Still Here, and Still Me--Only Different

First, an assertion: I am, to the best of my knowledge, still a girl. In all the best of ways. ;)

And now, my yesterday.

---

6:20 AM: text message (incoming)

6:21 AM: phone call, long distance, outgoing, 36 min. One of the most bizarre phone calls on record.

8:00 AM: depart for Rkfd (36 mi. away) with about 37 mi. worth of gas in car

9:00-9:45 AM: N*C Cat'ing Meeting, shortest on record

9:45-10:30 AM: yapping with N*C Cat'ing people about meeting, pregnancy, vitriol, etc.

10:30 AM: depart for ... (do you remember, Cat?) Family Restaurant, in the company of The Cat, for second breakfast of the day. Significantly more satisfactory meal than the first. Naturally, the conversation was superior. The amenities (e.g. plumbing) left something to be desired.

11:30ish AM: buy gas, reset trip-meter in car, depart for Syc.

noonish: arrive at the apt. Shower, dress, perform half-assed pedicure (OPI "Nice Color, Eh?", from the Canadian Collection--it seemed like good karma). Learned an important lesson: when I’m nervous or keyed-up in any way, a pedicure is a dumb idea. It looked like it had been done with a paint brush, by a 5-year-old. Thank God for the OPI Corrector Pen. 3 phone calls (2 incoming, 1 outgoing). Bop over to work, check email, dash to ATM. Back to apt.; pace, futz, wander, wonder, worry.

3:09: depart--driving to The City.

4:28: arrive, only 103 min. earlier than absolutely necessary. One text message (outgoing).

4:45: Starbucks. Iced tea (black), chocolate chip cookie.

5:10: phone call (incoming, missed, voice mail left, responding to 4:28 text message).

5:30: phone call (outgoing)--voice mail.

5:40: phone call (incoming)--previous call returned.

5:45: text message (outgoing)

Around 6:45 (after 2 phone calls, both outgoing), I met someone whom I’ve known for months. It was like coming home to someplace I’ve never been. "I can’t believe you’re real." Eyes like limitless pools. A laugh that takes me....

I’m a safe (albeit fast) driver, with a good sense of direction. But we saw way more of I-90--and Lake Shore Drive--than anyone needs to see on a Tuesday night in April.

We had "the chicken and the egg" dinners at Miller's. But not the meat thing. And I ate enough.

In the end, 230 miles on the car. $33 in parking. 2 more text messages, 1 in and 1 out. 3 more phone calls, 2 out and 1 in (at 2:20 AM).

And 1 dedication, to a part of me--forever.