October 26, 2009

Teresa Smiles ordered fries and a pizza. I opted for the 3 course lunch as I always do. We sat in the hotel lobby side of the Mercer Kitchen, out of view from the windows on Prince. Teresa told me stories of former colleagues of mine, one of which died this year, and another who has recently been diagnosed with lung cancer.

We went on to discuss her mother's health, my father's death, and the the past year and all its turbulence. Teresa absolutely glowed when discussing her two sons. We talked of how things make sense with age. How growing older came with rewards. Things starting to make sense. A personal history begins to show patterns and proof of divinity. Proverbs holding true. Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget. Those types of sayings.

Upstate, Marty and Adam, Doug Blue, and Antonious and Christopher joined us. We carved pumpkins and played board games and watched movies and cooked. And over good food we forgot about the new chill in the air. During car rides we sang at the top of our lungs.

A few days later I nibbled on a muffin at Alireza's apartment and watched Pam try on her wedding dress. She, like Teresa talking of her sons, glowed like only a woman can. Alireza's talent was on display and Pam's simple beauty was complimented. She's going to make a stunning bride. I told them that Ben asked me if it was OK if he wore that gingham jacket, originally bought for our nuptials, to her wedding. A few months ago I would have thought it bad taste. But now I hoped he would wear it.

I finally was able to nail down some face time with Hunter and Sandra. We sat at Le Singe Vert and talked of changes and changing. We drank and laughed. And it felt like old times. They're lives are a bit more chaotic these days, but they persevere. Talent does that. And wine poured and dishes arrived and disappeared and we spoke of old times and new adventures and our love lives. No husbands. No filters.

And I ran off in the rain. And arrived at Scott Seviour's apartment. Charlie Herschel was there and Georgi arrived and wine flowed too. We ventured to Cookshop. Wine, rabbit, stories served hot and cold. We discussed break-ups. And I told the story, once again, of meeting Georgi and how it all seemed like destiny. And life's funny little coincidences, like finding out Scott's renting from Matthew Betmaleck, the three of us going through similar situations at the same time, appeared obvious.

Friends arrive in a myriad of ways. Loves sometime appear when least expected. Leaves and temperatures fall around me. My band of outsiders and merrymakers hum an October symphony. Sweet music, wine, and laughter, the instruments.