
I had to get up in the morning, Chip had to get up, Grrmly had to finish his shift at work. Yet we found ourselves drunkenly walking down past my apartment to Grrmly's. We NEEDED to see the dogs, and the boys were getting on almost TOO well. It was scary, these two compact powerhouses just bursting with energy and optimism. And I was bookcased by them, it was great. I started talking about our boss' Napoleonic complex, and how I would just humor him because I honestly don't think he'd believe my being 5'10" beat his 5'8". "Come here", Grrmly said, and I turned around to face him, "I'm 5'9".....let's see....and you are 5'10"......I was wrong." Again, the arm goes around me. Heheheheeeehhehehehe....thanks Mother Nature, I do so love playing the Amazon on occasion.
We get bombarded by canines as soon as we enter the apartment. Chip falls in love with the puppies immediately. I mean, how can you not love a Great Dane who is convinced he's a lapdog? Grrmly tries to describe how to talk to dogs through motion and stance, but I already speak it fluently. You see, I was raised with dogs long before any other animal came along. Kneel, lower your head below their's, and don't make direct eye contact. "Simple, Beautiful, poetry.", he says as I show my respect.
We then decide to investigate the reefer my brother has brought up from the swamp. Walk down Maryland, past a rough group of people, as the boys disect and question my love life. Like I want to discuss THIS now, but both of them get all fired up and angry, and I feel the protective circle around me tighten. Wow. I'm not just some walking soap opera to everyone; both of them honestly care, and make no bones about what they would do if I were a different person. Just say the word......but never!
In the room now, and I have decided to squelch any dirty thoughts or hopes, I'm really quite content to just bask in Grrmly's friendship. Light 'er up, and I actually partake because this is Peace Pipe time. It's quickly closing in on 3:00 am, but the boys are really digging each other, so much that both of them are laughing hysterically and dancing around the room. Chip's got Grrmly all but moving down to Florida with the doggies, riding an air boat by the time we need to leave. I agree to help Grrmly at work, because for me to go to bed now means not waking in time for work. So why not start work early? Besides, I'm not ready to quite call it quits yet even after we say goodbye to Chip.
I am sure that what's sparking between us is completely platonic(he would make a really good buddy) until the very last second when I look over at Grrmly leaning against the elevator wall, with his flashy black eyes softened and he says, "May I kiss you?" I haven't even raised my head in a possible 'yes'???...when he yanks me to him, and if I hadn't had those drinks, I probably would have frozen, like I've been given to lately. But no, the knees gave and I became a puddle. We pulled apart just as the doors made noise that they were opening.
A beautiful night, good friends, good drink, and a shared moment. And yet again, I would have been satisfied with that. I don't need too much these days to make me feel like someone wants me around....you know?
We walked to the coffee shop in good comraderie, and wove our way through the tables to the back office. He immediately started banging around, and I stood quietly contemplating what my next move should be. I decide the women's bathroom is my best bet to have a few moments to think without him distracting me. I walk through the back hallway, into the restroom, and let the door quietly click shut. Two seconds later, the door comes flying open, and I'm getting picked up and pushed against the wall, soft grinny lips holding me in place. And my fingers flick the lightswitch off....
"What are you thinking?", he asks me twenty minutes later, gazing at me from the mirror.
"What are you thinking?"
"I asked you first."
"Okay, well......um. I've liked you from the moment I met you.....but any time with you was obviously unnattainable. I just never could shake how interesting you are....and.."
"I've liked you too.....I pretty much told you that."
"What are you thinking?"
"Well....this is awesome......but it's horrible timing..."
NO KIDDING!
So I straightened myself up after he hugged and kissed me some more. My mind's a blur, and I couldn't tell you how many thoughts were flying through my head......at lightspeed! I stumbled back into the kitchen and not ten minutes later, I was being pressed against the freezer and dragged into the office. Here we go again......can I just tell you how beautiful he is? But I refuse to get sappy.
We got all the prep work done, (be careful who you work in a kitchen with....particuliarily if they're Italian....weird things start happening), and I couldn't go fifteen minutes without having the stuffing squeezed out of me.....all I could do was stand there and grin as I went through those stupid hours between 4 and 6.
"Are you going to stay after this whole mess is cleaned up, the six months, I mean?"
"I don't know."
"Where would you want to go?"
"I have a few ideas."
"You know, if you tell Kevin, he's gonna tell Phillip."
"Right, right."
As he headed out this morning, a little after I started my real shift, he hangs his head around the corner and says, "It was really great hanging out with you." And I catch Adam's glance at us, at the clothes I was wearing the night before. You know, the ones I'm still wearing as I write things down while they're fesh in my mind.
I walk into the kitchen over by the shelving a few minutes later, and find myself being hustled into the office again. His nose rubs mine, "I REALLY enjoyed hanging out with you."
And he's out the door, into the sun strown streets.
Clean-Up
Of course Adam knows what's going on, and by 10:00 this morning, he is a self-appointed laison. Grrmly has called like three times at this point, and not meaning to, I was privey to a snatch of the conversation they were having on the phone.
"Well, I knew that already. It was pretty damn obvious.........No, I don't necessarily think it's foolish."
Adam says to me, "I didn't know Erin and Grrmly had broken up until this morning, did you?"
"He told me last night at the bar."
"Oh."
An hour later, "What are you doing Saturday?"
"I don't know, why?"
"I'm having a 'bitching' party. A friend of mine is coming down from New York,and he just broke up with his girlfriend of four years. And Grrmly's coming..., with him and Erin just splitting up. And you have to come. Everyone knows your story, and I think you all have a bunch of things to work out. It'll be fun......", He says grimacing, "Trish'll be outta town, so you guys can talk about anything you want to. It'll be just the four of us." (Trish and Erin are pretty good friends}.
You know, just to see what the deal is, there's no way I'm missing that 'party'.
GOOD GODDAMN, I FEEL FUCKIN' WEIRD! Is it just me, or does all of this just seem ludicrous to you too? Time for sleep, BAH!