There and Back Again

Watching: Soundstage (PBS)
Listening: Peter Cetera in Soundstage (?!)
Pondering: I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world. (Thomas A. Edison)

I had lunch with a group of current and old office mates at The Bistro almost three weeks ago. It was our farewell lunch for Mary who was retiring and a belated birthday lunch for Deidra. As usual, it was a lot of fun when we get together. It has been almost a year since we did something together. The last one was Deidra’s going-away (to another office) bowling party where we all dressed up like lunatics who raided the make-up aisle at Longs Drugstore and our first ever after-work date was almost five years ago (a viewing of Shaft with Samuel L. Jackson at the local Century Theater which Jacinta and Mary found too violent).

When we get together we talk about anything and everything - stupid pet tricks, quirkiness at work, family life and vacation plans. Today, there were lots to talk about.

We talked about Deidra’s dogs - Cheese who likes to catch squirrels using his mouth and Seina who scares herself too easily due to a sad and tortured past. She also accounted for us the beginning of newly found love for Friday Night Bingo Social at the local senior center. At forty, she was hardly a senior citizen but I guess when you’re long-distance-dating with a lad from Boston, your Friday night options can get a bit quirky.

We talked about Marie’s ideas on who would replace Pope John Paul II who was barely breathing then. Marie, you have to understand, is our resident expert on anything Catholic. Growing up her parents always wanted her to be a nun, instead she became a social worker and married college sweetheart Robert. Close enough.

We also talked about my vacation plans this summer, about Yann’s movie must-sees and Jacinta’s plans for the big five-oh celebration this summer.

But for the most part we talked about Mary’s musings on and plans after retiring at the end of April. She and husband Henry plan to travel to Denmark to attend a niece’s wedding this summer though the thought of being in Europe during peak season was making them apprehensive. We all suggested she ask her niece to move the wedding. If Camilla Parker-Bowles and Prince Charles can delay their wedding as respect to the dying Pope, her niece can postpone hers to accommodate Aunt Mary who is retired and would like to enjoy Europe without the crowd. We all thought it was a good idea.

As we were paying the bill, Mary told us about how one day she was looking in the mirror and thought to herself, “What happened here? I used to have a flat stomach and a round butt. Now I have a round stomach and a flat behind!” When the guffaws subsided and the bill was paid, I realized it was probably going to be awhile before we can all be together again.

As we walked back to work, a light drizzle started and we all opened up our umbrellas. I will always remember the sight of us that afternoon, walking in the rain, hopeful of the future, thankful for wonderful friendships that’s good until it lasts.