Monday, June 27, 2011
Excerpt #17, from pages 113-115 from STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS
I must have been missed because Marlene and the gang asked how my cruise had been. Word must have gotten out that Jadan had gone on the cruise as well, which caused some minor confusion. I had to clear up some local gossip and inform everyone that Molly had also gone and that they were actually married now. You know how coffee-talk gets all out of proportion unless you clear the air as soon as you get wind of it? As I looked around, I saw Jadan hard at work, laptop open, already trading like crazy, but no Jen anywhere. She and Jared must be sleeping in today. Since she freelanced like I did, she set her own schedule and Jared’s salesman calendar was pretty open as well. They must be extending their honeymoon, how nice. I was happy for them, but just a wee-bit jealous. My life was back in full speed, no extended vow-renewal-honeymoon for me. Aw well, it felt good to be back in my own head drinking strong Starbucks coffee from my red tumbler. I needed to find a spot and noticed an open one next to Jadan. So I walked over and put my stuff down by his black, athletic looking wheelchair. After he got off of his phone-call, we started to chat.
“Long time no talk stranger,” I said reaching over for a quick hug.
“Back at ya, what’s it been, a whole twenty four hours?” he said laughing into his next sip of coffee.
“Or less, I can’t switch over to our time yet. I know we just cruised the Caribbean, so it’s not like we went to Europe or something, but I’m having a hard time adjusting. What about you and Molly? Are you guys glad we’re back?” I asked as I turned on my laptop while setting my tumbler onto the table next to the dark brown leather sofa.
“We’re doing great. It's so nice to be back and to see Ocean. She gave me the hugest hug when we got back. We were glad that Molly’s mom was able to watch her because we knew she was in good hands with her. And since we’re married now, which sounds so strange… they’re going to move into my house on the cliffs later this week. I mean, they already stayed with me last night but they’ll move their stuff over the next few weeks. Since Molly’s been living in my rental property just a few streets over, it’s not like we’ll have to get a moving truck. I’ve got some buddies who will help to move the big stuff since I’m a bit limited,” he said pointing down at his limp legs.
“Well, you know Eric and Jared can totally help as well. We’re family now,” I said punching him on his rock-hard left shoulder. It’s like the cruise and all of our fun outdoor activities helped him to bulk up even more. “Wow, you feel like the Hulk. What did you do, take some kind of special drink while we stopped over in Cozumel,” I asked jokingly with a hint of true curiosity.
“No, I just made time to work out every day while we were on the cruise and I think I just look bigger since I got so much sun. You got a lot of sun as well,” he said staring up at my rejuvenated face. It looked like I’d gotten a series of facials over the past week because my skin was clean, clear, tan, and energized.
“Yeah, I did get some sun. I decided to hit the pool-chairs rather than the stepper machine, most of the time. But I did bump into you once at the gym and up on the track, remember?” I laughed. I think the cruise was really good for all of us, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, it was great. I mean you should just go into match-making professionally. Your brilliant idea for a triple-date-cruise turned out to be a huge hit. Just think, you created two marriages, so imagine the lives you’ve impacted. That’s pretty amazing,” he said pointing to the cool platinum ring braided with copper snakes on his left ring finger.
“Yeah, I guess. If the writing thing doesn’t pick up a bit, I could look into that,” I mumbled, while opening up my inbox to investigate the morning’s new flood of junk-mail. “By the way, what’s with the snakes on your ring?” I asked inquisitively.
“Well, I saw it when we popped into those jewelry stores in Mexico. It reminded me of how sneaky Satan can be, trying to entice us out of the right choices. I think it will cause me to stick with the good stuff, you know, Molly and Ocean. Plus I just like snakes, if you want to know the truth. But it sounded so poetic. Must be from all of our hanging out. This is what happens when one of my best friends is a writer after all,” he teased.
“Ha ha. You’re funny. Looks like too much sun and relaxation got to your brain. Hopefully it won’t affect your numbers this week.”
“Hey, I got you something, just to say thanks, Renee,” Jadan said handing me a card.
“Aw, that’s sweet. You didn’t have to get me a card. We all just planned it together and I had a blast too.”
“Well, you are the one who initiated the plans and I can’t thank you enough for helping to put me and Molly back together. I know this means a whole new life for Ocean too. She’s been getting by seeing us on different days, but now I feel like she’s really going to thrive, with us together, all in one home. No more of the back-and-forth stuff,” he said wiping away a tear from his left eye with his right hand.
