New Beginnings

Here we go again.

It was a typical day where I was to be at work at 4:30am and be at the site where we shoot the live portion of the show by 5:00am. At that point something very interesting happened that would set in motion a chain of events for the day that made my week.

I was met at this gallery entrance by a beautiful 40's something lady,whom I have met before in previous events. On this day she was particularly aglow. And met me with a great smile and I more than a twinge of attraction to her. But I am a late 30's guy and haven't met someone like her before that could possibly be interested in a camera guy. She had an artistic style to her and class.

So I proceeded to set up for the day and save the small talk for when we had down time during the show. Good idea on my part I thought. Keep her happy about the job were doing promoting the exhibit that was currently showing in her gallery and engaging in conversation about the state of the art community around town.
Quickly I was set up and ready to go for the shoot. And then the uncomfortable silence creep ed in. You know the one where you want to say something but it has to be the right thing as to set the tone for the ongoing chat throughout the shoot.

Well it started rather easily as her asking me if I wanted some coffee. Just like that. "Would you like some coffee" is the greatest and easiest gesture that starts of a whole days conversation.From that simple question things started to flow as if I was catching up with an old friend.

Through the morning I glanced at her more than a few times. Well I guess I should describe her a little bit. She is about my height with beautiful long curly dark hair. With a slim build. She also has a very attractive face and doesn't look a bit like her age. By the way won't be mentioned here in respect for her womanly secrets. To say it kindly she looks 10 years younger than what she told me.

Moving on. This way please. Try and stick together and don't fall behind for this is when the good parts of the story begin.

So throughout the morning we exchanged glances and small talk. And for me seems all innocent enough. In my mind she wasn't interested in anything further than just getting through the morning in as pleasant a manner as possible and being a gracious host.

We happened to come to the end of the broadcast and I wrapped up everything and was ready to go. THIS IS WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING. I have to bold that as my lowly attempt at a literary punctuation. I told you I wasn't goo at this writing stuff.
Back to the story.

I am just about to leave when she brings up the topic of the ACAD graduating class art show and if I was going. At that point I hadn't had any want or urge to see the over stated and unpolished works of grad students (a little harsh but that's for another article). She stated she was thinking about going and I politely said I might show up if all my work at home (bull sh*t) was done. So I handed her my business card and I was off to finish my shift.

The rest of the day was as per usual. I won't bore you with the details because it takes us on a tangent that you would be bored with.

As I was driving home I received a text from her stating that she added me to her gallery mailing list. Interesting. They usually just add people to their list and let the recipients find out by suprise when the emails start arriving. Kind of her to let me know. Hmmmmmmm. Thinking hard now. Yup she was hot. Bit out of my league though.

In the afternoons I usually have a nap so I can have a regular life at night and not be in bed by 8pm for the next days festivities at work. This works for me and may not work for others.

Interestingly enough I had received twelve emails while napping. And there at 2:29pm was the email I was not expecting at all. It was her once again. But this time she states she has been able to get off work earlier than expected and is going to be attending the art show at ACAD and she might see me there. *BING* Something is amiss here. This isn't adding up. She emailed me just to say she was going to the show. Hmmmm again. I think in woman speak this is a signal that my company would be not refused while strolling amongst the works of the students and indulging in arts speak that is both appreciative and deconstructive of their final masterpieces thus far in their young lives. WOW. Except for the run on sentence it almost seems like I know how to be writer. Though writers will quickly dissect and analyze this smattering of collective thoughts as we did with the art that evening.

Again back to the story.

I looked at my watch to find it was 4pm and the show started at 5 and I hadn't eaten or even close to being ready to impress for this sort of event. With little thought I jumped up and got my act together as fast as I could and out the door I went. Quick stop at ARBY's and into the $8 per day parking stall at the college. This is ridiculous. $8 per day it says on the sign. It's 5pm. Don't you think a reduction in fee is in order? Maybe $4 for the night? Yes, yes,yes I am off topic once again. Ernest Hemingway I am not.

