My cousin R got married and the huge Chinese banquet was held tonight. As my fam was getting ready (formal dress), Mom came downstairs, respendent in a beautiful black silk top embroidered with jet black beads and black silk pants.
"Ooh, Mum is trying to impress the males with her bosom!" my sister N said loudly.
"Well your mom always had the biggest pair out of all the sisters," Aunt G said.
Mom only rolled her eyes. "Well what do you think? Should I wear any jewelery?" She gestured vaguely toward her torso and I'm pretty sure she jutted her chest out right before she said, "Oh never mind, I have THIS."
A moment of silence followed.
"I meant the black beading on my top," she said.
Sure mom!!!!
"Ooh, Mum is trying to impress the males with her bosom!" my sister N said loudly.
"Well your mom always had the biggest pair out of all the sisters," Aunt G said.
Mom only rolled her eyes. "Well what do you think? Should I wear any jewelery?" She gestured vaguely toward her torso and I'm pretty sure she jutted her chest out right before she said, "Oh never mind, I have THIS."
A moment of silence followed.
"I meant the black beading on my top," she said.
Sure mom!!!!
Labels: writing
It was the final, critical moments. She lay back against the hospital bed, tired and weary. Yet a thread of hope remained in her heart because she knew it almost over. Her eyes were closed, her breathing was shallow. The room was quiet, except for the steady beep of the machines monitoring her progress.
A nurse moves into the room. She checks the the machines. Alarmed by the readouts, the nurse takes an oxygen mask and slips it over the face of the woman laying in the bed.
"Breathe deeply," the nurse says urgently. She walks quickly out of the room and summons the doctor. The doctor comes flying back.
"Its bad," the doctor tells the woman on the bed. "You have to push now."
Clamping down on her rising panic, the woman on the bed bears down with all of her might. A few seconds pass. A baby's head appears. His vitals are down, so the doctor uses forceps to grasp the baby's head and quickly pulls him out. The woman in the bed has been badly torn, but feels nothing thanks to an epidural. The babe is placed on her breast and she marvels at the miracle that is her second-born. He lays quietly, blinking with sleepy eyes.
Three years later, after countless diaper changes, colic, and engaging in the appalling habit of emptying the contents of shampoo bottles and entire rolls of toilet paper into the toilet, this boy still manages to alternately amuse and baffle his parents with his antics.
Happy birthday, my baby boy. Mommy loves you.
A nurse moves into the room. She checks the the machines. Alarmed by the readouts, the nurse takes an oxygen mask and slips it over the face of the woman laying in the bed.
"Breathe deeply," the nurse says urgently. She walks quickly out of the room and summons the doctor. The doctor comes flying back.
"Its bad," the doctor tells the woman on the bed. "You have to push now."
Clamping down on her rising panic, the woman on the bed bears down with all of her might. A few seconds pass. A baby's head appears. His vitals are down, so the doctor uses forceps to grasp the baby's head and quickly pulls him out. The woman in the bed has been badly torn, but feels nothing thanks to an epidural. The babe is placed on her breast and she marvels at the miracle that is her second-born. He lays quietly, blinking with sleepy eyes.
Three years later, after countless diaper changes, colic, and engaging in the appalling habit of emptying the contents of shampoo bottles and entire rolls of toilet paper into the toilet, this boy still manages to alternately amuse and baffle his parents with his antics.
Happy birthday, my baby boy. Mommy loves you.
Labels: writing
Previously on "She" (Part 2 of The Dim Sum Diaries Romantic Mini-Series)...
Later that evening after the party, Dan sat on the couch of his darkened apartment. The TV was tuned to ESPN. He sat nursing a beer while watching the sports highlights of the day. The doorbell rang. Perhaps it was Kate, he thought. He nervously ran his fingers through his hair. Wearing only a bright yellow "Semper Fitness" t-shirt and boxers, he hoped he looked presentable. He walked over and opened the door. However, the person standing casually in the doorway wasn't who he expected.
It was Brad.
And now, the exciting conclusion!!!
"What are you doing here?" Dan asked without preamble.
Brad straightened and shrugged. "I wanted to talk. Do you think I could come in?"
Dan folded his arms across his chest. "No."
"Look, Dan," Brad said, dropping all pretense of politeness. "I know I screwed up, but I'm trying to get back with Kate."
"And?" Dan said sarcastically.
"I'd have a better chance if you got out of the picture," Brad said bluntly.
"You pretty much screwed yourself over when you left her waiting in the ER for two hours with a broken arm while you watched the game!"
"I already apologized to her! Shit! How long is it going to take for her to get over that?"
"I don't know. You'll have to ask her," Dan said.
"She listens to you, Dan."
"I'd only be telling her what she already knows."
Brad narrowed his gaze. "I know why you are acting like this. You want her for yourself, don't you?" he said. "I have to admit, she's a nice piece of ass."
Dan lost what little patience he had. He moved forward menacingly, poised for confrontation. "Talk about her like that again and I'll break both your legs," he said grimly.
Sensing it was time to retreat, Brad backed off. "Fine. But just remember she'll never go for a dumbass Jarhead like you," Brad said as a parting shot. He walked away quickly before Dan could make good on his threat.
His jaw clenched, Dan closed the door firmly behind him.
***
Kate sat nervously in her car. She had been parked outside Dan's apartment for the last ten minutes, debating whether she should go in or not. She'd better decide soon, as the pizza she brought with her was getting cold. She caught someone walking out of Dan's apartment building out of the corner of her eye. The figure headed in the opposite direction.
Was it Dan? If it was, crap. All this planning would be for naught. But then she recognized the figure. She narrowed her gaze. It was Brad. Damn damn damn!
Kate picked up her cell phone and quickly dialed Lynn's number.
"Lynn!" Kate whispered loudly when she heard Lynn say hello. "I just saw Brad walk out of Dan's apartment building!!! What the hell is that about, do you think?"
"What? You're still not inside? What are you waiting for?" Lynn said ignoring Kate's initial comment.
"I'm getting there," Kate protested half-heartedly.
"The both of you need a kick in the butt!"
"What if he thinks I'm being too assertive?"
"Well its time one of you was. You mooned over him the entire time he was deployed," Lynn reminded her.
"I did not!"
"So what was with all those packages and letters? I swear, you single-handedly kept the U.S. Postal Service in business. By the way, I hear they have a budget surplus this year," Lynn sniggered.
"Can't you be serious for a minute?"
"Fine. You really want to know what I think?"
"I'm sure you are going to tell me regardless."
"I think you are in love with Dan. So get off your ass and do something about it. And don't call me again. Until tomorrow morning to give me the juicy details." The phone clicked as Lynn cut off the call.
"Fine," Kate muttered to no one in particular. She took a deep breath, gathered her resolve and stepped out of the car.
Dan was in a foul temper as he sat trying to read the Noam Chomsky book he bought the other day. However, after reading the same sentence several times, he rubbed his eyes tiredly. He took Kate’s picture, the picture he had carried around with him when he was deployed and tucked it into the page as a bookmark. Perhaps he should just go to bed. Maybe he should call Kate first, just to check in with her... His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.
It was probably Brad again, Dan thought grumpily as he stalked to the door. Perhaps pummeling Brad would relieve some of the pent-up frustration he'd been feeling. Without even bothering to check who it was, he flung the door open and stopped and stared as he realized it was Kate.
She had a pizza box in one hand and a bottle of Merlot in the other. She grinned impishly. "I come bearing gifts," she said.
When Dan still said nothing, she said, "Am I interrupting anything?"
"No," Dan said and stepped aside to let her in. You didn't have to go through all this trouble."
"Oh, it was no trouble," she assured him. "I thought I saw Brad walking away from here. What happened?"
Dan's jaw tensed. "Nothing worth recounting."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," he said. "Let's eat." He took the pizza and the wine from her and went to the kitchen to get some plates. Although she raised her eyebrow at his foul mood, Kate let the subject drop. They made quick work of the pizza and the excellent wine, then decided to watch a movie. As he searched through his stack of DVDs, Kate finished putting the dishes away. Settling back on the couch, she spotted the Chomsky book. Dan probably wouldn't mind her borrowing it, so she picked it up and tucked it in her purse.
“Hey,” she asked. “I'm borrowing one of your books, okay?”
"Sure, sure," he muttered. "So, what’ll it be? Lord of The Rings or Die Hard 2?"
Perhaps it was time to make her move. "I'm going to the restroom. Be right back," she said. She sounded casual, but her heart was pounding a mile a minute.
"Sure," Dan said distractedly. The bathroom was located in his bedroom. She closed the bedroom door behind her and opened Dan's closet in search of one of his dress shirts. Finding one, she went to the bathroom to slip out of her clothes and put the shirt on. She left the top three buttons provocatively undone, coupled with a sexy pair of black lace panties. Nervous now and biting her lip, she fussed with her hair a bit. She eyed herself critically in front of the mirror. Not bad, she thought.
She turned off the bathroom light and took a breath, attempting what she thought was a sexy pose.
"Dan, can you come in here for a minute? I need your help with something."
"Did you fall in or something? I..." Dan walked into the bedroom, but stopped when he took in the sight of her. "What are you wearing?" he gulped.
"Your shirt. Do you want me to take it off?" she said silkily.
"Yes! I mean, no! I mean..." Dan backed away as she advanced towards him, unaware that she was angling him towards the bed. He stopped when the bed hit the back of his legs. There was no retreat.
"You kissed me the other day, Dan," she said. She pushed him onto the bed. He fell flat on his back with surprising ease. "And now I'm going to kiss you. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Yes...no...Kate..." he managed to babble before she climbed onto the bed and straddled him. She pressed her lips to his in a tentative kiss, pulling back after a moment. She could feel his harsh, uneven breaths against her cheek, as he pulled her roughly against him so that her body was full-length against his. His body was hard and clenched all over as she ran her hands up and down his back. Groaning, he pulled back.
"Kate," he managed. "We better stop before..." Her response was to wantonly rub herself against him. He gasped. The sensations were intense...too much, too soon... He could only take so much. He firmly but gently pushed her away.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
He rolled them both around so that their positions were reversed. Now he was the aggressor. He gazed into her dark chocolate brown eyes. "Its all or nothing, Kate," he demanded tersely.
Her hand moved of its own volition from his cheek to his jaw line. "All then," she said equably.
