“Ray, Ray, do I have your full attention this is really really important?”
“How important is it La Flor? Is it still La Flor?”
“It is until I use one of my aliases.”
“What is your problem? Your eye is twitching. Your left leg is jerking at 90 miles an hour. And, you been popping chocolate truffles one after another as if they’re popcorn. Maybe I’m going to write about your character gaining an enormous amount of weight. How would you like that?”
“Don’t add to my problems, Ray. I told you I am beautiful, tough, and edgy, recall? You made me too beautiful, tough, and edgy, but don’t change anything.”
“I don’t understand. You look beautiful, tough, and edgy. You’re tanned, toned, and terrific. Do you like my alliteration to describe you?”
“I don’t have time for your nonsense.”
“Okay, what is it? I need to go to Starbucks and get my cold brew for the afternoon. Will this take long?”
“Men just don’t get it.”
“Hey, I’m one of the sensitive ones.”
“That speaks volumes for your species. If you are the archetype of the sensitive male, God help all women.”
“You’re making me look bad to my blog readers. What is your problem?”
“Do you know Jack Reacher?”
“Are you talking about the Lee Child character?”
“Exactly. He was hitting on me. I want you to do something about it”.
“Have you read any of the Jack Reacher books? I don’t imagine you have. Jack Reacher is one tough hombre. What were you doing fooling around with Jack Reacher?”
“I wasn’t fooling around with him. Well, maybe I was flirting a bit.”
“Did you go to the Alt Ego Bar with your mystery writer girlfriend?”
“So? How did I know Jack Reacher was going to show up.”
“He hit on you? What did he say? He doesn’t seem like kind of character that mistreats women. Bad guys that’s another story. Besides, I warned you about going to Alt Ego bars.”
“He sauntered to our table, bent over, his muscles popping through his shirt, his deep blue eyes were piercing my soul. It was the way he said it,”
“You’ve got a crush on Jack Reacher. Am I right?”
“No. I think it’s the real thing. Jack said,”I just wrapped up another book and I feel like celebrating. Let me pick up your tab. You beautiful ladies have a great day.”
“The real thing? I don’t think so. That was all? He didn’t sound like he hit on you.”
“That’s the problem, Ray. He didn’t hit on us.”
“Then why did you tell me he hit on you?”
“Because I wanted you to write Jack into the next blog so I can get to know him a little better.”
“La Flor, what am I going to do with you?”
“Love me?”
We all have our crazy moments. Moments when we may not be as nice as we ought. It’s one of life’s wonderful lessons, no one is perfect. No one is close to perfect. In those moments of imperfection, which are many for me, like La Flor, I ask, ‘Love me?’ Loving another, warts and all, during the good as well as the bad is the glue that holds our fragile world together.
Your posts ooze insight on so many levels. This is genius Ray! You are ahead of our time.
The idea came to me while exercising on the elliptical machine at the gym. Strange how good ideas flow to us when we least expect them. I think I’ll head back to the gym. 😎
What a great incentive. All that oxygen rushing around your mind, body and soul!
True – but today, at the 40-minute mark, a thought grabbed hold of me and I started laughing. I wondered if the people on either side were considering changing their machines. Some refer to this space as the zone, the place where it all comes together. For my part, I’m not sure if it’s coming together or flying apart.