“You’re welcome Jadan, but I’m not really sure I can take credit for all of it. I have been praying for you guys ever since we met last month,” I said opening up the card. I couldn’t believe that it had a four hundred dollar gift card to the Charthouse. “Wow, this is too much, you didn’t have to do this,” I said feeling a bit awkward.
“It’s nothing really. I would have done more, but I knew you wouldn’t have accepted it,” he said closing the card over my right hand to ensure that I didn’t hand it back to him.
“Okay, well maybe we could double date there one night this week. We could even invite Jen and Jared too. You already know she loves their chocolate mud-pie,” I said trying to feel less indebted.
“That sounds fun. Let’s figure out which night works best,” he said feeling like he couldn’t win this one.
“Don’t you have some work to do or something?” I questioned pointing to his laptop.
“Yes, and don’t you have some to do as well? So stop talking to me already. Or I’m gonna have to roll my wheels over to a different spot,” he said teasing me like old times, well like the last five weeks anyways.
I felt really blessed as I sat there soaking in the noise around me. Within the past few months, Eric and I had made some really good friendships, had strengthened our existing one with Jen, and had really improved on our own marriage as well. We’d gotten a long break from our daily routine, but it felt so good and normal to be back to the grind, sitting here at Starbucks, writing, well mostly just talking, but about to get back to my writing. I got up for a refill when I noticed Jen walking through the double doors in her shortest pink mini-skirt ever with her long-sleeve button-up jean shirt and her black leather vest. She was looking hot, like usual. All that love-making must have put her into a sexy mood. I’d have to go over and tease her about it. I winked in her direction as I offered to get Jadan a refill on his coffee.
“No, I’m good, thanks. Maybe later,” he said as his gaze stayed fixed upon today’s NYSE and NASDAQ numbers.
“Okay, I’m gonna get a refill and go over to say hi to Jen. Watch my stuff, okay?” I requested though it was totally unnecessary.
“Sure thing. Tell Jen she can come and sit over here as well. I can move my bag and make room for her too,” he said very courteously.
“Oh cool, I’m sure she’d love that. I’ll mention the dinner thing to her as well.”
I walked over toward Jen, but didn’t realize my shoe wasn’t quite on all the way and ended up tripping over like three chairs, one after the other, assaulting two regulars who knew me pretty well. At least the last chair that caught my fall was empty so I could hang onto it and recapture my balance. Jen raced over to help me out but couldn’t stop from laughing aloud. Jadan rolled over to help me up as well. How come the rest of the planet was so much more graceful than myself? Even Jadan seemed to fall less than I did.
“Long time no talk stranger,” I said reaching over for a quick hug.
“Back at ya, what’s it been, a whole twenty four hours?” he said laughing into his next sip of coffee.
“Or less, I can’t switch over to our time yet. I know we just cruised the Caribbean, so it’s not like we went to Europe or something, but I’m having a hard time adjusting. What about you and Molly? Are you guys glad we’re back?” I asked as I turned on my laptop while setting my tumbler onto the table next to the dark brown leather sofa.
“We’re doing great. It's so nice to be back and to see Ocean. She gave me the hugest hug when we got back. We were glad that Molly’s mom was able to watch her because we knew she was in good hands with her. And since we’re married now, which sounds so strange… they’re going to move into my house on the cliffs later this week. I mean, they already stayed with me last night but they’ll move their stuff over the next few weeks. Since Molly’s been living in my rental property just a few streets over, it’s not like we’ll have to get a moving truck. I’ve got some buddies who will help to move the big stuff since I’m a bit limited,” he said pointing down at his limp legs.
“Well, you know Eric and Jared can totally help as well. We’re family now,” I said punching him on his rock-hard left shoulder. It’s like the cruise and all of our fun outdoor activities helped him to bulk up even more. “Wow, you feel like the Hulk. What did you do, take some kind of special drink while we stopped over in Cozumel,” I asked jokingly with a hint of true curiosity.
“No, I just made time to work out every day while we were on the cruise and I think I just look bigger since I got so much sun. You got a lot of sun as well,” he said staring up at my rejuvenated face. It looked like I’d gotten a series of facials over the past week because my skin was clean, clear, tan, and energized.