Dan groaned and kissed her again with all the love in his heart...
****
A few days later, Kate sat alone at the bar, sipping a martini. It was after work and she was meeting Lynn and Dan, both whom hadn't yet arrived, for drinks.
"Walter," she called out, gesturing to the bartender. "Another one of these, please."
Walter the barkeep finished wiping up the dark mahogany counter and winked at her. "No problem," he said cheerfully.
The bar had not yet filled up with the upwardly mobile young professional crowd that usually hung out here. As she toyed with her drink, she smiled giddily to herself. Things with Dan were going well...and one could dwell forever on his powerful well-muscled body that always moved with easy grace. His brilliantly intelligent eyes...his excellent ass...
"Hey, baby!" a deep voice boomed behind her.
"What!" she yelped, startled from her thoughts. She turned to see Lynn gazing bemusedly at her. "Lynn, you have to stop doing that."
Lynn grinned as she sat down next to Kate. She gestured to Walter the barkeep. "A white wine please." She turned her attention back to the conversation. "So how are things going with Dan?"
Kate sighed happily. "It's incredible..."
Walter stopped by them again. "Don't look now, but Brad's coming this way."
"Shit," Kate muttered under her breath.
"Hi Kate, hi Lynn," Brad said as he walked up to the bar and took the other seat next to Kate. Both returned his greeting with something less then enthusiasm.
"Hey Lynn, do you mind if I have a minute alone with Kate?" Brad asked.
"Sure," Lynn replied. "I need to freshen up anyways." After sharing a decidedly feminine glance with Kate, Lynn stood up and headed towards the restroom.
"Anyways Kate," Brad said, "I want you to know that I still love you. I'm so sorry about the broken leg incident, but can we put that behind us?"
Kate raised an eyebrow. "You have a funny way of showing your love," she said sardonically.
"Kate, I said I was sorry! Can't you give me another chance?" Brad asked plaintively.
She took another sip of her martini. "I don't think so, Brad," she said firmly.
"Its Dan, isn't it?" Brad said bitterly.
"That's none of your business."
"He got to you, didn't he?"
"I saw you walking out of his apartment building the other night. What did you say to him?" Kate demanded.
"Never mind that..."
"You better tell me. Now."
"Fine! I asked him to step aside so I could have a chance with you!"
"Let me make it perfectly clear. You and I were over a long time ago. I'm with Dan now."
Brad took Kate's hand in his. "I don't understand how you can be with a guy in the military," he tried in a more reasonable tone. "His occupation is so unstable and you'd have to move everywhere. His kind stands for all that is wrong. Didn't you oppose this conflict?"
Neither Kate nor Brad saw Dan enter the bar and stop suddenly. He stared at the pair arguing heatedly for a moment and left.
"Brad, it’s over." She took her hand from his. "I think you should leave now."
Realizing Kate would not change her mind, Brad sighed. "Fine," he said and left the bar.
Lynn came back. "Is everything okay?" she asked cautiously.
"Yes," Kate said calmly. Kate and Lynn waited for Dan, but he never showed.
***
It had been exactly three days. Dan hadn't returned her calls. Or wouldn't, Kate fumed as she scrubbed her tub. Cleaning her apartment was her way of coping with stress and frustration, resulting in a meticulously clean abode. She'd guessed that he'd seen her arguing with Brad and walked out. And didn't even give her the chance to explain.
The man had a stubborn streak a mile wide and a head like a rock. Perhaps drastic action was necessary to remedy the situation. She considered her options briefly. Deciding on a course of action, she got up and picked up her cell phone off her bed. After punching in a number, she waited.
"Hi Karen..."
****
Dan sighed as he sat in the family room of his parents' house. He and his Dad were watching the news and drinking beers. After not answering any of Kate's calls for a few days, he'd come to the conclusion that he was a fool. He missed her rather desperately...the way she walked around barefoot (big turn-on for him)...silly little things like that. Perhaps he should call her...
He was about to tell his dad goodbye when the sound of his mom banging around in the kitchen caught his attention. He leaned over to his dad.
"What's up with Mom?" he asked curiously. Karen had called Dan and suggested that he come over. Knowing the tone that his mom had used as one he would never dare disobey, even if he was a full grown adult male, he had come over immediately.
Dan's father rolled his eyes. "I don't know, Son. I just nod and smile. She's been like this all day. Shh! She's coming now!" Dan's father quickly quieted at Karen's approach. Karen beamed at Dan. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled in warning.
"Dan," she said cheerfully. "I need you to do me a favor, Son."
"Sure, Mom," he said cautiously. "What is it?"
Karen held out a large box. "I need you to deliver this to Kate. It’s my heirloom Waterford punch bowl. She needs it immediately for her parents' 30th anniversary party tonight."
Dan took the box from his mother and stared at it suspiciously. "Why does she need your whatsit bowl? Doesn’t the caterer provide such things?"
"The caterer didn't have one," Karen hedged. "So she needs it now." Karen glanced pointedly at her watch. "And by the way," she added as she handed Dan a garment bag. "You better wear this."
Dan frowned as he unzipped the garment bag. "My dress blues? What? Where did you get this from?"
Karen paused for a moment. "You left one hanging in your old bedroom. It is a formal affair, after all," she said a little too innocently.
“So, you called me over here to deliver a punchbowl to Kate,” he said incredulously. “In my dress blues.”
"I'd go, but my joints are bothering me." Karen patted her heart in a gesture that always got the men in her family to see things her way. Realizing that he was fighting a losing battle, Dan shook his head in bewilderment as he went to his old bedroom to change. His mother had successfully played the trump card of guilt. "I thought the party was next week," he mumbled to himself. He'd forgotten how adroitly his mother could handle him. After dressing in his uniform, his mother had all but pushed him out the door.
“Don't mess it up! It’s very delicate!” she warned direly.
“Yes, ma’am,” he muttered. He wondered if she meant something other then the punch bowl as he drove towards Kate's apartment.
*****
Feeling somewhat of a fool, he knocked at her door. Kate answered and let him in. The apartment was dimly lit with candles, and soft romantic music floated through the air. Dan looked so handsome in his uniform that Kate caught her breath.
He thrust the package into her hands. "My mother said you needed this," he said curtly.
"Oh, the glass flutes. Thanks," she said.
His gaze narrowed. "No, it was a punch bowl."
"That's right." She cleared her throat. "The punch bowl." She walked over to the kitchen counter to set it down.
"The party isn't tonight is it? You and my mom set me up," he accused.
"That's right. You were set up." Temper flaring, Kate put her hands on her hips. "I can't believe you! You didn't even ask for any explanation before you passed judgment! Then you don't talk to me for three days! Something drastic was needed to get through the rock that passes for your head!"
Dan raked his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. I was jealous," he said contritely.
She'd been ready for an all-out argument with Dan. Getting none, she eyed him warily. "I gathered. But I told Brad it was over. But there is something I want to know. What is this?" She held up her picture she'd found in Dan's Noam Chomsky book. "Why is the picture so battered? Did you use it for target practice or something?"
"No!" he said. He took the picture away from her. "Its nothing," he muttered as he shoved it into his pocket.
She moved towards him and put her hand on his shoulder. He stilled. "Dan," she said gently. "Please tell me."
He looked into her eyes for a long moment before he answered. "That picture. I carried it with me everywhere. It meant home, and you. That way you were always with me. It always gave me hope," he said.
Moved beyond words, she cupped his face in her hands and touched her forehead to his.
"I love you," he said hoarsely. "I think I've always loved you."
“I love you,” she murmured as he drew her face to his in an urgent kiss. "And by the way, I'm not wearing any socks..."
finis
Later that evening after the party, Dan sat on the couch of his darkened apartment. The TV was tuned to ESPN. He sat nursing a beer while watching the sports highlights of the day. The doorbell rang. Perhaps it was Kate, he thought. He nervously ran his fingers through his hair. Wearing only a bright yellow "Semper Fitness" t-shirt and boxers, he hoped he looked presentable. He walked over and opened the door. However, the person standing casually in the doorway wasn't who he expected.
It was Brad.
And now, the exciting conclusion!!!
"What are you doing here?" Dan asked without preamble.
Brad straightened and shrugged. "I wanted to talk. Do you think I could come in?"
Dan folded his arms across his chest. "No."
"Look, Dan," Brad said, dropping all pretense of politeness. "I know I screwed up, but I'm trying to get back with Kate."
"And?" Dan said sarcastically.
"I'd have a better chance if you got out of the picture," Brad said bluntly.
"You pretty much screwed yourself over when you left her waiting in the ER for two hours with a broken arm while you watched the game!"
"I already apologized to her! Shit! How long is it going to take for her to get over that?"
"I don't know. You'll have to ask her," Dan said.
"She listens to you, Dan."
"I'd only be telling her what she already knows."
Brad narrowed his gaze. "I know why you are acting like this. You want her for yourself, don't you?" he said. "I have to admit, she's a nice piece of ass."
Dan lost what little patience he had. He moved forward menacingly, poised for confrontation. "Talk about her like that again and I'll break both your legs," he said grimly.
Sensing it was time to retreat, Brad backed off. "Fine. But just remember she'll never go for a dumbass Jarhead like you," Brad said as a parting shot. He walked away quickly before Dan could make good on his threat.
His jaw clenched, Dan closed the door firmly behind him.
***
Kate sat nervously in her car. She had been parked outside Dan's apartment for the last ten minutes, debating whether she should go in or not. She'd better decide soon, as the pizza she brought with her was getting cold. She caught someone walking out of Dan's apartment building out of the corner of her eye. The figure headed in the opposite direction.
Was it Dan? If it was, crap. All this planning would be for naught. But then she recognized the figure. She narrowed her gaze. It was Brad. Damn damn damn!
Kate picked up her cell phone and quickly dialed Lynn's number.
"Lynn!" Kate whispered loudly when she heard Lynn say hello. "I just saw Brad walk out of Dan's apartment building!!! What the hell is that about, do you think?"
"What? You're still not inside? What are you waiting for?" Lynn said ignoring Kate's initial comment.
"I'm getting there," Kate protested half-heartedly.
"The both of you need a kick in the butt!"
"What if he thinks I'm being too assertive?"
"Well its time one of you was. You mooned over him the entire time he was deployed," Lynn reminded her.
"I did not!"
