I don’t know quite what to expect except that our emails were kind and engaging. I don’t know if he will look anything like his photo, the one I printed out and put aside until we made the zoom date. I don’t know if I will have anything to say. I am tempted to chuck the whole thing. But that is fear of the unknown talking. STOP TALKING!
He arrives 10 minutes early, zoom tells me so. I fix my hair, I arrange the lighting just so, pee, fill a mason jar with water, take a hit of Rescue Remedy. Preparation is key.
At exactly 11am I open zoom, click on meetings, “Greg.”
Right away I am at ease. There it is, the face with a half-smile. What I saw as sad eyes on paper, sparkle in life.
“How is your daughter?”
That’s the first thing he says after hello. What man does that? What man doesn’t just start filling the conversation. I guess a lot of men and one of them is right there in front of me. At ease. Concerned.
Within a half hour I have met his aging dog while taking the opportunity to glance around his ample house. “Don’t look at the mess.” But of course, I do. I have heard about his two divorces, shared the story of my daughter’s two fathers, the early death of my husband, and entered a lively discussion about how infants and animals respond to facial expressions. Each of us with stories on the subject. Each of us inquisitive. Each of us listening. His wry joking style is familiar. Tickles me.
An hour could easily turn into two, but I have a client. And, as pleasant as this is, I am tapped out. Shared out.
Later that day I notice a sense of ease, a lilt in my step. A feeling of confidence in who I am. I notice drifting thoughts of the conversation. Things I want to know about him.
“I really enjoyed this” we both say.
Right away he follows up with an email: “I really enjoyed our meeting, Heather". Ha! Whose Heather?
Woops. A woman in a class he is taking. He knows I’m not Heather. I think. I hope. Of course he does.
We’re getting old. It’s okay. I called him Gary awhile back. WHO CARES!!
“Sorry, you should slap me” he writes. I giggle to myself. The levity is palpable. What fun at 80.
Gary's stock is going up. I mean Greg of course. Don't slap me. I am really eager to see where this goes. And yes, it's always a good idea to pee before getting on a Zoom. A good reminder.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun at 80 is right! I am right there with you.
ReplyDeleteThis is so much more than a happy story ~ it's told with such ease and flow. So many details that bring us right in -- preparation is key, he arrives 10 minutes early, his opening question...and on to how the narrator feels afterwards, more confidence in who she is. So good!
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