Despite the fact that it actually *is* closer to 90 degrees today than it was yesterday, I *had* to take a short walk when I came home today. Just a mile. I elected to listen to a co-worker perform a mini-recital on her digital piano* at lunch today (Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata, 3rd movement), so I missed my lunchtime walk.

When I left my house this afternoon, Ginger and her owner were at the end of the block looking a little indecisive about which direction to go. They chose a different direction than I did and I admit I was a bit relieved. I like Ginger and her owner but I needed to decompress, so I didn’t feel like chit-chatting. Actually I probably didn’t need to worry because Ginger’s owner seems a bit like me in personality, friendly and cheerful but not particularly a chit-chatter. I wish I were better at chit-chatting but I’m not and probably never will be. Meet me on the internet and I’m all diarrhea at the keyboard. Real life? Not so much.

Well. Oops, the older man down the street was out watering his garden. He’s talkative and if you give him an opening, you will be standing there for a while. English is not his first language although he is pretty darn good at it and I think he lives with his daughter and her children. I bet he is lonely. I like him. But. I needed to decompress today. I exchanged cheerful greetings and galumphed along about as merrily as I could, given the heat and the sweat and the no-see-ums or whatever those little biting buggies are.

After a bit, I ran into Ginger and her owner again. This time, her owner explained that they had taken a different route than usual *because* the old guy was outside and and… I said, “He’s a talker, isn’t he?” Yes, he is. Aaaandd. He has asked her out for coffee. Now, Ginger’s owner is quite a bit younger than me and I think this lonely old guy might be approaching 80 or thereabouts. It’s hard to tell. He has never asked me out for coffee but, been there done that and I understand why she avoids him.

My own let’s get coffee guy (“I think you are cute, can we have coffee”) was someone who was 1) 20 years younger than me! 2) married!! and 3) father to a 10-year-old daughter!!! Plus. He was a devout believer of a rather different religion than the one I grew up in. I won’t say which religion he follows but it is one in which women are viewed somewhat differently than they are in the one I grew up in. Or maybe not. This stuff can be complicated and I’ll have to think about it. I don’t think this man was capable of flying planes into tall buildings but, since I am rather agnostic and a strong-willed American woman, I didn’t think we were a particularly good match. Plus there was 1) 2) and 3) and *I* am married and have two children and blah-de blah-de. I was flabbergasted but, fortunately, this invitation came over the internet, so I was able to deflect it by more or less ignoring it… I mean, I was over 50 years old and an agnostic and a strong-willed American woman! No, we would not get along! What the heck was he thinking? I hope that the GG doesn’t ever get hit by a beer truck (or eaten by a bear, given what he’s doing this week) but if he does, I don’t think I will marry again. Yikes. I am not Catholic but I am now giving the sign of the cross that I just said that!!!

I expect that that my coffee guy** will be the last time in my life that a man (besides the GG) will be interested in having “coffee” with me. But you never know. Because there was a guy who was interested in meeting up with The Commander a couple years ago and she’s nearing 90. I think the guy down the street needs more people to talk to but I don’t think that Ginger’s “mom” or me are the right people. I don’t feel very good about that but I have work and so many people to keep up with all the time. I have coffee once a week with MMCB but that’s about the only time I can schedule coffee with friends.

* This digital piano is NOT your grandma’s old upright OR your uncle’s ‘lectronic keyboard. It sounded to me like the old Baldwin upright in The Commander’s house. The one that I learned the “puano” on. And my co-worker was wonderful. She is taking lessons again after 35 years and performed the 3rd movement of Beethoven’s Pathetique.

** I HOPE he doesn’t read this. I don’t think he does. If he does, well, he gets what he gets 😉

Women (and men)? Have you been inappropriately approached to the point of ridiculousness? I’m sure men get this stuff too…

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