August 30, 2007
Stranger in a Strange Land - Arc 2
Him: Tall, tan, bespectacled and boyish in silver wire frames. We spent several minutes talking about cooking, baking and the fantastic things that can be concocted using good ingredients, a little know-how and a dash of imagination. We talked chocolate too, he in a mild Austrian accent, me in my modulated L.A.-speak.
After bantering about our backgrounds and our love of food, he invited me back for lunch. During our lunch conversation he dropped a surprise: he'd taken a shine to me. And he was leaving for vacation.
A month later, he was back and wanting to get together.
We met at a landmark. I was early and sat reading "Piano Lessons" by Noah Adams. He walked up listening to music on his iPhone. We ambled to a restaurant, where dinner service had just started. We were shown a corner table.
Him: Still tall, still tan, but wearing black-rimmed glasses and expressing regret over his trip. I had spent my summer in town learning the city. He had spent his across the ocean bonding with family and friends. A part of him wanted to stay, he said, but New York was where his business was, so he came back.
I listened through dinner. I listened as we walked. I listened when we stopped and I listened some more.
We drew no parallels; instead we reflected on experience. When asked, I offered opinions and advice. And my own fragments of perception began to create a clearer picture.
There are people who are earnestly committed to their work, who have the friends they want, and the diversions they need. For them, giving new acquiantances a few hours of their time is thought of has bestowing a rare privilege.
By the end of the night, I realized I was with one of those people. But rather than being grateful, I was exhausted from analysis and problem solving.
Our evening had been a business meeting, not a social call.