“Yeah, I did get some sun. I decided to hit the pool-chairs rather than the stepper machine, most of the time. But I did bump into you once at the gym and up on the track, remember?” I laughed. I think the cruise was really good for all of us, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, it was great. I mean you should just go into match-making professionally. Your brilliant idea for a triple-date-cruise turned out to be a huge hit. Just think, you created two marriages, so imagine the lives you’ve impacted. That’s pretty amazing,” he said pointing to the cool platinum ring braided with copper snakes on his left ring finger.
“Yeah, I guess. If the writing thing doesn’t pick up a bit, I could look into that,” I mumbled, while opening up my inbox to investigate the morning’s new flood of junk-mail. “By the way, what’s with the snakes on your ring?” I asked inquisitively.
“Well, I saw it when we popped into those jewelry stores in Mexico. It reminded me of how sneaky Satan can be, trying to entice us out of the right choices. I think it will cause me to stick with the good stuff, you know, Molly and Ocean. Plus I just like snakes, if you want to know the truth. But it sounded so poetic. Must be from all of our hanging out. This is what happens when one of my best friends is a writer after all,” he teased.
“Ha ha. You’re funny. Looks like too much sun and relaxation got to your brain. Hopefully it won’t affect your numbers this week.”
“Hey, I got you something, just to say thanks, Renee,” Jadan said handing me a card.
“Aw, that’s sweet. You didn’t have to get me a card. We all just planned it together and I had a blast too.”
“Well, you are the one who initiated the plans and I can’t thank you enough for helping to put me and Molly back together. I know this means a whole new life for Ocean too. She’s been getting by seeing us on different days, but now I feel like she’s really going to thrive, with us together, all in one home. No more of the back-and-forth stuff,” he said wiping away a tear from his left eye with his right hand.
“You’re welcome Jadan, but I’m not really sure I can take credit for all of it. I have been praying for you guys ever since we met last month,” I said opening up the card. I couldn’t believe that it had a four hundred dollar gift card to the Charthouse. “Wow, this is too much, you didn’t have to do this,” I said feeling a bit awkward.
“It’s nothing really. I would have done more, but I knew you wouldn’t have accepted it,” he said closing the card over my right hand to ensure that I didn’t hand it back to him.
“Okay, well maybe we could double date there one night this week. We could even invite Jen and Jared too. You already know she loves their chocolate mud-pie,” I said trying to feel less indebted.
“That sounds fun. Let’s figure out which night works best,” he said feeling like he couldn’t win this one.
“Don’t you have some work to do or something?” I questioned pointing to his laptop.
“Yes, and don’t you have some to do as well? So stop talking to me already. Or I’m gonna have to roll my wheels over to a different spot,” he said teasing me like old times, well like the last five weeks anyways.
I felt really blessed as I sat there soaking in the noise around me. Within the past few months, Eric and I had made some really good friendships, had strengthened our existing one with Jen, and had really improved on our own marriage as well. We’d gotten a long break from our daily routine, but it felt so good and normal to be back to the grind, sitting here at Starbucks, writing, well mostly just talking, but about to get back to my writing. I got up for a refill when I noticed Jen walking through the double doors in her shortest pink mini-skirt ever with her long-sleeve button-up jean shirt and her black leather vest. She was looking hot, like usual. All that love-making must have put her into a sexy mood. I’d have to go over and tease her about it. I winked in her direction as I offered to get Jadan a refill on his coffee.
“No, I’m good, thanks. Maybe later,” he said as his gaze stayed fixed upon today’s NYSE and NASDAQ numbers.
“Okay, I’m gonna get a refill and go over to say hi to Jen. Watch my stuff, okay?” I requested though it was totally unnecessary.
“Sure thing. Tell Jen she can come and sit over here as well. I can move my bag and make room for her too,” he said very courteously.
“Oh cool, I’m sure she’d love that. I’ll mention the dinner thing to her as well.”
I walked over toward Jen, but didn’t realize my shoe wasn’t quite on all the way and ended up tripping over like three chairs, one after the other, assaulting two regulars who knew me pretty well. At least the last chair that caught my fall was empty so I could hang onto it and recapture my balance. Jen raced over to help me out but couldn’t stop from laughing aloud. Jadan rolled over to help me up as well. How come the rest of the planet was so much more graceful than myself? Even Jadan seemed to fall less than I did.
Labels: book excerpt from Stream of Consciousness
