We Live For These Moments

Knobby knees knocking together waiting on the phone until a boy appears. We were the last people at the greenhouse restaurant. An uneaten plate of sautéed hunks of broccoli. She teaches me a variation of rock paper scissors that gets your whole body involved. It was a beautiful day for this. We thought about sitting down among the wedding guests and hearing the harpist play too. I held her hand, and found the bravery to give her a kiss in the hideaway between the two gardens. Before we left, she grabbed my face and stared me dead in the eye. Had to see to what was lurking deep down.

On July 4th, we were all supposed to be on a yacht sailing around the Brooklyn harbor with the best view of the fireworks. That didn’t go as planned. She and me were still in touch, but she was in Chicago with her mom. On that Saturday, I was having a good time with my friends when I inadvertently stepped into trouble. I talked to the wrong girl, and I was attacked by two guys. A bloody tailored shirt, a fractured faced, a 10 stitch scar that is healing really well. They’re going to jail. I’m healing well.

I told her the news, and she stayed. She came over, we watched a classic Indian romance movie. I thought that we had a chance. Despite my grotesque face and barely open right eye, she was there and singing along to the music, at her hearts content. She brought me flowers and chamomile tea. I threw those out after she left, along with the Venus fly trap that she bought me. I would give back the sponge bob icecream pop too if I can. Then again, it was good. That could stay. But, she didn’t , and it was over.

Long before, I had planned out the majority of a birthday week with a number of friends. Most of it is was intact , but plans could always fail. I know that they have before. The three of us got in the old Sienna and made our way up the stair master with heavy laden backpacks and tortoise shell crash pads. The conglomerate definitely cut up my hands and my arms. But, I climbed much further that I thought possible. I was definitely making gains. Dan threw up, but he climbed pretty well. Made a few shortwhile friends with good jokes and friendly shit talking. A cute girl showed me how to tackle the V0 crack climb. We stood back to back , shoulder to shoulder. That’s the only way to measure an ape index. Looked like I had the upper hand, literally. She was so soft and so sweet.

On some days, some days. I think about those days, those days. Some days, some days
Reminisce about those days, those days. Up on the beautiful, high end roof top I did expect, but didn’t expect that it would be full of so many rich, polished, yuppies. I had come to a reggae concert, not a clam bake. Regardless with my good friend ,Catherine, and some strong drinks that music was undeniable. Deep in the crowd, I noticed the earrings of one girl passing by. Not totally unique, but natural and unique enough, cowry shells. I told her that I liked them, and she was ready to keep walking. But, her friend gave her a pause. Her eyes light up and took hold of my bright speckled deep blue stone necklace. She said that she loved it and asked where I got it from. I wish that I told her to stay or gently held her hands. I let her just vanish without a trace.

On my actual birthday, I was glad to be surrounded by everything that I loved. Lush green walls, mazes, endless alcohol, good friends, beautiful women, the best music you could hear, an aerialist, and top notch dumplings. It rained the night prior, so it wasn’t such a surprise that it rained today too. We were dancing, and we didn’t care. We embraced what the sky had bestowed upon us. In fact, it liberated us from our fragile facades. We danced and sung, as those masks melted away in puddles of rain.

There was a face that I kept seeing. Beautiful, happy, lovely, and intelligent. She said she got why I wanted to get out the rain, so that I don’t ruin all of my hair. We rocked, created tension with back steps, and spun with the rain covering everything. Her friend also caught me in her eye. Feet inside and out, hips side to side, torso undulating. Some how I’m a good dancer and terrible one at the same time. But, it sufficed. The two ladies sat down and gave me a look. I gave Marcella a kiss on the check. I went to do the same for her friend, and pow right in the kisser. She stole a kiss from me.