I’m going to be moving soon. Some very dear, close friends and I are going to be sharing a big house in the suburbs of America’s fourth largest city. They’re not even in town yet, so the finding of the place was up to me. I think I did a pretty good job. The money’s in, it’s pretty much a lock.
Tonight, I decided to have a drive out there and catch the neighborhood by night. Went and stood on what will be my grass, eyed the pristine lawns up and down the street, listened to what will be the silence that envelops me in my bed each evening. Imagined … I dunno, backyard barbeques with the new neighbors, Trivial Pursuit night, wine-tasting parties. Life is about to be good.
As I drove out of the subdivision, I passed what will be my son’s elementary school – for a year, anyway, until he starts junior high. (:eek: when did that happen?!?) I noticed that the very first business you pass as you drive down the road is a Ritter’s Frozen Custard. Ask for a more obvious metaphor for the coming sweetness of life? Never one to dispute the whims and wisdom of Fate, I stopped.
I stood in the crisp, fall air and ate a cup of violently sweet frozen custard that had little bits of English toffee in it which were strikingly similar to loose teeth rattling around in my mouth. Didn’t matter. I listened to some more of the silence, I watched overfed, hyperglycemic kids run around and shriek at each other, I lived. As I turned to lovingly kick the tire of my car, to remind myself that I’m still here on earth, I glimpsed a reflection of a guy who’s recently learned he isn’t necessarily as ugly as he always felt.
And for some reason, that guy was grinning like an idiot.
Well, that’s the way it looked to me, anyhow. Being that this fellow has never been very outwardly emotional, he probably looked fairly normal to everyone else. But I know this guy: he’s an intellectual snob, a skeptic, and an overwhelming tech geek. Hard to tell from looking at him. Life must be good.
Continuing south along the main road, I ticked off the local businesses: at block one, groceries - hair salon - art and framing - mail and packaging - taekwondo. At block two, nails and tan - drycleaner and laundrette - gas station. All the essentials. Before block four had passed, the first sports bar with
[sub]JIMMY’S BIRTHDAY AND KARAOKE TONIGHT![/sub].
Life is –
Nah … it’s too easy.
But it’s so true, I don’t even care if you guys agree.
Love you, too.