[i]
Waking up at 2 p.m.
Cinnamon Raisin Bagel with Non-Dairy Cream Cheese. Orange Juice.
Stretching and general chores around the house.
A couch surfer arrives. His name is Dustin and he's in the process of an extensive road trip via bicycle. I take him with me to drop off the recycle bin and buy some groceries at Trader Joe's. He explains that Youngstown, Ohio, where he's from is "kind of off the map."
"Well, welcome to the map!" I say.
Lentil Sandwich with Tomatoes, Hummus, and Cucumbers. Salt n Vinegar Chips. Honey Green Tea. Peach Greek Yogurt.
Laron shows up with plans to crash here for a few weeks to get away from some of the domestic troubles in his house. Him and Dustin hop in my car and we drive out to Norfolk for James, Richie, and Amy's art show at Cure Coffeehouse.
...
The place is located right near the harbor in a quaint yuppie part of the city – the streets paved in rocky cobblestone. It's a small humble coffee shop. James has on display a collection of portraits he's painted, some on the back of pizza boxes and some on wood panels. Richie's got his wild signature 60's style pieces on the wall. And Amy shows us very detailed gothic cartoonish pictures. Sipping on Coffee and mingling. There's delicious h'orderves to satisfy our stomachs.
Entertaining and challenging ourselves with this little wooden game called Space Force where you have to carefully pull apart two rods holding a steel ball and slide the ball using gravity to guide it into holes each representing a planet. The further away the ball lands the more points you get.
I pick up an acoustic guitar and encourage singing. While playing a few duets with Ana I try to encourage her to find the harmony and be confident about it.
James: "Harmonizing is like holding hands. You just go for it."
Not to say Ana doesn't have a confident voice cause she does, and a very well experienced one at that. The excitement between us is motivating. We plan to develop an arsenal of songs to perform together.
Back home we all congregate in the dining room and the kitchen cooking up steaks, spinach, carrots, and cookies. General camaraderie.
...
James hands Ana his phone to pick out music to play: "You're the Youtube deejay."
Me: "DJ Youtube Ana!"
...
I pull up The Powerpuff Girls soundtrack for Laron, James, Ana, and I. Eventually, the Walk to Remember soundtrack comes on and the song "Dancing in the Moonlight" motivates us out of our seats. James provides the moonlight via flashlight app on his smart phone.
Then, Mortal Kombat induces a nostalgic frenetic energy in me. Acrobatics with the chairs, the pogo stick, broom sticks, stools, etc. Laron doesn't hesitate to take part.
...
It's just another night at 1435.
I settle down in my room and get a few texts from Ana after she left, "I really enjoy the spontaneous consistency that takes place everytime I hang out with you. I think you should wear 70's style clothing and rollerskate. Anyways..I really appreciate that you're such an understanding kind of person. Thank you. I know you say that I'm sweet, but I still think you're sweeter. I feel like you do so much for me. Or maybe the word I should use is 'share'. You share your room, your clothes, your music, your topchef talent, your friends, and the list could go on and on and on like OUR list of to do things. I want to be sweet to you. You deserve to be smothered in sweetness! :) :) I wouldn't ever want to be bitter towards you! You seem to have an even temper."
Me: ":) :) :) :) My goal is to enrich your life."
Ana: "Hey! That's MY goal too! Hopefully we can enrich each other's lives!"
[i] Photos by me.
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