strip mall
DANIEL: Huh?
MAGS: I think of a vacant parking lot when I think of us
DANIEL: Getting philosophical are we?
MAGS: Nope, that’s the way my mind works
DANIEL: Vacant lots are open to anything, inviting
MAGS: They collect trash, bird shit and vagrants
DANIEL: Whoa! u r in a mood
MAGS: Ya, prob not the best time to talk
DANIEL: Could be a great time to fuck
MAGS: Text me in 10, gunna finish wine and get naked
Tonight, I’d fill our lot with a Cirque du Soleil tent, overflowing with passionate colors, textures, sounds and sensations. Tomorrow, I’d sweep the trash and shoo the vagrants, leaving the lot as empty as I first found it.
***
The two weeks with Timmy and Lisbeth flew by. We played board games, painted birdhouses, hung paper lanterns throughout the yard, and stole a few lazy afternoons, swinging gently on the hammock. We ventured beyond the house, too, enjoying picnic dinners at Wash Park, riding borrowed bikes along the Cherry Creek Path, and hiking a couple of beginners’ trails at a nearby state park. Two days before they departed, Katie and I packed a cooler full of goodies and surprised the twins with a day at Water World, a water amusement park just northwest of Denver. We had a blast and came home with rosy cheeks and permanent smiles brushed across our faces. We hung out in the backyard the day before they were scheduled to leave. The twins snuggled with Cody while I read a magazine. I was getting anxious to get back to work, though I’d managed to stay on top of my emails and voice messages after the twins went to bed each night.
A bank of clouds descended on the neighborhood the next morning, intensifying the sadness that seeped into the house. Carrie’s new beau, Harry, created a new dynamic in her family, and I feared I would be pushed out. Two or three times a year would probably become once, most likely in summer, so the newlyweds could sneak away to enrich their budding relationship. Still, I was happy my grandkids would have a stepdad. I hoped that over time, I would get over my bitterness and accept the gift of any time with my grandkids, no matter how infrequent.
Getting the house back to normal after the twins left proved to be more work than I’d expected. I decided to leave it until the weekend and opened my laptop to check out what movies were playing at a nearby theater. First, however, I glanced at my email and noticed a few messages from Match.com. Apparently, several men liked my photos and made me their “favorite.” I clicked on the link and saw it was all the same guy…holy shit! A forty-eight year old was hitting on me. Curious about “Justaguy5280,” I read his message,
Dear MGroadie,
You MUST tell me what your profile name stands for! I’m dying to know… Anyway, you’re probably annoyed with my various attempts at getting your attention. Hoping this old school message works!
I found your profile so refreshing – real pictures, real stories, real life. I wish you knew what your competition’s profiles were like. Actually, they aren’t your competition – you stand apart from all the rest. I’m sorry about the loss of your husband, but I have to say, you seem so happy and content with life. You must have worked through it with such a positive attitude. Would love to know your secret to happiness!
I have two kids. I started fairly young and they are both in college. Only a year apart—a boy and a girl—they both attend Northwestern. They come home to Colorado periodically, particularly when they need money. Other than that, I have a dog, Fresno, a mutt who is ancient but is still hanging in there. I have my own business, which provides the means to have a little fun on the side. I work out of my house and love it – what can I say? I lucked out, professionally anyway.
I’m an extrovert, can you tell?
I know you’re thinking I’m too young, but I would just ask you to consider having dinner. If, after that, you are convinced you can’t
DANIEL: Huh?
MAGS: I think of a vacant parking lot when I think of us
DANIEL: Getting philosophical are we?
MAGS: Nope, that’s the way my mind works
DANIEL: Vacant lots are open to anything, inviting
MAGS: They collect trash, bird shit and vagrants
DANIEL: Whoa! u r in a mood
MAGS: Ya, prob not the best time to talk
DANIEL: Could be a great time to fuck
MAGS: Text me in 10, gunna finish wine and get naked
Tonight, I’d fill our lot with a Cirque du Soleil tent, overflowing with passionate colors, textures, sounds and sensations. Tomorrow, I’d sweep the trash and shoo the vagrants, leaving the lot as empty as I first found it.
***
The two weeks with Timmy and Lisbeth flew by. We played board games, painted birdhouses, hung paper lanterns throughout the yard, and stole a few lazy afternoons, swinging gently on the hammock. We ventured beyond the house, too, enjoying picnic dinners at Wash Park, riding borrowed bikes along the Cherry Creek Path, and hiking a couple of beginners’ trails at a nearby state park. Two days before they departed, Katie and I packed a cooler full of goodies and surprised the twins with a day at Water World, a water amusement park just northwest of Denver. We had a blast and came home with rosy cheeks and permanent smiles brushed across our faces. We hung out in the backyard the day before they were scheduled to leave. The twins snuggled with Cody while I read a magazine. I was getting anxious to get back to work, though I’d managed to stay on top of my emails and voice messages after the twins went to bed each night.
A bank of clouds descended on the neighborhood the next morning, intensifying the sadness that seeped into the house. Carrie’s new beau, Harry, created a new dynamic in her family, and I feared I would be pushed out. Two or three times a year would probably become once, most likely in summer, so the newlyweds could sneak away to enrich their budding relationship. Still, I was happy my grandkids would have a stepdad. I hoped that over time, I would get over my bitterness and accept the gift of any time with my grandkids, no matter how infrequent.
Getting the house back to normal after the twins left proved to be more work than I’d expected. I decided to leave it until the weekend and opened my laptop to check out what movies were playing at a nearby theater. First, however, I glanced at my email and noticed a few messages from Match.com. Apparently, several men liked my photos and made me their “favorite.” I clicked on the link and saw it was all the same guy…holy shit! A forty-eight year old was hitting on me. Curious about “Justaguy5280,” I read his message,
Dear MGroadie,
You MUST tell me what your profile name stands for! I’m dying to know… Anyway, you’re probably annoyed with my various attempts at getting your attention. Hoping this old school message works!
I found your profile so refreshing – real pictures, real stories, real life. I wish you knew what your competition’s profiles were like. Actually, they aren’t your competition – you stand apart from all the rest. I’m sorry about the loss of your husband, but I have to say, you seem so happy and content with life. You must have worked through it with such a positive attitude. Would love to know your secret to happiness!
I have two kids. I started fairly young and they are both in college. Only a year apart—a boy and a girl—they both attend Northwestern. They come home to Colorado periodically, particularly when they need money. Other than that, I have a dog, Fresno, a mutt who is ancient but is still hanging in there. I have my own business, which provides the means to have a little fun on the side. I work out of my house and love it – what can I say? I lucked out, professionally anyway.
I’m an extrovert, can you tell?
I know you’re thinking I’m too young, but I would just ask you to consider having dinner. If, after that, you are convinced you can’t
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