1816 A Nice Day, with Mystery

Saturday, May 17, 2008

I got up early enough this morning to sort and put together a recycle load (the center closes at 1, but you have to get there early or the bins fill up). I figured I'd do the recycle thing, then a few other jobbies, then wash and change clothes in time to drive an hour plus down route 209 to join friends for dinner. I happened to check email before leaving for the recycle center, and discovered that it wasn't a dinner tonight, it was a lunch, in an hour and a half!

I got cleaned up and out the door in record time.

It was a beautiful day and a beautiful drive, and there were five of us at table, and therefore enjoyable, although I should have checked the online menu more carefully. Lunch cost me $50! Oh, well. The $7 pot of tea contained five cups, and I brought home a doggy bag....

One of the women at lunch is about Daughter's age, really nice, but a bit quirky. As we were leaving, she said to me "I want to get you alone some time." I said "Alone?" And she said "Yes. No one around." I don't know what that's about, but I'm curious. If there's something she wants to talk about, that's an odd way to phrase it.

There's a really good auction this evening, but I forgot to go to the preview last evening, and I know better than to go to an auction without having previewed, so that's a bit of a disappointment.

About an hour ago I went to the deli to buy cigarettes, and as I was pulling out, I saw a man getting out of his car to go in. He looked familiar to me, so I stopped, and he stood and stared at me, and then we recognized each other. Which shouldn't be hard, because except for the hair color, we both look a lot like we always did, but I was surprised to see him on this side of the river.

He's now the biggest realtor in this area. Very successful. Several offices and a commercial division. We started working for The Company at about the same time, about 40 years ago. It's funny because there's been a mild flirtation going on at about five year intervals for 40 years, but when he's "free", I'm not, and when I'm "free", he's not. The last time I saw him was at the auction of the contents of the Bob Guccione mansion three or four years ago (he handled the real estate sale), and he was with a woman who was acting very possessive then.

Judging from the tenor of the conversation today --- "Wow. You look really good!" saith he, twice, plus several "So what are you doing these days?" followed by my "Nothing, exactly what I like to do, nothing.", and then later another "So what are you doing these days?", three of them actually, which began to sound like a fishing expedition --- well, I'd guess he's free again, but I purposely didn't look at his left hand. 'Cause I'm not. Not exactly. (I wish I knew for sure what my status is, exactly.)

He was on his way to meet some of his salesmen about a commercial sale, or I'm sure there would have been an offer of coffee or a drink, but he gave me a number to call where I can catch him, he wants to send me information about an auction house in Pine Bush that he likes.

An interesting day, I guess. A few mysteries to follow up on.
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