Thursday, April 05, 2018

Well, blow me down!

I'm not easily surprised. At my age, 74, I've heard it all and continue to hear it all through young friends and new friends. Variations on the theme of relationships.

I haven't performed femininity in a long while. My hair is naturally an odd mix of brown, silver and grey, nondescript, although there are some that would disagree with you. I've let it grow long over the past twelve months, I didn't want to but before I sold my house I was budgeting carefully and if there's one thing I've learned over the years it is that if you pay peanuts for a haircut, monkeys are exactly what you're going to get. My lovely stylist Bernice was thus off my budget. She is excellent but expensive. I can afford her now, thanks to a small inheritance I finally received but haven't made the appointment yet. I don't wear makeup, I wear flat shoes and jeans mainly and manicures have never been on any priority list in my life.

I'm clean but I'm an unashamedly old woman. I'm a great story-teller and equally great listener (ask Johanna my new cleaning lady who has recounted the excruciating details of all her 11 surgeries to me) and when I'm with you I give you my full on attention and am never looking for somebody better in the room. But yes, I'm, I would think, beyond romance, beyond "dating" or "hooking up." That would be fine for you but me? I would have thought myself disinterested. I still admire engaging, intelligent men, the ones who are not afraid to show their inners. I've never been interested in the outers types. I've found those kinds of friends and relationships have fallen away, much to our mutual relief I would think. The inners have hung in there with me and I with them.

So imagine my surprise when another senior of my age, maybe a bit younger, started to hang out with me. Sitting by me. Talking away to me about Ireland and all his trips there. And then said to me, what do you like to do in your spare time?

My response was vague, I said it would take too long to recount my many interests.

"We should make the time," Frank* responded.

I met with a good friend of mine, Don* who knows Frank and I asked him in absolute disbelief to interpret Frank's conversation, like was Frank actually hitting on me? I'm that out of touch, you see.

Don laughed. "Of course he is!"

Long story short, I met with Frank for a coffee and we chatted, talking with him is very comfortable. In walks Ben, another friend of mine. Ben spots me and rushes over and hugs me and then pulls up a chair and sits down.

I can tell Frank is upset but we pull him into the conversation and he keeps checking his watch, not rudely, but not subtly either, as Ben and I get caught up, still pulling Frank in to the chat. Swedish death cleaning was one of the topics and Frank talked briefly about his time in Sweden which was a bit of a tangent but we adjusted our sails.

And then with a deep sigh he got up from the table, sighed again, looked at his watch and didn't look at us and said "I'll be off!" and off he went.

"My gawd," said Ben, astounded, "Is that guy jealous or wha'?"




*not their real names

27 comments:

  1. Interesting!!!
    Please more related posts!

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  2. I've no idea what happens next but I truly am surprised, it feels so teenagey.

    XO
    WWW

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    1. lol,,,,,,,,,,,,enjoy the glow.

      later,
      -Moe

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    2. Yes my first feeling is absolute amusement.

      XO
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  3. Well, I think that’s wonderful!

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  4. So, do you like him as much as he would appear to be interested in you? Lots of women never ask this question because they are too busy being flattered. If he was jealous, I'd be a bit wary. Just sayin'.

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    1. I am cautious but also curious. He's never been married which is a small alarm bell and his little jealous flounce did not bode well to my way of thinking.

      We'll see :)

      XO
      WWW

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    2. Glad to know that. I hope it goes well from this point forward.

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    3. We'll see - fortuitously I received your lovely card today :)

      XO
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  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngSkEjSoAAc

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    1. Far too soon for that kind of nonsense Ramana, LOL but you had me chuckling.

      XO
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  6. YAY!!! Get yer inner antenna cranked up WWW. Intuition needed! I like Ben's style...Frank might need a little more research. ;-)

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    1. Ben and his wife are good friends and Ben and his wife were really supportive of my past races and stage endeavours.

      XO
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  7. A very intriguing show of interest. But the jealous exit is a bit strange. I look forward to hearing the next instalment!

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    1. To me it meant he was not mature with all the baggage that brings unfortunately.

      XO
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  8. Hah! What fun! Will definitely be interesting to see how that unfolds.

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    1. I'm not too sure but we'll see what unfolds :)

      XO
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  9. Oh sweet! I hope this is a story that keeps developing (and more to the point, that you tell us about it).

    Incidentally, I'm still in my mid-50's but I've never had a manicure, cut my own sliver-laced brown hair and wear it in a ponytail, and virtually always wear flat shoes these days.

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    1. Ah a kindred spirit indeed SAW. I wish I could cut my own hair but the many attempts I made were a disaster. Looking in a mirror at the back of my head, scissors in hand, makes me an instant dyslexic.

      XO
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  10. I remember a long time ago, when I was married and in my 30s, for some reason I got talking about romance with much older female colleague at work ... she was probably in her late 50s which to me at the time seemed ancient. She was divorce and single -- I actually think we were talking about some other couple at work. Anyway, I asked her in a rare moment of honesty, "Well, don't you get over all THAT at some point?" And she looked at me and smiled and said, "No, you don't. You may repress it, but you don't get over it." I dunno. Just her opinion. But it always stuck with me. Anyway, whatever happens, I wish you the best.

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    1. LOl Tom, I remember a very dear old friend, then in her mid eighties, having the hots for a co-artist in her artists' workshops and being quite blunt about it.

      XO
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    2. Every now and then there’s a story about a couple in their 80s or 90s marrying in an assisted living or nursing home, remember!

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  11. What really grabs me about your blog entries is your wonderfully descriptive writing. I could picture this whole scenario. And "...which was a bit of a tangent but we adjusted our sails." I love that phrasing! Thank you for sharing your life stories. Kim in PA (USA)

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    1. Thank you Kim. Readers like you absolutely make my day :)

      XO
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