All The Small Things

Mood: Exuberant
Listening to: Winter Olympics

These are the things that I would have recorded and put on my talking keyboard if I was told I had to have my voicebox removed tomorrow and could never speak again...

• I Love You
• You Look Beautiful Today
• Thankyou
• Please
• I love having you in my life
• Don't stress, it'll be fine
• Laughter
• Thats fantastic!
• This is delicious
• That feels amazing

There are probably more, but I think that there would be a limit on those keyboards. Funny the things that pop into your head sometimes isn't it!

So I went out with the watchmaker on Thursday night. We ended up having dinner in a lovely restaurant in town, and then went bowling again.

It was funny actually, because it was the day that the Baton Relay came through town, and there were a lovely bunch of African's in town to do some cross-cultural activities, drumming, dance and cooking etc.

So in the morning the lady who works down the road a ways, in the Community Arts Centre, bought a little group of the African men in to meet myself and Nise, the lady who works with me on a Thursday. They were all lovely, but there was one guy who just took a shine to us (and by us I mean me!).

"It is a pleasure to meet you Sa-ssy, I never knew such an angel could exist"

Blushing like crazy as this 6'7" stunningly gorgeous man takes my hand in his... "Dear Lord! If you're going to say things like that, you can stay!"

"I will stay if you want me to. Just say the word my angel."

He was serious. Intense. Frightning, in an I-know-you-are-serious kind of way.

Anyway, he had to go drumming (he's a drummer - in his spare time. In "real life" he's just arrived from Asia, where he was the head of a well known Multinational IT concern. He's currently consulting for them, while deciding whether he wants to buy a real estate office, or perhaps a labour recruitment service. As you do.) But when he had a break, he came and got me and took me to have some African food - Pounded Yam with Melon Seed Soup, which I can tell you was rather more delicious than it sounds.

He was lovely, and asked if I would go to the Civic Reception with him that night. I said I couldn't, as I already had plans with the watchmaker, but that I could meet up with him afterwards. He was heading out to the lady from the Arts Centre's house, so I said I'd meet them there. No worries.

So the watchmaker drove to my place, and we took my car into town (we took his last time). I told him about my day, he told me about his, we just chatted and laughed and carried on like children really. We had dinner, which was lovely, then we hung about in the restaurant and had a couple of drinks before heading over to the bowling alley.

It was a funny old night really. I definitely had more fun than we did the first time we went bowling (on our "date") and I think he did too. It was really relaxed, we had a drink while we were bowling, I managed to stay upright the whole time. What's not to enjoy about that!

And I beat him. Twice. By heaps. It was brilliant. There was no pressure to impress, I could just be my true self. We laughed so much my stomach hurt!

After bowling, we went for icecream, and took a walk down by the river. He chased some possums (as you do), and we played on the swings. We talked the whole night - just the same getting to know you stuff as always. I enjoy his conversation, he's quite witty, and much more intelligent than most of the men here.

From there, we took a drive up to the lookout (his suggestion), and sat on the benches up there for a while. It got a little bit weird there, its a romantic spot, on the very top of a hill in the centre of town, with 360 degree views. Its stunning. He said some very very odd things, compliments etc. I pulled him up a couple of times. At one point he said something to the effect of "Its not easy being a single guy in Sassville..." to which I replied that he WASN'T single, and he really needed to stop describing himself as such, because its a lie.

We talked a little bit about his business, I asked him why he'd moved all that way to start it in Sassville, when he could have stayed in the city with his girlfriend. After all, if he's only planning to stay for a couple of years and then sell it off, its a lot of effort to put in only to see someone else take it over.

He said he wouldn't sell it as a business, he'd shut the business down and sell the building.

I told him in that case he was nuts. Why would you put your heart and soul into something just to shut it down? Whats the point?

He said he didn't know what he was going to do yet, he might still be in Sassville when he's 100. Hate to be indecisive!!

In the car on the way home, he was giving me advice:

"You know, you should stop looking for a boyfriend, then one'd show up."

"I'm not looking for a boyfriend. I've given up. Men are all quite quite mad, and I'm happier on my own. I've had enough. I'm taking a break for a while."

"I don't know why you can't find a nice bloke. You're a great girl, if I wasn't attached, I'd go out with you."

"Thanks a lot."

"Well, I'm not saying that you'd want to go out with me, but I'd like to go out with you."

I changed the subject at this point. I'm not going to say "Oh, I'd like to go out with you too". What flaming rubbish. Thats what he was fishing for, but I'm not playing that game. That is just an inappropriate thing to say really. What's he looking for? The safety net of having a relationship to jump into should he decide to break up with his girlfriend? I'm not playing into that.

Then he say's "I thought you would have worn that nice brown top that you had on last week"

He thought I would have worn it because he'd said several times during the week that he liked it. Well, again, not playing that game.

"You should wear it tomorrow, and I'll come down and see you"

"I don't think so! What on earth makes you think you can dictate what I'll wear! I'll wear it when I want to, not when you tell me to!" Laughing

The bugger of it was, I already had the top ironed and ready to wear the next day. Its new, and I love it - it fits beautifully, and is this sort of funky chinese style that is flattering in ways I had never imagined a top could be. I love it!!

So I didn't wear it, I chose something else instead, just a t-shirt and some cargoes. There's a part of me that knows that if I had worn the top that he wanted, he would have considered that a victory of some sort, and would have thought that I'd done it for him. At the same time, I don't know if NOT wearing it sends a similar message. I changed my mind about it, because he said that I should, and I was crossing him, but by crossing him, I was going back on a decision that I had already made for myself.

Does that even make sense? I'd decided to wear the damn top on Friday about three days earlier, washed it, ironed it (and I do not iron) and had it all layed out ready to go. Then I didn't wear it, to spite him. It just seems rather silly. I should do what I want to do, not the opposite of what he wants me to do, especially if what he wants is what I want.

I think my brain is going to explode!

Anyway, back to the original story, we got home to Sassville about midnight. Which was about 2 hours after I thought we'd get back. I got the very strong impression that the watchmaker was stalling me, so that I couldn't get back to spend some time with my African friend.

If that was indeed his aim, he succeeded. I missed them at the Art Ladys house by about 15 minutes. But my African man came into work the next morning, I apologised for missing him, he told me how disappointed he was. We exchanged phone numbers, he said he'd call me.

He called last night, and again this morning. He's very sweet, and interesting to speak to - Africa is a fascinating place, and I'm learning a lot from him. I really don't know what will happen here - but I'm just going to keep going with the flow.

I think that should be my new motto really - Just Going With The Flow.

Never a dull moment in Sassville.

Things I have done this week that I haven't done in ages:

Climbed a tree

Cracked a whip

Got bitten by a dog (playfully)

Had ice put down my pants and top

Ate violently green coloured icing

Danced in daylight in public

 

God I love my life.