"So what was with all those packages and letters? I swear, you single-handedly kept the U.S. Postal Service in business. By the way, I hear they have a budget surplus this year," Lynn sniggered.
"Can't you be serious for a minute?"
"Fine. You really want to know what I think?"
"I'm sure you are going to tell me regardless."
"I think you are in love with Dan. So get off your ass and do something about it. And don't call me again. Until tomorrow morning to give me the juicy details." The phone clicked as Lynn cut off the call.
"Fine," Kate muttered to no one in particular. She took a deep breath, gathered her resolve and stepped out of the car.
Dan was in a foul temper as he sat trying to read the Noam Chomsky book he bought the other day. However, after reading the same sentence several times, he rubbed his eyes tiredly. He took Kate’s picture, the picture he had carried around with him when he was deployed and tucked it into the page as a bookmark. Perhaps he should just go to bed. Maybe he should call Kate first, just to check in with her... His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.
It was probably Brad again, Dan thought grumpily as he stalked to the door. Perhaps pummeling Brad would relieve some of the pent-up frustration he'd been feeling. Without even bothering to check who it was, he flung the door open and stopped and stared as he realized it was Kate.
She had a pizza box in one hand and a bottle of Merlot in the other. She grinned impishly. "I come bearing gifts," she said.
When Dan still said nothing, she said, "Am I interrupting anything?"
"No," Dan said and stepped aside to let her in. You didn't have to go through all this trouble."
"Oh, it was no trouble," she assured him. "I thought I saw Brad walking away from here. What happened?"
Dan's jaw tensed. "Nothing worth recounting."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," he said. "Let's eat." He took the pizza and the wine from her and went to the kitchen to get some plates. Although she raised her eyebrow at his foul mood, Kate let the subject drop. They made quick work of the pizza and the excellent wine, then decided to watch a movie. As he searched through his stack of DVDs, Kate finished putting the dishes away. Settling back on the couch, she spotted the Chomsky book. Dan probably wouldn't mind her borrowing it, so she picked it up and tucked it in her purse.
“Hey,” she asked. “I'm borrowing one of your books, okay?”
"Sure, sure," he muttered. "So, what’ll it be? Lord of The Rings or Die Hard 2?"
Perhaps it was time to make her move. "I'm going to the restroom. Be right back," she said. She sounded casual, but her heart was pounding a mile a minute.
"Sure," Dan said distractedly. The bathroom was located in his bedroom. She closed the bedroom door behind her and opened Dan's closet in search of one of his dress shirts. Finding one, she went to the bathroom to slip out of her clothes and put the shirt on. She left the top three buttons provocatively undone, coupled with a sexy pair of black lace panties. Nervous now and biting her lip, she fussed with her hair a bit. She eyed herself critically in front of the mirror. Not bad, she thought.
She turned off the bathroom light and took a breath, attempting what she thought was a sexy pose.
"Dan, can you come in here for a minute? I need your help with something."
"Did you fall in or something? I..." Dan walked into the bedroom, but stopped when he took in the sight of her. "What are you wearing?" he gulped.
"Your shirt. Do you want me to take it off?" she said silkily.
"Yes! I mean, no! I mean..." Dan backed away as she advanced towards him, unaware that she was angling him towards the bed. He stopped when the bed hit the back of his legs. There was no retreat.
"You kissed me the other day, Dan," she said. She pushed him onto the bed. He fell flat on his back with surprising ease. "And now I'm going to kiss you. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Yes...no...Kate..." he managed to babble before she climbed onto the bed and straddled him. She pressed her lips to his in a tentative kiss, pulling back after a moment. She could feel his harsh, uneven breaths against her cheek, as he pulled her roughly against him so that her body was full-length against his. His body was hard and clenched all over as she ran her hands up and down his back. Groaning, he pulled back.
"Kate," he managed. "We better stop before..." Her response was to wantonly rub herself against him. He gasped. The sensations were intense...too much, too soon... He could only take so much. He firmly but gently pushed her away.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
He rolled them both around so that their positions were reversed. Now he was the aggressor. He gazed into her dark chocolate brown eyes. "Its all or nothing, Kate," he demanded tersely.
Her hand moved of its own volition from his cheek to his jaw line. "All then," she said equably.
Dan groaned and kissed her again with all the love in his heart...
****
A few days later, Kate sat alone at the bar, sipping a martini. It was after work and she was meeting Lynn and Dan, both whom hadn't yet arrived, for drinks.
"Walter," she called out, gesturing to the bartender. "Another one of these, please."
Walter the barkeep finished wiping up the dark mahogany counter and winked at her. "No problem," he said cheerfully.
The bar had not yet filled up with the upwardly mobile young professional crowd that usually hung out here. As she toyed with her drink, she smiled giddily to herself. Things with Dan were going well...and one could dwell forever on his powerful well-muscled body that always moved with easy grace. His brilliantly intelligent eyes...his excellent ass...
"Hey, baby!" a deep voice boomed behind her.
"What!" she yelped, startled from her thoughts. She turned to see Lynn gazing bemusedly at her. "Lynn, you have to stop doing that."
Lynn grinned as she sat down next to Kate. She gestured to Walter the barkeep. "A white wine please." She turned her attention back to the conversation. "So how are things going with Dan?"
Kate sighed happily. "It's incredible..."
Walter stopped by them again. "Don't look now, but Brad's coming this way."
"Shit," Kate muttered under her breath.
"Hi Kate, hi Lynn," Brad said as he walked up to the bar and took the other seat next to Kate. Both returned his greeting with something less then enthusiasm.
"Hey Lynn, do you mind if I have a minute alone with Kate?" Brad asked.
"Sure," Lynn replied. "I need to freshen up anyways." After sharing a decidedly feminine glance with Kate, Lynn stood up and headed towards the restroom.
"Anyways Kate," Brad said, "I want you to know that I still love you. I'm so sorry about the broken leg incident, but can we put that behind us?"
Kate raised an eyebrow. "You have a funny way of showing your love," she said sardonically.
"Kate, I said I was sorry! Can't you give me another chance?" Brad asked plaintively.
She took another sip of her martini. "I don't think so, Brad," she said firmly.
"Its Dan, isn't it?" Brad said bitterly.
"That's none of your business."
"He got to you, didn't he?"
"I saw you walking out of his apartment building the other night. What did you say to him?" Kate demanded.
"Never mind that..."
"You better tell me. Now."
"Fine! I asked him to step aside so I could have a chance with you!"
"Let me make it perfectly clear. You and I were over a long time ago. I'm with Dan now."
Brad took Kate's hand in his. "I don't understand how you can be with a guy in the military," he tried in a more reasonable tone. "His occupation is so unstable and you'd have to move everywhere. His kind stands for all that is wrong. Didn't you oppose this conflict?"
Neither Kate nor Brad saw Dan enter the bar and stop suddenly. He stared at the pair arguing heatedly for a moment and left.
"Brad, it’s over." She took her hand from his. "I think you should leave now."
Realizing Kate would not change her mind, Brad sighed. "Fine," he said and left the bar.
Lynn came back. "Is everything okay?" she asked cautiously.
"Yes," Kate said calmly. Kate and Lynn waited for Dan, but he never showed.
***
It had been exactly three days. Dan hadn't returned her calls. Or wouldn't, Kate fumed as she scrubbed her tub. Cleaning her apartment was her way of coping with stress and frustration, resulting in a meticulously clean abode. She'd guessed that he'd seen her arguing with Brad and walked out. And didn't even give her the chance to explain.
The man had a stubborn streak a mile wide and a head like a rock. Perhaps drastic action was necessary to remedy the situation. She considered her options briefly. Deciding on a course of action, she got up and picked up her cell phone off her bed. After punching in a number, she waited.
"Hi Karen..."
****
Dan sighed as he sat in the family room of his parents' house. He and his Dad were watching the news and drinking beers. After not answering any of Kate's calls for a few days, he'd come to the conclusion that he was a fool. He missed her rather desperately...the way she walked around barefoot (big turn-on for him)...silly little things like that. Perhaps he should call her...
He was about to tell his dad goodbye when the sound of his mom banging around in the kitchen caught his attention. He leaned over to his dad.
"What's up with Mom?" he asked curiously. Karen had called Dan and suggested that he come over. Knowing the tone that his mom had used as one he would never dare disobey, even if he was a full grown adult male, he had come over immediately.
Dan's father rolled his eyes. "I don't know, Son. I just nod and smile. She's been like this all day. Shh! She's coming now!" Dan's father quickly quieted at Karen's approach. Karen beamed at Dan. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled in warning.
"Dan," she said cheerfully. "I need you to do me a favor, Son."
"Sure, Mom," he said cautiously. "What is it?"
Karen held out a large box. "I need you to deliver this to Kate. It’s my heirloom Waterford punch bowl. She needs it immediately for her parents' 30th anniversary party tonight."
Dan took the box from his mother and stared at it suspiciously. "Why does she need your whatsit bowl? Doesn’t the caterer provide such things?"
"The caterer didn't have one," Karen hedged. "So she needs it now." Karen glanced pointedly at her watch. "And by the way," she added as she handed Dan a garment bag. "You better wear this."
Dan frowned as he unzipped the garment bag. "My dress blues? What? Where did you get this from?"
Karen paused for a moment. "You left one hanging in your old bedroom. It is a formal affair, after all," she said a little too innocently.
“So, you called me over here to deliver a punchbowl to Kate,” he said incredulously. “In my dress blues.”
"I'd go, but my joints are bothering me." Karen patted her heart in a gesture that always got the men in her family to see things her way. Realizing that he was fighting a losing battle, Dan shook his head in bewilderment as he went to his old bedroom to change. His mother had successfully played the trump card of guilt. "I thought the party was next week," he mumbled to himself. He'd forgotten how adroitly his mother could handle him. After dressing in his uniform, his mother had all but pushed him out the door.
“Don't mess it up! It’s very delicate!” she warned direly.
“Yes, ma’am,” he muttered. He wondered if she meant something other then the punch bowl as he drove towards Kate's apartment.
*****
Feeling somewhat of a fool, he knocked at her door. Kate answered and let him in. The apartment was dimly lit with candles, and soft romantic music floated through the air. Dan looked so handsome in his uniform that Kate caught her breath.
He thrust the package into her hands. "My mother said you needed this," he said curtly.
