Belated Birthday Magic

My time with Gordon yesterday was worth the wait. He got me the most thoughtful gifts--an Aaron Neville standards album, featuring songs like "Nature Boy," which I have always loved--a replica of a French icon cross, and one of his water colours.

After dinner we watched the recent Tom Hanks remake of "Ladykillers." He made an effort to hook up my adapter so that my dvd and vcr can both work through the tv in my living room, but since I was missing a crucial cable, we watched it in my bedroom, on my computer. We both agreed that it was just okay. I liked being with him most of all. We drank Red Stripe lager, which I'd never heard of before. Holy Frijoles is "dry" on Sundays and we couldn't get beer there, so I bought us some from the deli around the corner from my apartment. G chose this because of the "red kick" I'm on a la kitchen appliances, and because he liked the shape of the bottle. This is life with an artist. Selections get made for interesting reasons. It was good though, so no complaints from me.

I have agreed to let him and some friends of his come over on the Wednesday after next for the Smallville season premiere--a show I now watch because of a recommendation from him. I nearly offered him my place a couple of weeks ago when he first told me he wanted to do something like that because I know that space where he lives is limited... but I assumed he would say no. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it.

He asked me thoughtful questions about my classes, and I was unabashed in my pleasure at being with him. Shortly after he first arrived at my place, I just looked at him and said "I'm so happy to see you." He gave that candor right back to me, and told me that he was happy to see me too. I realized just how much I had missed him lately. I was wearing one of my new shirts, which he expressed an immediate appreciation for. I chose it because I thought he might like it. It is pale blue, with a hint of a green tint, making it a softer version of turquoise. I wore tan, flare-legged corduroy's with it.

There was a point after the movie when I told him about my misadventure with a defunct taxi about 3 weeks ago. One Sunday after church I hailed a cab--a beat up looking one, but bearing the taxi roof fixture, and it stopped. I know that some people drive cars that once functioned as taxis, but if they are not service vehicles any longer, they don't stop. Anyway, this guy did, so I got in. I assessed fairly quickly that I was not in a legitimate taxi,and started to feel ill at ease. I also assessed that this person was not likely to hurt me, so I had him let me out close to my apartment, but not at it, and paid him roughly what it usually costs to go that distance. He had no meter, which was one of many clues that his decision to stop was capricious. In any event, I said to Gordon "I could have been killed; who would peddle your art?" To which he replied "Who would stroke my ego? I would be so lost...but I'm sure the Lord would have protected you and not let anything like that happen..."

So, now he is heading to Florida for a meeting...on the brink of Ivan, and I am hoping that no harm comes to a single hair on his lovely head.