Sunday, May 3, 2009

sunday night at the senior's home

lois: oh thank you for coming! i just love music. my husband was a symphony player. have a cookie, dear.
me: well thanks for havin us. and thanks, but i'm full. i just ate--
lois, eyeing ross up and down: is he your boyfriend?
me: o, no, this is my friend, ross.
ross (caught off guard): we're just pals.
lois: oh. well. thank you for coming. i just love music. my husband was a symphony player. have a cookie, dear.
me: oh, no thanks, i just ate--
lois: oh well, would you like a cookie? (sees ross, as if for the first time) is he your husband?
me: no, this is my friend, ross.
ross (turning red): my...my g-girlfriend's name is kara.
irene: oh, hello! you need a cookie... and some coffee....
i start to protest, but then lois sees ross.
lois: oh, well! what a catch! where did you find HIM?
me: um, i met him through my fiance, barclay. they're friends.
lois: oh you have a fiance! how nice! is this him?
ross: NO, no, i'm just her friend. i'm dating kara. kara danyluk. not her.
irene: OH. this, this...this afternoon...well...i was...and then....well...i went...but you know...yes. it was horrible. i was very cold.
lois looks at irene for a long moment, as if understanding that the story made little sense, but not understanding why. her eyes wander and light on ross: who's THIS handsome young man?? is HE your HUSBAND?
me: no, this is my friend, ross.
lois: oh that's wonderful, how long have you two been married?
ross (overly flustered, as if lois is going to go tell kara he is married to another woman): oh, oh no, we're not, ha, we're not maaarried, no, no no...
irene: well, we've enjoyed having you--
lois: oh, and i have as well--
irene: and me, also.
lois: i love music. my husband was a symphony player. have you seen, there are cookies here. OH. who is THIS handsome young man!? does he belong to you?

the conversation carried on very similarily to this for the duration of our coffee time at the senior's home with lois and irene. it was discombobulated and poor ross was apparently very distraught at even the thought of dating me, which is ok. all in all, it was a great night. the ladies thanked us over and over for being there, and asked over and over when we would be back. it's hard to understand being so excited to sit down and have coffee with a perfect stranger, not to mention with two red-faced kids who don't have anything intelligent to say other than, "this isn't my spouse." i guess, sometimes, you just need to know someone is there, and listening to you, and caring about you. even if that's literally the only thing you know. i can see how it would be enough.

1 comment:

Jen Glen said...

amen, elena, amen.