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“Well then, let’s act like it while we’re here. Dress like it, talk like it.”
”As long as I can talk to as many of the locals as I can. This town is a gem and I need to know everything about it.”
Sylvia and I both unpack so we can feel like we’re at home, instead of living out of a suitcase. She immediately heads for the sun on the balcony, and I stretch out on the bed with a book for an hour before we decide to change clothes and head out for a walk. Syl looks amazing in her denim shorts, bright blue floral cami, and her sneakers, while I opt for a toss-on burgundy maxi dress, pull my hair over my shoulder into a loose ponytail, and my too big sunnies.
I carry only my phone so I can keep it out and at the ready. I love taking pictures, random pictures. I have collages on my walls from parts of gates, corners of buildings, light fixtures, aged brick, and all the flowers you can stand. It’s something I don’t even call a hobby. It simply makes me happy.
A few vines wind in and through a metal gate near a brick wall and I have to take a picture. I hear Syl huff at me, but when I look up through my lenses, she’s smiling. “I just won a bet with myself. I knew you wouldn’t get a block before diving in. Now you’re getting the hang of this vacation thing.”
We wander up one side of Main Street and enter every open door, just because they’re open and we can. The first shop is a tiny gallery of local artists. This month’s artist live and breathe pop art. It is quite cool standing there in all the bright color and angles. It has a pin-up slant to it. My dad would have loved every single piece.
Next on the block is a little boutique that is filled with one-of-a-kind vintage pieces. I think Syl and I spend about ninety minutes there touching every rack and trying things on. She walks out with a pair of shoes, a hat, and a pair of jeans that are nearly criminal. I find two dresses, chandelier earrings from the eighties, and an emerald ring I am completely obsessed with.
As we step back into the moderate midday heat, I almost walk into a couple of friends walking down the sidewalk. I drop one of my bags at the closest pair of feet to mine. He bends down, takes the handle of the bag, and sets it back into my hand. He gives me a polite smile and I thank him.
After they’ve gone down the block out of earshot, Sylvia smacks my arm. “Ouch. Damn. What was that for?”
“That fine-ass snack of a man was looking at you like that and you didn’t say more than thank you. What is wrong with you?”
“Seriously, what would you have me do? Did you want me to throw myself at him?”
“Hell no, but you could at least stretch your game.”
“I don’t know if I have game anymore.”
“Have you looked at yourself in a mirror? That’s all the game you need. Then when you open your mouth, it’s also set and match.”
“Syl, I’m not here for that. I’m here for the opposite of that. I just want to date myself. Does that make sense?”
“I get it, I do, but I’m also going to hold your feet to the fire and pray I can get you to at least get your flirt on. What would that hurt, huh? Quiero verte divertirte, nena. ¿Por favor?”
“Uf, si bien.” I smile at her. “Just let me do it at my own pace. Okay?”
“Si, Mami. As long as you promise. Now, are you hungry yet? Tell me you are.”
“I could go for a pastry at that coffee shop across the street. I feel the bakery case calling to me.”
“Yes, Louise. That’s my girl.” She loops her arm with mine. “Calories don’t count while we’re here. Got it?”
“That’s going to be the best part of this vacation.”
We wait for a couple of cars to pass the intersection before we cross to the other side. There is one table on the corner so we can see a cross section of the entire surrounding neighborhood. This time I get the sun. The rich navy umbrella is tilted so I can have the rays my body so desperately needs, or lean in and take the cool of the shade. I get the best of both worlds.
“Okay, I’m diving in first. My treat. What do you want?” Sylvia asks.
“I wasn’t kidding about that big caramel roll. I think I’ll take an iced coffee with a shot of vanilla.”
“So dangerous. Get some bronze on that skin of yours and I will be right back.”
She’s right. I don’t think I’ve seen a full day of sunlight in like a month or more. Work has been a lot. I’d been supporting Vince at his games. Between all those obligations and a whirlwind weekend home, I think this is the first time I’ve simply sat and been alone with myself. It feels good.
People watching is also one of my favorite pastimes. I learn a lot about the human condition by watching body language and generally observing everything going on around me. There is a couple involved in a close discussion. They are either arguing quietly so no one can hear, or they are about to leave for a quickie behind the building. There are what appear to be a father and daughter sitting at a table talking, although each one is still fully engaged in their smartphones. Oh, the wonders of the digital age.
Don’t get me wrong, that digital age helps keep me employed and paid quite well. But I prefer intimate conversation. I can’t remember the last time I sat with a man and just talked. No music. No phones. No distractions. No sex. Just simple communication. I feel like that is a fairy tale now. It’s how the happily ever after begins.
I’m lost in my thoughts when I hear a car door slam loudly down the street behind me. It startles me enough so I turn my head. That’s when I notice a row of black vans and a white box truck with its back end open. It’s filled with what looks like furniture, boxes, and a rack of clothes. There is a small gathering of people both around the vehicles and also on the lawn behind the trucks. I’m staring at the scene with curiosity when Sylvia returns with my coffee and my bad for me caramel roll.
“I thought this thing would be big, but wow.”