"Oh, the glass flutes. Thanks," she said.
His gaze narrowed. "No, it was a punch bowl."
"That's right." She cleared her throat. "The punch bowl." She walked over to the kitchen counter to set it down.
"The party isn't tonight is it? You and my mom set me up," he accused.
"That's right. You were set up." Temper flaring, Kate put her hands on her hips. "I can't believe you! You didn't even ask for any explanation before you passed judgment! Then you don't talk to me for three days! Something drastic was needed to get through the rock that passes for your head!"
Dan raked his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. I was jealous," he said contritely.
She'd been ready for an all-out argument with Dan. Getting none, she eyed him warily. "I gathered. But I told Brad it was over. But there is something I want to know. What is this?" She held up her picture she'd found in Dan's Noam Chomsky book. "Why is the picture so battered? Did you use it for target practice or something?"
"No!" he said. He took the picture away from her. "Its nothing," he muttered as he shoved it into his pocket.
She moved towards him and put her hand on his shoulder. He stilled. "Dan," she said gently. "Please tell me."
He looked into her eyes for a long moment before he answered. "That picture. I carried it with me everywhere. It meant home, and you. That way you were always with me. It always gave me hope," he said.
Moved beyond words, she cupped his face in her hands and touched her forehead to his.
"I love you," he said hoarsely. "I think I've always loved you."
“I love you,” she murmured as he drew her face to his in an urgent kiss. "And by the way, I'm not wearing any socks..."
finis
Labels: writing
She leaned casually against the bar as she expertly scanned the room for a familiar face. Finding none, she sighed and took another sip of her apple martini. Her friend and co-worker Lynn had invited her over to this informal gathering with the promise of "exquisite food and excellent conversation". With the latter part of this promise yet to be fulfilled, Kate once again surveyed the scene before her.
Small groups of people chatted animatedly in the elegantly appointed room, with the occasional roar of laughter punctuating the din. The soft clink of glasses and the strains of Mozart's No. 1 in B flat, K. 207 playing softly in the background completed the picture of what should have been a fun and interesting evening.
The sound of his rich laughter drew her attention first. As she tried to pinpoint its source, she noticed him. He was standing in a corner and holding a beer, deep in conversation with another. Perhaps his innately captivating presence caught her eye. Or it could have been the blatantly military crew cut he sported. Kate imagined it would gleam like dark gold if he ever grew it out. He must have sensed her gaze lingering on him because he turned and his face broke into an open, friendly smile. She smiled in return. Glad that she finally had someone to engage in excellent conversation with, she made her way over to his side.
"Hi there," he said as Kate joined their group. "I'm Dan Huffman and this is Casey Shelton." Dan made a slight gesture with his right hand to indicate his friend.
"I'm Kate Lee. It’s nice to meet you both," she replied as she shook their hands in greeting. "Now I'm really curious. Did I actually hear the two of you arguing over jelly donuts?"
Both Dan and Casey chuckled. "I'm trying to persuade Casey here that President John F. Kennedy said he was a jelly donut," he said with a grin.
Kate arched her eyebrow. "Dan, are you sure this isn't some line you use to impress the ladies?"
"I swear it isn't. And he did," Dan said.
"He did not," she replied.
"He did," Dan insisted.
Casey cleared his throat meaningfully. "Well, I see I have someone to champion my side of the debate. I'm going to get another beer. Dan?"
"Sure, sure, get me another Rolling Rock," Dan muttered. Neither of them noticed Casey walk away. "I'm telling you that in 1963 President Kennedy said 'Ich bin ein Berliner'. Berliner was a popular jelly donut back then. Therefore, Kennedy is a jelly donut," Dan continued without missing a beat. He was on a roll.
Kate shook her head. "The correct translation is that he was trying to say that he was a citizen of Berlin. I should know, I minored in Political Science."
"And I speak fluent German and French," Dan countered. "So I should know."
Kate took a step closer to him and looked him straight in the eye. "You are never going to give up until I cry uncle, are you?" she asked sardonically.
"Nope."
"Thus succeeding in your mission to piss me off."
"Yes."
Thus a friendship that alternated between laughter and annoying the hell out of each other was born. The seeds of a romantic love that may have bloomed stayed dormant when Kate began dating Brad. However, the friendship between Kate and Dan deepened into a relationship in which each was a bastion of unwavering support and loyalty to the other, despite the circumstances.
During the months that Dan was away, Kate was busy with her work as a web developer. She missed him so acutely, it was like an ache. An ache she tried to bury with work and the letter and care package campaign she launched that would have impressed the USO.
"Man, do you have enough socks there?" Lynn asked in disbelief as Kate threw in 20 pairs of socks to the latest massive care package she was preparing.
"One can never have enough socks, especially since he is away from home," Kate said primly.
"That's because you are secretly in love with him," Lynn said, trying to get a rise out of Kate. Kate, as usual, took the bait.
"I am not! I am in love with Brad. You know, the man who happens to be my boyfriend?" she said.
"Right," Lynn agreed. She paused for a moment. "But you secretly love Danny."
Kate sighed and didn't answer as she tried to tuck in the pound of peanut brittle in the already overloaded box.
Kate subconsciously counted the days and the minutes until Danny's return. She wasn't sure if she should go meet him. After all, she was only a friend and not really family. Would it be appropriate, she wondered. However the decision was made for her when Dan's mother called and insisted that she join the family in welcome.
And so on the day that First Lieutenant Daniel Huffman was due to arrive home, Kate and Dan's family waited with anticipation at the airfield. The sky was a bright blue with nary a cloud in the sky. After an interminable wait for the plane to land, and an even longer wait for the ramp to be rolled to the plane, the first face appeared out of the airplane. A cheer went up in the crowd as a succession of men and women stepped out of the airplane. People were waving signs and jumping up and down, hoping to catch a glimpse of their own. Finally, she glimpsed Dan's familiar profile step out of the airplane.
"Do you see him, Karen? I think that's him!" Kate said excitedly. Karen, Joe (Dan's father) and Peter (Dan's brother) craned their necks to see if they could spot him. After everyone deplaned, the soldiers gathered in formation. A senior officer addressed the group, but none of the famlies could hear his words from the cordoned off area. Kate could feel the impatience of the crowd. Finally the group was dismissed and both groups surged towards each other. Kate saw Dan striding in quick steps towards them. Karen ran forward and was the first to embrace her son in a hug. Mother and son stood still for a moment, caught in the emotions of welcome and happiness. Joe and Peter moved forward to greet Dan as well. Kate felt slightly uncomfortable at intruding in this private family moment. She stepped back but kept her gaze on Dan. He had lost weight, it seemed, but the leanness was overlaid with sinewy muscle.
Dan shifted his gaze to her as he let go of his mom and walked quietly towards her until they were face to face. For a moment she merely looked at him until they moved towards each other and he swept her into the protective circle of his arms.
"Hi," he said, the warmth of his smile echoing in his voice.
"Hi," she replied, as she put her hand up to his cheek, as if trying to remember the texture of it. His eyes seemed to be full of something, she didn't know what.
"God, I missed you," he whispered hoarsely as he buried his face into her hair. Whatever reply she might have come back with was smothered as his lips came coaxingly down on hers. Kate was surprised and a little embarrassed. Mindful of his family staring bemusedly at them, she tried to push him back, but he wouldn't let her go.
"I missed you too...Mmmph...Dan...your family..." she managed to get in when he finally came up for air.
A discreet cough from his father finally brought Dan back to reality of his smiling parents. His brother, still a young teenager, was making gacking noises in the background. There seemed to be a new possessiveness in Dan towards Kate as he conversed with his family. He refused to let go of her hand, she noted. It was almost as if he were afraid that she would suddenly disappear. When Dan was finally able to get away to spend time with his family, they decided to go out and eat. Kate excused herself, saying she had to finish work, despite the noisy protests of his family.
Dan kept his gaze on her as she said her goodbyes.
"I'll see you at Casey's party?" he asked.
"Yes, I'll see you tonight," she said. The raw joy of seeing Dan after all these months and the shock of their public kiss disconcerted her. She needed time to think.
***
That evening Casey was throwing a party in honor of Dan's return. The backyard was crowded with people, beer and loud music. Casey and Dan were standing at the bbq, grilling various meats.
"She brought HIM along," Dan grumbled to Casey.
"Don't sweat it...shhh...here she comes..." Casey whispered loudly as Kate approached.
"Hey guys," Kate said in greeting. She glanced at the blackened grill. "Wasn't that a new BBQ grill, Casey?"
"Nothing a gallon of lighter fluid couldn't break in," he replied cheerfully. Casey nudged Dan in the ribs and glared at him pointedly. Talk to her, the look said.
Dan opened his mouth to speak just as Brad walked up behind Kate.
"So hey, Kate," Brad said casually, "I've got two tickets to La Boheme, front and center. How would you like to go?"
"Sounds interesting," she said. "But I'm pretty busy these days trying to plan my parent's thirtieth anniversary party."
Brad continued as if he hadn't heard her. "It’s in French. Although I feel that it would be better if they didn't have that marquis with the translated lines up there. It ruins the effect."
Dan arched an eyebrow. "Why Brad, do you speak fluent French?"
"Yes...yes I do, Dan," Brad replied. There was an air of tension rising. "Comment je t'aime? Laisse moi compter les façons. je m'aime aux plafonds et aux larges hôtels..." he recited smugly.
"Cool, Brad!" Kate said, impressed. "What did you just say?"
Dan spared Brad a withering glance. "If I'm not mistaken, that would be Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 'How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Except for the second line you just declared that you love yourself to the ceiling and at large hotels." Dan said acerbically.
"Really?" Brad said.
"It should be, 'Je t'aime aux profondeurs et aux largeurs et hauteurs,'" Dan corrected.
"Who knew the dumbass Jarhead could utter complete sentences?" Brad sneered, then jumped back in alarm as Dan advanced towards him angrily, fists clenched.
The conversation was getting out of hand. Though Kate might tease and abuse Dan, she would tolerate it from no one else. Not even a man she thought she was in love with at one time. Putting a hand on Dan's arm to restrain him, she cooly turned to Brad. The look she gave him could have frozen a pond at ten paces.
"Shut up, Brad. Before you say something you regret," she said icily. Her tone pierced the fog of Brad's drunken stupor enough to let him know she was peeved and working towards seriously pissed. Even he knew not to cross her when she was in such a mood. He held his hands up in mock surrender.