I arrive to find a big crowd has already gathered and have proceeded to stroll through the art. And in my mind I am thinking "What the H E double hockey sticks am I doing here?". And "Please don't talk to me about the art because I don't think I could lie about how much each piece has great meaning". Let's not think I don't have my opinions or have an eye for art. I had in my earlier years dabbled in all forms of art and love the experience of creating a piece from scratch. So yeah I can BS with the best of them but try to not over extend my own knowledge.

Onward into the artistic fray of artistic hopefuls with dreadlocks and home made clothes. By the way this is the first time I realized the 70's porn star moustache in en vogue with the fresh starving artists of today. It takes a brave soul to be able to accept the ridicule of others in silent whispers behind their backs.

I stroll through the first gallery of art and all the while keeping a keen eye out for the familiar face from the morning. Through the well laid out maze I walked at the pace of a zombie looking for a fresh kill. Sort of a shuffle then a pause and a few more shuffles to get to the next piece to critique. Art. Art. Art? Does a picture of roadkill bunny really impress me as a piece of art? Let me state this clearly in my own opinion so it doesn't get confused with anything else in this article. No my young starving artist. A photograph of a bunny that had been run over with it's entrails spilling over the road with a clear tire mark squishing them does not make you even one little bit of an artist. It isn't pleasant subject matter and most importantly would not sell in any gallery that would risk hanging it up on their hooks that are worth more than the thoughtless crud you try and pass on as art But i bet you have a great essay to spew when asked what the inspiration for your piece is. That's just BS ing yourself into thinking your deep when in reality a mouse wouldn't drown in your artistic pool of knowledge. Venting over now back at it.

Where was I. Ah yes back to the art loving zombie shuffle with a careful scan of the crowd for that person from the morning. Shuffling and looking then scanning the crowd. Over and over this goes on. All the while the sinking feeling that this building may be hiding her somewhere in it's bowels so I wouldn't be able to find her.

I exit the first gallery while looking at the brochure to see whats next and when I look up..... Yup you guessed it. She is standing right there in front of me pleasantly dressed with a nice smile on her face looking right at me. I couldn't make this movie style chance meeting up. It actually happened this way.

So we exchanged pleasantries and proceeded through the gallery. Talking and critiquing as we went and having a very good time in doing it. I won't bore you with the minor details of the evening. If you have ever been to a gallery opening then you know what it is like.

So this brings us to what I thought was the end of the night. And then she asked a very intriguing question. " You hungry?". What? Me? Hungry? Huh? The speed at which these questions dashed through my head was like a nano second. She quarried "Have you been to Farm on 17 ave?". I said I had been hungry and no I hadn't been to this restaurant. As easy as that we made the plans to meet there and have something to eat. Still the questions repeated through my head. Little surreal right now.

We both arrive at the restaurant at the same time and proceed in and get a table. Conversation is easy and light and we lose all sense of time. By the time we are done a bottle of wine is empty and a delicious cheese fondue has been had with and apple dessert of two. No hands were touched during this meal. Then the waitress asks us to pay because its closing time. "CRAP". This means just one thing. It's 11:30pm and tomorrow is gonna be trouble getting up for work.

So I pick up the cheque and we walk outside to the corner. At this point I would like to say thank you to the street people for dressing up in their sketchiest clothes and hanging around the corner where her vehicle was parked. Because of this I was able to make an excuse to walk her to her car. This is what your waiting for. We made our polite thanks for the company for the night and both stood there wondering what was the next appropriate move. I said "goodnight" and made the gesture for a hug. Yes I did. This isn't the type of woman you just stick your tongue in her mouth. At this point we both felt awkward and said some other things like text me or something like that but the amount of time that passed was enough for manners to require another hug.Hehehehe. So we did. And to my surprise I felt and heard her take a deep breath as if she was filing my scent into her memory banks.Felt good. Real good. And right.

So I left her there and proceeded to jump into bed as soon as I could because now its 12am and four hours sleep sucks.

Well that's it for now. That's all I'm gonna tell you.........OK. OK. The next day she texted me and said what a good time she had the night before. Fantastic. I like this woman. So I will let you know were going to have the first official date on Saturday. She even picked to go see "Iron Man 2". Believe it or not.

I'll let you know how it goes.
Ciao for now