Tuesday, June 5, 2012

I'm stronger on the inside?

Day Four

I said I was going to play tennis with my friend today. I never played tennis with my friend today. For one, you can't have long talks while playing tennis and I miss my friend so much, I preferred to just see her. Two, I don't own a skort.

This tennis-playing friend was born and raised in Larchmont, New York, where it is a fact that all babies enter the world with a tiller in one hand and a tennis racket in the other. She claims to be "not very good" at tennis, and I am gracious enough to accept her grace and pretend to believe her, but behind her back and in this public forum, I'll say it. Who the hell does she think she's kidding?

Instead, we walked the Back Cove and talked about...everything. I may not have gotten a sweaty workout, but--to borrow a term I heard the other night--my brain was sweating. We talked and talked and talked. This friend is an amazing baker, an enviable mother, and a tremendous friend. So, let's chalk this up to getting stronger on the inside.

Makes me think of I Ought to Be in Pictures, the Walter Matthau movie from the early '80s where a girl finds her biological dad in LA and decides to become an actress. They fight and all that and when they make up toward the end of the movie, seeing each other for the first time in months, Walter Matthau's character says, "You look taller."

And, she replies, "Only on the inside."

Or something like that. Anyway, that line has resonated with me since I saw it on HBO when I was in middle school.  (Incidentally, I am uncomfortable referring back to Walter Matthau as "Matthau" and it seems presumptuous to write "Walter." He was all kinds of excellent. And, you know what? The other line from that movie that resonated with my 14-year-old self was something like, "You found me? It took them 30 years to find Eichmann!" so I wouldn't read too much into what I'm saying here.)

Back on task. My exercise today was a 90-minute walk. Back Cove should be a 60-minute walk or less if you're speeding along, but I love this friend so much, I'm pretty sure I slowed down as we approached the parking lot. I just wanted more time. Of course, this made me late for a hair appointment at O2, which was the whole reason I took the day off and went to Portland at all, but they were kind enough to still fit me in. Sorry to continue streaming along here, but I have to mention, I almost drove my car off the road after getting some highlights at O2 a few weeks ago. My hair caught the light shining in through my sunroof and I got completely distracted by it. It was...so...beautiful.... My hair looked like it was spun from gold, but not the cheezy Jersey Shore gold. More like the gold on those tasteful little earrings that older woman at that opening was wearing, the woman in the perfectly tailored suit who knew exactly what to say to everyone at the cocktail party. That woman. My hair was momentarily her kind of gold.

local greens meet locally purchased yumminess
Annnnd....we're back. For our local food dinner, I picked up more baguette from Standard Bakery--honestly, it's the best bread. And, while I was there, I was jostled by some middle school boys who came in and surreptitiously sneaked away with sample cookies. Their ringleader was very vocal, "Oh! Hmmm... so let's see.... croissants and cookies... I might want... do you have any sandwiches?" All the while, his friends were nudging against me like little puppies trying to get their little snouts into the snack jar. Next stop, Harbor Fish for some tuna for supper. It may not be "local" fish but, sweet jesus, it was fantastic.

I realize this blog is turning into a "local" blog, more than an "I want to be strong" blog. I do tend to digress. Listen, my muscles have been giving me a little lip lately. I'm definitely aware that my body has been doing things. And, I still find myself walking taller (albeit, on the inside). But, I am so easily distracted by a martini at the end of the day. And, I always prefer to spend time with friends over getting into my own thoughts and dreams inside my own solitary sweaty head as I run down a quiet road, no matter how beautiful the view might be.


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