"Okay, okay, we were just joking around," he hedged.
"Right," she said sarcastically. Dan looked at her in amusement for coming to his defense, then his eyes widened in alarm when she turned and directed the full force of her stare on him.
"You," she said, poking her finger into Dan's chest. It didn't matter if he an officer in the Marines, used to commanding troops of his own. Kate on a rampage terrified him. "I want to talk to you."
"What?" he said somewhat defensively. She grabbed his arm and dragged him off to the guest bathroom and shut the door behind them. She crossed her arms and merely stared at him. Sighing, since he knew there was no way to avoid a confrontation, he tried adopting an charming smile. It didn't work.
"I want to know what that was all about."
"Just making conversation," he said in an innocent tone.
"I thought you would be more mature then that, Dan."
"He's an asshole, Kate. You should cut him loose for good."
"That doesn't give you the right to argue like two dogs fighting over the bone. Brad is none of your business, Dan," she said angrily. "And for your information, he invited himself. I couldn't refuse without being impolite." She poked his chest again to emphasize her point. He involuntarily took a step back and found himself bumping against the wall. He couldn't say that he completely disliked this assertiveness in her. In fact he rather liked it, but as she was pissed, wisely decided to say nothing.
"My love life is off-limits to you, understand?"
"The guy had to finish watching a football game before he came to the hospital after you called him. A god dam football game! How long did you wait in the emergency room before he came to your side?" he said impatiently.
Kate paused for a long moment before answering. "That is irrelevant," she said quietly.
"How long?" he insisted.
"An hour and a half," she muttered.
"If it was me, nothing would have stopped me from reaching your side," he told her gruffly.
Kate was suddenly aware of the heat emanating from his body. It was a novel experience to have 200 lbs of aggravated male so close to her. She could smell the spicy scent of his aftershave, one that she would always associate with him. The guest bathroom suddenly seemed too small for the both of them. He let out a long, audible breath. A loud knock on the door made them both jump back. "Aren't you done yet?" A loud, drunken voice asked in disgust. "You've been in there for like a year! I need to use the john!"
Kate moved away from him. "We should go. Everyone will be looking for you," she said softly.
"We're not done yet," he said. Whatever she had been about to say was cut off as he cupped her face and kissed her tenderly. When he pulled back, she had sort of a befuddled look on her face. "We'll talk later, Kate." Satisfied that he had gotten in the last word, he left before she could snap out a caustic retort.
Later that evening after the party, Dan sat on the couch of his darkened apartment. The TV was tuned to ESPN. He sat nursing a beer while watching the sports highlights of the day. The doorbell rang. Perhaps it was Kate, he thought. He nervously ran his fingers through his hair. Wearing only a bright yellow "Semper Fitness" t-shirt and boxers, he hoped he looked presentable. He walked over and opened the door. However, the person standing casually in the doorway wasn't who he expected.
It was Brad.
to be continued one final time...
*Like this? Read Part 1!
Thanks to Rand_T for the French translation.
Small groups of people chatted animatedly in the elegantly appointed room, with the occasional roar of laughter punctuating the din. The soft clink of glasses and the strains of Mozart's No. 1 in B flat, K. 207 playing softly in the background completed the picture of what should have been a fun and interesting evening.
The sound of his rich laughter drew her attention first. As she tried to pinpoint its source, she noticed him. He was standing in a corner and holding a beer, deep in conversation with another. Perhaps his innately captivating presence caught her eye. Or it could have been the blatantly military crew cut he sported. Kate imagined it would gleam like dark gold if he ever grew it out. He must have sensed her gaze lingering on him because he turned and his face broke into an open, friendly smile. She smiled in return. Glad that she finally had someone to engage in excellent conversation with, she made her way over to his side.
"Hi there," he said as Kate joined their group. "I'm Dan Huffman and this is Casey Shelton." Dan made a slight gesture with his right hand to indicate his friend.
"I'm Kate Lee. It’s nice to meet you both," she replied as she shook their hands in greeting. "Now I'm really curious. Did I actually hear the two of you arguing over jelly donuts?"
Both Dan and Casey chuckled. "I'm trying to persuade Casey here that President John F. Kennedy said he was a jelly donut," he said with a grin.
Kate arched her eyebrow. "Dan, are you sure this isn't some line you use to impress the ladies?"
"I swear it isn't. And he did," Dan said.
"He did not," she replied.
"He did," Dan insisted.
Casey cleared his throat meaningfully. "Well, I see I have someone to champion my side of the debate. I'm going to get another beer. Dan?"
"Sure, sure, get me another Rolling Rock," Dan muttered. Neither of them noticed Casey walk away. "I'm telling you that in 1963 President Kennedy said 'Ich bin ein Berliner'. Berliner was a popular jelly donut back then. Therefore, Kennedy is a jelly donut," Dan continued without missing a beat. He was on a roll.
Kate shook her head. "The correct translation is that he was trying to say that he was a citizen of Berlin. I should know, I minored in Political Science."
"And I speak fluent German and French," Dan countered. "So I should know."
Kate took a step closer to him and looked him straight in the eye. "You are never going to give up until I cry uncle, are you?" she asked sardonically.
"Nope."
"Thus succeeding in your mission to piss me off."
"Yes."
Thus a friendship that alternated between laughter and annoying the hell out of each other was born. The seeds of a romantic love that may have bloomed stayed dormant when Kate began dating Brad. However, the friendship between Kate and Dan deepened into a relationship in which each was a bastion of unwavering support and loyalty to the other, despite the circumstances.
During the months that Dan was away, Kate was busy with her work as a web developer. She missed him so acutely, it was like an ache. An ache she tried to bury with work and the letter and care package campaign she launched that would have impressed the USO.
"Man, do you have enough socks there?" Lynn asked in disbelief as Kate threw in 20 pairs of socks to the latest massive care package she was preparing.
"One can never have enough socks, especially since he is away from home," Kate said primly.
"That's because you are secretly in love with him," Lynn said, trying to get a rise out of Kate. Kate, as usual, took the bait.
"I am not! I am in love with Brad. You know, the man who happens to be my boyfriend?" she said.
"Right," Lynn agreed. She paused for a moment. "But you secretly love Danny."
Kate sighed and didn't answer as she tried to tuck in the pound of peanut brittle in the already overloaded box.
Kate subconsciously counted the days and the minutes until Danny's return. She wasn't sure if she should go meet him. After all, she was only a friend and not really family. Would it be appropriate, she wondered. However the decision was made for her when Dan's mother called and insisted that she join the family in welcome.
And so on the day that First Lieutenant Daniel Huffman was due to arrive home, Kate and Dan's family waited with anticipation at the airfield. The sky was a bright blue with nary a cloud in the sky. After an interminable wait for the plane to land, and an even longer wait for the ramp to be rolled to the plane, the first face appeared out of the airplane. A cheer went up in the crowd as a succession of men and women stepped out of the airplane. People were waving signs and jumping up and down, hoping to catch a glimpse of their own. Finally, she glimpsed Dan's familiar profile step out of the airplane.
"Do you see him, Karen? I think that's him!" Kate said excitedly. Karen, Joe (Dan's father) and Peter (Dan's brother) craned their necks to see if they could spot him. After everyone deplaned, the soldiers gathered in formation. A senior officer addressed the group, but none of the famlies could hear his words from the cordoned off area. Kate could feel the impatience of the crowd. Finally the group was dismissed and both groups surged towards each other. Kate saw Dan striding in quick steps towards them. Karen ran forward and was the first to embrace her son in a hug. Mother and son stood still for a moment, caught in the emotions of welcome and happiness. Joe and Peter moved forward to greet Dan as well. Kate felt slightly uncomfortable at intruding in this private family moment. She stepped back but kept her gaze on Dan. He had lost weight, it seemed, but the leanness was overlaid with sinewy muscle.
Dan shifted his gaze to her as he let go of his mom and walked quietly towards her until they were face to face. For a moment she merely looked at him until they moved towards each other and he swept her into the protective circle of his arms.
"Hi," he said, the warmth of his smile echoing in his voice.
"Hi," she replied, as she put her hand up to his cheek, as if trying to remember the texture of it. His eyes seemed to be full of something, she didn't know what.
"God, I missed you," he whispered hoarsely as he buried his face into her hair. Whatever reply she might have come back with was smothered as his lips came coaxingly down on hers. Kate was surprised and a little embarrassed. Mindful of his family staring bemusedly at them, she tried to push him back, but he wouldn't let her go.
"I missed you too...Mmmph...Dan...your family..." she managed to get in when he finally came up for air.
A discreet cough from his father finally brought Dan back to reality of his smiling parents. His brother, still a young teenager, was making gacking noises in the background. There seemed to be a new possessiveness in Dan towards Kate as he conversed with his family. He refused to let go of her hand, she noted. It was almost as if he were afraid that she would suddenly disappear. When Dan was finally able to get away to spend time with his family, they decided to go out and eat. Kate excused herself, saying she had to finish work, despite the noisy protests of his family.
Dan kept his gaze on her as she said her goodbyes.
"I'll see you at Casey's party?" he asked.
"Yes, I'll see you tonight," she said. The raw joy of seeing Dan after all these months and the shock of their public kiss disconcerted her. She needed time to think.
***
That evening Casey was throwing a party in honor of Dan's return. The backyard was crowded with people, beer and loud music. Casey and Dan were standing at the bbq, grilling various meats.
"She brought HIM along," Dan grumbled to Casey.
"Don't sweat it...shhh...here she comes..." Casey whispered loudly as Kate approached.
"Hey guys," Kate said in greeting. She glanced at the blackened grill. "Wasn't that a new BBQ grill, Casey?"
"Nothing a gallon of lighter fluid couldn't break in," he replied cheerfully. Casey nudged Dan in the ribs and glared at him pointedly. Talk to her, the look said.
Dan opened his mouth to speak just as Brad walked up behind Kate.
"So hey, Kate," Brad said casually, "I've got two tickets to La Boheme, front and center. How would you like to go?"
"Sounds interesting," she said. "But I'm pretty busy these days trying to plan my parent's thirtieth anniversary party."
Brad continued as if he hadn't heard her. "It’s in French. Although I feel that it would be better if they didn't have that marquis with the translated lines up there. It ruins the effect."
