“More coffee?” I’m trying to prolong the conversation.<\/p>\n
“No, really, I have to go,” you say.<\/p>\n
“Me too,” I say. “How about we go together? Thailand?\u201d\u00a0 You give me a very strange look.<\/p>\n
\u201cThailand? Thailand is half-way around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot quite. Halfway would be off the tip of South Africa. In the water. Not much of a vacation, but I\u2019d probably go there with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s insane,\u201d you say.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaven\u2019t we covered that? I prefer crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou prefer being crazy over being rational, maybe,\u201d you say, almost like that\u2019s a bad thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou get it! I knew we had something in common!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t,\u201d you respond quickly, reaching for some clarity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should,\u201d I respond. \u201cLook at all the fun we could have.\u201d I have no intention of letting clarity anywhere near this conversation.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t \u2018should have\u2019 something in common. You do or you don\u2019t,\u201d you say with slight exasperation. That\u2019s just one of the things I like about you, the way you show frustration with me so easily. Some try to hide it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt can\u2019t be both?\u201d I\u2019ve got you now, but you don\u2019t see it coming.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving something in common and not having something in common? No, that\u2019s inconsistent.\u201d You pride yourself on a consistency I\u2019m about to turn into a hobgoblin.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have coffee in common,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat has nothing to do with this,\u201d the rising tone of your voice tells me you sense the trap.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have lipstick in common,\u201d I continue, as if you had not said a thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cStop it.\u201d You see it clearly, now.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, obviously, we have something, coffee, in common and don\u2019t have something, lipstick, in common. Happens all the time. In fact, having and not having something in common is something we all have in common.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m leaving,\u201d you say.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can be in Thailand this time next month if you\u2019ll say \u2018yes.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy Thailand?\u201d you ask, closing the door again.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeautiful beaches, beautiful sunsets, good food, good times, laughter. Yadda yadda. All that, but more important, adventure!<\/em>”<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened to Bocas Del Toro?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn\u2019t respond to Bocas. I\u2019m upping the offer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe food is better than in Bocas?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou ever go out for Bocas, or do you go out for Thai?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not an answer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s one in there somewhere. I might look for a boat there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThailand. Isn\u2019t that what we\u2019re talking about?<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know what we\u2019re talking about any more.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen let\u2019s just sit here and enjoy each other\u2019s silence. I like that, too. More coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n You shake your head, but you’re still sitting here. I take that as a hopeful sign.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy a boat?\u201d you ask a minute later, a little bit curious.<\/p>\n \u201cHave to get home somehow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou would take a boat back from Thailand?\u201d you ask, with some incredulity.<\/p>\n \u201cNot without stopping in New Zealand. Want to go?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho are you again?\u201d Now you\u2019re trying to avoid the question.<\/p>\n \u201cThe guy you met for coffee. What do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n “I think you’re very different than I expected.”<\/p>\n “In a bad way?”<\/p>\n “Not bad, just\u2026 different.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “More coffee?” I’m trying to prolong the conversation.<\/p>\n “No, really, I have to go,” you say.<\/p>\n “Me too,” I say. “How about we go together? Thailand?\u201d\u00a0 You give me a very strange look.<\/p>\n \u201cThailand? Thailand is half-way around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot quite. Halfway would be off the tip of South Africa. In the water. Not much of a vacation, but I\u2019d probably go there with you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s insane,\u201d you say.<\/p>\n \u201cHaven\u2019t we covered that? I prefer crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou prefer being crazy over being rational, maybe,\u201d you say, almost like that\u2019s a bad thing.<\/p>\n \u201cYou get it! I knew we had \u2026 Read more\u2026