I’ve been out of the loop for about two weeks. I feel like I’m at a party but not in the gossiping circle. Ah well, I’ll catch up over the next few days. I hope that all of you are doing grand. I’m much better thanks to meds and a peppy attitude.
This evening, I decided to go out on the town and celebrate. Celebrate what? Anything, really. 
I had to make a quick stop at the store for a few bare essentials. While in queue with my two items, I caught a glimpse of the woman clerking behind the counter.
A brunette with tints of gold intermingling with a dark chestnut mane falling to her waist. Our eyes met, both blue, and a mutual smile overtook our faces. I chortled and she turned to ring up the person in front of me.
A few moments later, I stepped up to the plate. She smiled, I smiled and asked how she was doing. We talked and smiled like two blabbering idiots.
I kind of got lost in the bright lights and lost track of time. The bloke behind me cleared his throat and moved to another clerk.
“Three, ninety-nine”
“Really?” I enquired whilst smiling.
“Yes, really”, she responded whilst laughing.
I pulled out a wad of cash and flipped through the 100’s, 50’s, and 20’s to find a 5 dollar bill. She watched me intently, as I flipped through the money. She licked her lips and started making gestures that any idiot could pick up over the age of ten.
Whilst still grinning from ear to ear, I paid her in full.
“Do you have a girlfriend?” She asked whilst smiling and leaning over the counter.
“Nope, not at this particular second”, I replied, as I held up my bling bling Swiss watch. (I’m terrible, I know.)
“Here…Here, let me give you my number”, she said whilst looking around for a pen.
At that particular moment I noticed a wedding band on her ring finger.
With rosy cheeks and the cutest smile, she handed me the number.
“I’m afraid I can’t take this”, I muttered whilst handing it back to her.
“Why not?” She pleaded, as her smile transformed to a scowl.
“That ring on your finger.”
“Oh that….I’m gettin’ a divorce…he…he treated me like dirt”, she answered whilst fiddling with the plain gold wedding band.
“I’m proud of ya, but as much as I’d like to take you out, I can’t ‘til you at least get separated.”
“Why?”
“It’s called a gentleman’s code of honour.”
“Oh, I like you”, she yelled, as she leaned over within Eskimo kissing distance.
She stuffed her number down my coat pocket, and said, “You’re going to need this".
I looked around to discover an older gentleman behind me motioning and giving me a winking thumbs up.
Most men in these parts wink to show approval. I never have figured out why. It’s just one of those southern attributes, I reckon.
Anyhow, I said bye and left. I went downtown and ran into some old friends and had a blast. I could not get that chick out of my head though. Sometimes my code gets in the way.
Should I have asked her when she got off of work? Hmm….
Odds are I’d get busted and have a maniac husband chasing me around with a gun. That’s my father’s job. I play it cool.
I over analyse everything. I wondered while driving downtown whether it was the money, the bling bling, or just me that she liked. I’m trying to learn to live in the moment. It’s hard to do for a person who naturally observes the social intricacies of humanity. I’m workin’ on it though.
New pictures and post coming very soon.