Dan arched an eyebrow. "Why Brad, do you speak fluent French?"
"Yes...yes I do, Dan," Brad replied. There was an air of tension rising. "Comment je t'aime? Laisse moi compter les façons. je m'aime aux plafonds et aux larges hôtels..." he recited smugly.
"Cool, Brad!" Kate said, impressed. "What did you just say?"
Dan spared Brad a withering glance. "If I'm not mistaken, that would be Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 'How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Except for the second line you just declared that you love yourself to the ceiling and at large hotels." Dan said acerbically.
"Really?" Brad said.
"It should be, 'Je t'aime aux profondeurs et aux largeurs et hauteurs,'" Dan corrected.
"Who knew the dumbass Jarhead could utter complete sentences?" Brad sneered, then jumped back in alarm as Dan advanced towards him angrily, fists clenched.
The conversation was getting out of hand. Though Kate might tease and abuse Dan, she would tolerate it from no one else. Not even a man she thought she was in love with at one time. Putting a hand on Dan's arm to restrain him, she cooly turned to Brad. The look she gave him could have frozen a pond at ten paces.
"Shut up, Brad. Before you say something you regret," she said icily. Her tone pierced the fog of Brad's drunken stupor enough to let him know she was peeved and working towards seriously pissed. Even he knew not to cross her when she was in such a mood. He held his hands up in mock surrender.
"Okay, okay, we were just joking around," he hedged.
"Right," she said sarcastically. Dan looked at her in amusement for coming to his defense, then his eyes widened in alarm when she turned and directed the full force of her stare on him.
"You," she said, poking her finger into Dan's chest. It didn't matter if he an officer in the Marines, used to commanding troops of his own. Kate on a rampage terrified him. "I want to talk to you."
"What?" he said somewhat defensively. She grabbed his arm and dragged him off to the guest bathroom and shut the door behind them. She crossed her arms and merely stared at him. Sighing, since he knew there was no way to avoid a confrontation, he tried adopting an charming smile. It didn't work.
"I want to know what that was all about."
"Just making conversation," he said in an innocent tone.
"I thought you would be more mature then that, Dan."
"He's an asshole, Kate. You should cut him loose for good."
"That doesn't give you the right to argue like two dogs fighting over the bone. Brad is none of your business, Dan," she said angrily. "And for your information, he invited himself. I couldn't refuse without being impolite." She poked his chest again to emphasize her point. He involuntarily took a step back and found himself bumping against the wall. He couldn't say that he completely disliked this assertiveness in her. In fact he rather liked it, but as she was pissed, wisely decided to say nothing.
"My love life is off-limits to you, understand?"
"The guy had to finish watching a football game before he came to the hospital after you called him. A god dam football game! How long did you wait in the emergency room before he came to your side?" he said impatiently.
Kate paused for a long moment before answering. "That is irrelevant," she said quietly.
"How long?" he insisted.
"An hour and a half," she muttered.
"If it was me, nothing would have stopped me from reaching your side," he told her gruffly.
Kate was suddenly aware of the heat emanating from his body. It was a novel experience to have 200 lbs of aggravated male so close to her. She could smell the spicy scent of his aftershave, one that she would always associate with him. The guest bathroom suddenly seemed too small for the both of them. He let out a long, audible breath. A loud knock on the door made them both jump back. "Aren't you done yet?" A loud, drunken voice asked in disgust. "You've been in there for like a year! I need to use the john!"
Kate moved away from him. "We should go. Everyone will be looking for you," she said softly.
"We're not done yet," he said. Whatever she had been about to say was cut off as he cupped her face and kissed her tenderly. When he pulled back, she had sort of a befuddled look on her face. "We'll talk later, Kate." Satisfied that he had gotten in the last word, he left before she could snap out a caustic retort.
Later that evening after the party, Dan sat on the couch of his darkened apartment. The TV was tuned to ESPN. He sat nursing a beer while watching the sports highlights of the day. The doorbell rang. Perhaps it was Kate, he thought. He nervously ran his fingers through his hair. Wearing only a bright yellow "Semper Fitness" t-shirt and boxers, he hoped he looked presentable. He walked over and opened the door. However, the person standing casually in the doorway wasn't who he expected.
It was Brad.
to be continued one final time...
*Like this? Read Part 1!
Thanks to Rand_T for the French translation.
Labels: writing
He carried a picture of her wherever he went. During the day, while on duty as a soldier and enduring the extreme heat of the Iraqi desert, the picture was safely tucked in his pocket. Every so often, he would absently pat that pocket to ensure it was still there. Sometimes it earned him strange glances from the men in his unit. Dan quickly learned to do it when no one was around.
At night, lying in his cot, he would take the picture out and stare at it intently while his tent-mates snored loudly. By now, he had memorized every aspect of her face: the aristocratic arch of her brow; the glossy black texture of her hair; her rich, dark-chocolate eyes which revealed her intelligence and wry humor.
The picture was of his best friend, Kate. It was a portrait from one of those photography studios in the mall. She had taken the time to apply make-up and worn an elegant, but simple black dress that accentuated the graceful curve of her neck. She seemed to be smiling directly at him. Just for him, he liked to think.
Yet it had been nine months, six days, thirteen hours and six minutes since First Lieutenant Daniel Huffman last saw a live glimpse of her face. That time had been spent on active duty since the conflict started. He completed his duties with the excellence and precision that was second nature to him. Life during deployment often meant enduring long work shifts, always wondering if the unknown person approaching you was friend or foe. He endured because he had little choice in the matter. His love for her only deepened as time passed. Yet he still hadn't dared to tell her of his feelings, fearing rejection. However, as time passed he realized he would have to, lest he lose her to someone else. He swore to himself that if...when...he got back to the States, he would.
They wrote each other frequently via snail mail. Sometimes through email if he could sneak onto a computer. Kate included the picture of her in one of the many care packages she sent him. This particular package included beef jerky, Good 'N Plenty (his favorite), wet naps (for quick on-the-spot bath), toilet paper (one could never have enough of this) and a videotape of recent episodes of The Daily Show (good place to get the news).
Dan had never considered himself a writer, but the letter-writing provided an outlet for his emotions. It helped to cope with the monotony of the daily routine as well as the relentless onslaught of the heat. It helped him to endure the terrifying moments when live rounds exploded or there was live weapons fire around the compound. She would never truly understand what he was going through. She was a civilian and safe on the other side of the world. But her willingness to listen and the unflagging emotional support in her letters kept him sane. He tried to express how he felt once in a letter:
Kate...for all the crap I keep telling you about...I'm glad that you are there to listen. It helps me get through each day. Sort of like I am load of dirty laundry...all the colors, whites and darks are mixed together. Somehow you manage to get everything clean, get them all separated and folded nicely...how lame a metaphor is that? You mean a lot to me, I hope you know that.
It was as close as he dared to declare his feelings for her. He wondered if she realized the subtext of his message.
The only time he really went out of his mind was when he recieved an urgent call from his mother. Kate was in the hospital. He went crazy with worry until Kate herself called him directly from the hospital. There were only two things that were broken, she said. One was her arm. The other was her relationship with Brad, whom she had kicked to the curb. He sighed in relief on both counts.
After what seemed an eternity, the order to come home had finally come through. He wanted to be home. He wanted to have the satisfaction of being in his own place. He wanted to drink a beer while lounging on his sofa, watching a game on television. He wanted to sleep in his own bed. How long had it been since he had done those things? Most of all, he wanted to be in the comfort of her arms, because that above all symbolized home to him. Everything had been packed up and all the soldiers were loaded on a commercial flight back to the United States. On the long flight home, he thought of the last time he saw her...
She and a group of their mutual friends had gone to some dive to celebrate his last night of freedom. Kate volunteered to be the designated driver, and after a long night of carousing, she had dutifully driven each of the others home. Only Dan and she were left in the car and they shared a comfortable banter on the way to his apartment. When Kate reached in front of his building, she slid into an available parking space and turned off the ignition. Dan glanced at her in surprise. He thought she would merely drop him off and leave.
"Brad is going to get jealous when he hears we've been alone," he joked to break the increasing tension. Their friendship over the last three years had evolved from friendly teasing to a rock solid friendship, each unhesitatingly being there for the other through various crises.
"He'll get over it," Kate replied. "I'll miss you. I wish you didn't have to go."
"I know," he replied. "But I'll be back."
"Well, this may sound lame, but I wanted you to write me, if you could. If you need someone to talk to, I'm here."
"I will," he promised. He had been planning on doing that anyways.
"I care for you, you know," she said.
"Same here," he said casually. He ruffled her hair as one might towards another guy. "Hey, why are you so serious now? I'll come back and then we can resume annoying the hell out of each other, as always."
She slid him an unfathomable gaze. "Fine," she said. "Well, I guess this is it then."
Kate leaned towards him, intending to kiss his cheek in farewell. At the last second he turned so that his lips softly met hers. Time stilled for a moment before she pulled away. His green eyes met her wide-eyed brown ones, and his world suddenly shifted from beneath his feet. He stiffened as a sudden realization hit him. He loved her.
"Kate..." he murmured, his voice suddenly husky. "I..." Yet the words crammed in his throat as he tried to express the depth of his emotions to her.
Awkwardly, she cleared her throat and shifted away, as if to put some distance between them. The moment was gone. Dan shook his head, mortified at what he had been about to reveal. She had a boyfriend, for god's sake. She probably didn't feel the same way. To her they were still the best of friends, platonically. He was going away tomorrow. His earth-shattering declaration would have to wait.
"I should go," she mumbled. Not sure of what he was feeling himself, he opened the car door.
"Goodbye, Kate," he said quietly and was gone...
Dan shook himself out of his reverie when the plane landed. He got his gear together and waited patiently while others filed out before him. Everyone was called to formation. The soldiers who were almost home and could certainly hear the cheers of their waiting families expertly lined up in three rows and stood at attention. It was an impressive sight to behold. "Great job!" the Commanding Officer barked. While the senior officers made the usual rousing speeches of "Well done!", Dan tried unsuccessfully to scan for a glimpse of Kate out of the corner of his eye. The speeches lasted another ten minutes.
Finally, the command all had been waiting for: "Dismissed!"
Families and soldiers surged towards each other. Dan walked quickly towards the waiting area. Suddenly he spotted her, standing beside his mom, dad and brother. Kate waved.
"Son!" his mom cried joyously as she ran forward to greet him. He dropped his gear and ran forward as well, embracing his mother in a fierce hug. He could see his dad heartily clap his younger brother on the shoulder, his face all smiles.
He took in the sight of her. She was smiling too, but stood a slight distance from his family as he walked towards his father and brother, one arm around his mother. As if she didn't want to intrude on the family privacy. Was she glad to see him? Did she have any idea of how he felt? Did she feel the same way?
The jubilation he felt at finally reaching home and seeing his loved ones turned to nervousness as he finally stood before her, face to face. She smiled he stepped towards her.
"Hi," he said, his heart full of emotion as he swept her, weightless, into his arms...
to be continued...
At night, lying in his cot, he would take the picture out and stare at it intently while his tent-mates snored loudly. By now, he had memorized every aspect of her face: the aristocratic arch of her brow; the glossy black texture of her hair; her rich, dark-chocolate eyes which revealed her intelligence and wry humor.
The picture was of his best friend, Kate. It was a portrait from one of those photography studios in the mall. She had taken the time to apply make-up and worn an elegant, but simple black dress that accentuated the graceful curve of her neck. She seemed to be smiling directly at him. Just for him, he liked to think.
Yet it had been nine months, six days, thirteen hours and six minutes since First Lieutenant Daniel Huffman last saw a live glimpse of her face. That time had been spent on active duty since the conflict started. He completed his duties with the excellence and precision that was second nature to him. Life during deployment often meant enduring long work shifts, always wondering if the unknown person approaching you was friend or foe. He endured because he had little choice in the matter. His love for her only deepened as time passed. Yet he still hadn't dared to tell her of his feelings, fearing rejection. However, as time passed he realized he would have to, lest he lose her to someone else. He swore to himself that if...when...he got back to the States, he would.
They wrote each other frequently via snail mail. Sometimes through email if he could sneak onto a computer. Kate included the picture of her in one of the many care packages she sent him. This particular package included beef jerky, Good 'N Plenty (his favorite), wet naps (for quick on-the-spot bath), toilet paper (one could never have enough of this) and a videotape of recent episodes of The Daily Show (good place to get the news).
Dan had never considered himself a writer, but the letter-writing provided an outlet for his emotions. It helped to cope with the monotony of the daily routine as well as the relentless onslaught of the heat. It helped him to endure the terrifying moments when live rounds exploded or there was live weapons fire around the compound. She would never truly understand what he was going through. She was a civilian and safe on the other side of the world. But her willingness to listen and the unflagging emotional support in her letters kept him sane. He tried to express how he felt once in a letter:
Kate...for all the crap I keep telling you about...I'm glad that you are there to listen. It helps me get through each day. Sort of like I am load of dirty laundry...all the colors, whites and darks are mixed together. Somehow you manage to get everything clean, get them all separated and folded nicely...how lame a metaphor is that? You mean a lot to me, I hope you know that.
It was as close as he dared to declare his feelings for her. He wondered if she realized the subtext of his message.
The only time he really went out of his mind was when he recieved an urgent call from his mother. Kate was in the hospital. He went crazy with worry until Kate herself called him directly from the hospital. There were only two things that were broken, she said. One was her arm. The other was her relationship with Brad, whom she had kicked to the curb. He sighed in relief on both counts.
After what seemed an eternity, the order to come home had finally come through. He wanted to be home. He wanted to have the satisfaction of being in his own place. He wanted to drink a beer while lounging on his sofa, watching a game on television. He wanted to sleep in his own bed. How long had it been since he had done those things? Most of all, he wanted to be in the comfort of her arms, because that above all symbolized home to him. Everything had been packed up and all the soldiers were loaded on a commercial flight back to the United States. On the long flight home, he thought of the last time he saw her...
She and a group of their mutual friends had gone to some dive to celebrate his last night of freedom. Kate volunteered to be the designated driver, and after a long night of carousing, she had dutifully driven each of the others home. Only Dan and she were left in the car and they shared a comfortable banter on the way to his apartment. When Kate reached in front of his building, she slid into an available parking space and turned off the ignition. Dan glanced at her in surprise. He thought she would merely drop him off and leave.
"Brad is going to get jealous when he hears we've been alone," he joked to break the increasing tension. Their friendship over the last three years had evolved from friendly teasing to a rock solid friendship, each unhesitatingly being there for the other through various crises.
"He'll get over it," Kate replied. "I'll miss you. I wish you didn't have to go."
"I know," he replied. "But I'll be back."
"Well, this may sound lame, but I wanted you to write me, if you could. If you need someone to talk to, I'm here."
"I will," he promised. He had been planning on doing that anyways.
"I care for you, you know," she said.
"Same here," he said casually. He ruffled her hair as one might towards another guy. "Hey, why are you so serious now? I'll come back and then we can resume annoying the hell out of each other, as always."
She slid him an unfathomable gaze. "Fine," she said. "Well, I guess this is it then."
Kate leaned towards him, intending to kiss his cheek in farewell. At the last second he turned so that his lips softly met hers. Time stilled for a moment before she pulled away. His green eyes met her wide-eyed brown ones, and his world suddenly shifted from beneath his feet. He stiffened as a sudden realization hit him. He loved her.
"Kate..." he murmured, his voice suddenly husky. "I..." Yet the words crammed in his throat as he tried to express the depth of his emotions to her.
Awkwardly, she cleared her throat and shifted away, as if to put some distance between them. The moment was gone. Dan shook his head, mortified at what he had been about to reveal. She had a boyfriend, for god's sake. She probably didn't feel the same way. To her they were still the best of friends, platonically. He was going away tomorrow. His earth-shattering declaration would have to wait.
"I should go," she mumbled. Not sure of what he was feeling himself, he opened the car door.
"Goodbye, Kate," he said quietly and was gone...
Dan shook himself out of his reverie when the plane landed. He got his gear together and waited patiently while others filed out before him. Everyone was called to formation. The soldiers who were almost home and could certainly hear the cheers of their waiting families expertly lined up in three rows and stood at attention. It was an impressive sight to behold. "Great job!" the Commanding Officer barked. While the senior officers made the usual rousing speeches of "Well done!", Dan tried unsuccessfully to scan for a glimpse of Kate out of the corner of his eye. The speeches lasted another ten minutes.
Finally, the command all had been waiting for: "Dismissed!"
Families and soldiers surged towards each other. Dan walked quickly towards the waiting area. Suddenly he spotted her, standing beside his mom, dad and brother. Kate waved.
"Son!" his mom cried joyously as she ran forward to greet him. He dropped his gear and ran forward as well, embracing his mother in a fierce hug. He could see his dad heartily clap his younger brother on the shoulder, his face all smiles.
He took in the sight of her. She was smiling too, but stood a slight distance from his family as he walked towards his father and brother, one arm around his mother. As if she didn't want to intrude on the family privacy. Was she glad to see him? Did she have any idea of how he felt? Did she feel the same way?
The jubilation he felt at finally reaching home and seeing his loved ones turned to nervousness as he finally stood before her, face to face. She smiled he stepped towards her.
"Hi," he said, his heart full of emotion as he swept her, weightless, into his arms...
to be continued...
Labels: writing
You know you are getting old when you start to buy CD compilations of the music of your youth. In my case, it is the 1980's. I was shopping at Target and the seductive lure of bargain CDs drew me to the rack. "Fresh 80's Movie Hits - Pure Gold Hits", the cover exclaimed in bold red. How could I resist?
So I purchased this memento of my youth and brought it to work to listen to. It played the standard '80's favorites, "If You Leave" by OMD and "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" by John Parr. All of a sudden, "True" by Spandau Ballet comes up and for a moment, the memories and emotions I associate with this song are relived as I listen to the song. I am back in high school, a gawky and awkward sophomore who lived and breathed the school newspaper. On this particular evening, my best friend and I are in the school gym, attending the Sadie Hawkins dance. The S.H. dance is where the gal asks the bloke to the dance, they buy matching shirts to wear, and they get their picture taken in front of a tropical island background, with some bundles of hay strewn in for ambiance.
I am sitting on the bleachers with my best friend. The DJ switches the mood of the room to languid romance as he puts on "True" by SB. Specks of light whirl around the dance floor as the disco ball spins lazily. Couples start dancing slowly in time to the music. I always hate this part of the dance because I envy the couples, that I'm not out there with some guy myself.
"Why are we here again?" my best friend asked, irritated because I made her come with me.
"Because I have to cover the dance for the school newspaper," I reminded her.
"Why don't you have that schmuck sports editor cover it? He's here," she said. She had a point there. I didn't have to come here to torture myself. I could have let one of the reporters who actually had a date cover the event. My best friend narrowed her gaze thoughtfully at me.
"Wait a minute, I know why you are really here," she said. "Its because of Bernie!"
"I know not what you speak of," I replied haughtily. "I am merely here to cover a newsworthy event."
Bernie was in my class, and to my adolescent eyes, a total cutie. He had wavy brown hair and an irresistible grin. During 7th grade, we did a production of "We Are The World," for a school show. He "was" Kenny Rogers, who became my favorite musical artist for a whole year after that. He (Bernie, not Kenny Rogers) and I shared a brief flirtation, but he had since moved on. I still had a bit of a crush on him.
My best friend sighed. "Shall we SOAD?" she asked. SOAD was our term for "Seek Out And Destroy", referring to searching the dance for a glimpse of the elusive Bernie.
"Yes, we shall," I grinned. "Target shall be acquired and locked in." We were such total nerds. Best Friend and I casually walked through every part of the high school gym, but alas, he was nowhere to be found. By now, Best Friend was starting to get bored and wanted to leave.
"I'm sure you've seen enough of this dance for a decent story by now," she complained. "Couples dance, take pictures in their dumb matching outfits, go under the bleachers and suck face. What more do you want?"
"Fine," I mumbled.
We left the dance early that night. There would be many more occasions where I would "seek out", but never quite "destroy" Bernie, so to speak. As I sit in my cubicle at work now, listening to SB, it is easy to recall my teenage years with a degree of nostalgia. Perhaps my perpetual search for Bernie that year embodied a deeper meaning of things I yearned for as a teenager: love, a sense of belonging and finding my place in this world. Things that would take me some time to find.
So I purchased this memento of my youth and brought it to work to listen to. It played the standard '80's favorites, "If You Leave" by OMD and "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" by John Parr. All of a sudden, "True" by Spandau Ballet comes up and for a moment, the memories and emotions I associate with this song are relived as I listen to the song. I am back in high school, a gawky and awkward sophomore who lived and breathed the school newspaper. On this particular evening, my best friend and I are in the school gym, attending the Sadie Hawkins dance. The S.H. dance is where the gal asks the bloke to the dance, they buy matching shirts to wear, and they get their picture taken in front of a tropical island background, with some bundles of hay strewn in for ambiance.
I am sitting on the bleachers with my best friend. The DJ switches the mood of the room to languid romance as he puts on "True" by SB. Specks of light whirl around the dance floor as the disco ball spins lazily. Couples start dancing slowly in time to the music. I always hate this part of the dance because I envy the couples, that I'm not out there with some guy myself.
"Why are we here again?" my best friend asked, irritated because I made her come with me.
"Because I have to cover the dance for the school newspaper," I reminded her.
"Why don't you have that schmuck sports editor cover it? He's here," she said. She had a point there. I didn't have to come here to torture myself. I could have let one of the reporters who actually had a date cover the event. My best friend narrowed her gaze thoughtfully at me.
"Wait a minute, I know why you are really here," she said. "Its because of Bernie!"
"I know not what you speak of," I replied haughtily. "I am merely here to cover a newsworthy event."
Bernie was in my class, and to my adolescent eyes, a total cutie. He had wavy brown hair and an irresistible grin. During 7th grade, we did a production of "We Are The World," for a school show. He "was" Kenny Rogers, who became my favorite musical artist for a whole year after that. He (Bernie, not Kenny Rogers) and I shared a brief flirtation, but he had since moved on. I still had a bit of a crush on him.
My best friend sighed. "Shall we SOAD?" she asked. SOAD was our term for "Seek Out And Destroy", referring to searching the dance for a glimpse of the elusive Bernie.
"Yes, we shall," I grinned. "Target shall be acquired and locked in." We were such total nerds. Best Friend and I casually walked through every part of the high school gym, but alas, he was nowhere to be found. By now, Best Friend was starting to get bored and wanted to leave.
"I'm sure you've seen enough of this dance for a decent story by now," she complained. "Couples dance, take pictures in their dumb matching outfits, go under the bleachers and suck face. What more do you want?"
"Fine," I mumbled.
We left the dance early that night. There would be many more occasions where I would "seek out", but never quite "destroy" Bernie, so to speak. As I sit in my cubicle at work now, listening to SB, it is easy to recall my teenage years with a degree of nostalgia. Perhaps my perpetual search for Bernie that year embodied a deeper meaning of things I yearned for as a teenager: love, a sense of belonging and finding my place in this world. Things that would take me some time to find.
Labels: writing
I wish I could truthfully write that every morning dawned with ‘The West Wing' theme song during my days in Washington, D.C. Or that I walked the hallways of the State Department talking with important people about important things. That obviously wasn't the case. The truth was I worked mostly with career bureaucrats who were great at their jobs, but it wasn’t exactly glamorous.
7:00 am - I was running late. If I didn't get out the door soon, I'd be late for work. I hastily put on my running shoes, despite it clashing horrendously with my business suit. It was the only practical way to jog the half-mile to Union Station to take the Metro to work. I lived near the poorer section of town and as I walked towards the Metro, I was always amazed by the gradually changing landscape from disheveled, poverty-stricken neighborhood to the gleaming buildings of power and manicured lawns. It was hard to believe they existed only a few blocks from each other.
8:15 am - At work now, I hurried to my desk. Today was a big day for me. A signing ceremony for a joint venture between USAID and Russia was scheduled. The fact sheets I had worked so hard on were to be distributed as part of a press kit. My boss had been kind enough to praise me my work lavishly. 'Everyone who had read them thought you did a good job', she said. My ego knew no bounds at that point. The fact sheets had been printed on official government letterhead. I was part of the propaganda machine - woo hoo! I grabbed the box of fact sheets and followed my boss to the room where the signing ceremony was to be held. The Russian Ambassador and some State Department official would do the actual signing to make the partnership 'official'.
9:00 am - I started distributing the press kits. The press who were there to cover the event looked a little bored. Okay, so the privatization of the trucking industry in Nizhniy-Novgorod was hardly exciting news, but it was certainly relevant! I handed a copy to a bored looking reporter. "This is quite helpful and informative," I enthused.
"Yeah, thanks," he said and stuffed it into his bag without even glancing at it.
Hmmm. That was kind of odd. Did he not find the population of Kyrgyzstan fascinating background material? Apparently, the reporter wasn't worried that the Russian Ambassador would ask him what the capital of Belarus was. Oh well, his loss. I moved to a corner to stand as the signing ceremony was about to begin. The State Department official made a short speech. The Russian Ambassador made a short speech. They both signed a piece of paper. Then they both smiled and shook hands as cameras flashed. Then it was over. My boss motioned me to walk with her behind the Russian contingent. I was in proximity to the Russian Ambassador! Oh the stories I could impress people with! My fingers itched to touch the hem of his coat. If I did, it would be my one brush with greatness! But I refrained, lest his burly bodyguard tackle me to the ground and accuse me of grabbing the Russian Ambassador's ass.
10:00 am - Back at my desk, it was back to work as usual. My boss assigned me a new project. Later I would pop over to the cafeteria to have some of that wonderful Caesar salad. Then perhaps I would go to the library to borrow some books on International Politics. Then it would be back to class at the Studies Program.
Being an intern at USAID was never boring.
7:00 am - I was running late. If I didn't get out the door soon, I'd be late for work. I hastily put on my running shoes, despite it clashing horrendously with my business suit. It was the only practical way to jog the half-mile to Union Station to take the Metro to work. I lived near the poorer section of town and as I walked towards the Metro, I was always amazed by the gradually changing landscape from disheveled, poverty-stricken neighborhood to the gleaming buildings of power and manicured lawns. It was hard to believe they existed only a few blocks from each other.
8:15 am - At work now, I hurried to my desk. Today was a big day for me. A signing ceremony for a joint venture between USAID and Russia was scheduled. The fact sheets I had worked so hard on were to be distributed as part of a press kit. My boss had been kind enough to praise me my work lavishly. 'Everyone who had read them thought you did a good job', she said. My ego knew no bounds at that point. The fact sheets had been printed on official government letterhead. I was part of the propaganda machine - woo hoo! I grabbed the box of fact sheets and followed my boss to the room where the signing ceremony was to be held. The Russian Ambassador and some State Department official would do the actual signing to make the partnership 'official'.
9:00 am - I started distributing the press kits. The press who were there to cover the event looked a little bored. Okay, so the privatization of the trucking industry in Nizhniy-Novgorod was hardly exciting news, but it was certainly relevant! I handed a copy to a bored looking reporter. "This is quite helpful and informative," I enthused.
"Yeah, thanks," he said and stuffed it into his bag without even glancing at it.
Hmmm. That was kind of odd. Did he not find the population of Kyrgyzstan fascinating background material? Apparently, the reporter wasn't worried that the Russian Ambassador would ask him what the capital of Belarus was. Oh well, his loss. I moved to a corner to stand as the signing ceremony was about to begin. The State Department official made a short speech. The Russian Ambassador made a short speech. They both signed a piece of paper. Then they both smiled and shook hands as cameras flashed. Then it was over. My boss motioned me to walk with her behind the Russian contingent. I was in proximity to the Russian Ambassador! Oh the stories I could impress people with! My fingers itched to touch the hem of his coat. If I did, it would be my one brush with greatness! But I refrained, lest his burly bodyguard tackle me to the ground and accuse me of grabbing the Russian Ambassador's ass.
10:00 am - Back at my desk, it was back to work as usual. My boss assigned me a new project. Later I would pop over to the cafeteria to have some of that wonderful Caesar salad. Then perhaps I would go to the library to borrow some books on International Politics. Then it would be back to class at the Studies Program.
Being an intern at USAID was never boring.
Labels: writing
One of the great things about DC is that there is always somewhere to go. Every street has some point of historical interest; every city corner has some niche to explore. You pick your destination, hop onto the Metro and there you are. And so on a cool Saturday evening, a group of us wandered Pennsylvania Avenue, talking and joking amongst ourselves. While enjoying the night air, the lively strains of a Cab Calloway song soon caught our attention. We drifted towards the music and spotted an outdoor band energetically performing big band and swing music. We were in an area opposite the National Archives. A sizeable group of people had gathered around the bandstand. Couples were dancing the jitterbug while tiny white lights twined among the trees glinted merrily.
A man with dark brown hair and a mustache approached me.
"Dance with me," he invited.
I glanced at my girlfriends and they rolled their eyes back at me. Their look said, 'What the hell, go for it.'
"OK," I told the guy and we bobbed around to what we thought was the swing. As soon as the song ended, Mustache put his arm around me. Hmmm, a bit too touchy-feely for me. I disengaged myself from his arm. "Thanks for the dance. See ya," I said over my shoulder as I walked back towards my group. Mustache didn't seem to be deterred. He asked another girl in our group, Brenna, to dance, which she did. We kept an eye on her and when Mustache started to hump her leg, we rescued her. Some of us decided to boogy in our own little circle until the concert was over.
"So," another girlfriend said, "let's hit the bars."
So that's what we did, but I would always fondly remember the night I jitterbugged under the twinkling lights on Constitution Avenue.
A man with dark brown hair and a mustache approached me.
"Dance with me," he invited.
I glanced at my girlfriends and they rolled their eyes back at me. Their look said, 'What the hell, go for it.'
"OK," I told the guy and we bobbed around to what we thought was the swing. As soon as the song ended, Mustache put his arm around me. Hmmm, a bit too touchy-feely for me. I disengaged myself from his arm. "Thanks for the dance. See ya," I said over my shoulder as I walked back towards my group. Mustache didn't seem to be deterred. He asked another girl in our group, Brenna, to dance, which she did. We kept an eye on her and when Mustache started to hump her leg, we rescued her. Some of us decided to boogy in our own little circle until the concert was over.
"So," another girlfriend said, "let's hit the bars."
So that's what we did, but I would always fondly remember the night I jitterbugged under the twinkling lights on Constitution Avenue.
Labels: writing
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