Lovers and other strangers

Today while I was walking back to the office after lunch, there was a man. An awkwardly handsom man. He barely looked at me, although, he wanted to look up and stare. He wanted to walk over, say hello, ask my name and see if he could meet me for coffee or cocktails, or whatever it is that most normal people do for first dates. I, however, don't know how first dates go because I rarely go on first dates that didn't start out as "business drinks" or sometimes I'm lucky enough to have the dreaded "second" first date. That's when you give someone you already know isn't right for you another chance to wine and dine you (or probably just pay for one martini then try to "hit it"). However, these typically don't go much further, because it's easy to see why it didn't work out to begin with and no, "hitting it" is out of the question because dates that struggle to get past one martini usually end quickly with a horrifing peck on the cheek that you absolutely could have lived without.

So, back to my guy on the streets of Santa Monica, no he's not homeless, well at least I don't think he was. In my mind he would have invited me for coffee, probably at the Coffee Bean on Wilshire at 9th Street. But quite frankly I'm more of an Urth Cafe kind of girl. But I'll settle for the Coffee Bean on Wilshire. It's nice, quite, and they have that fabulous fire pit outside. He's having a Latte and me, I'm having Chi Tea. We start chatting, realizing how much we have in common. He's some sort of creative type, a painter, or novelist, enjoys being outside, loves dogs, and is obsessed with his new found sport, snowboarding. We chat about things that don't matter like traveling, he just returned from South America, and can't wait to go again. He wants to hear my stories and looks at me like I am the most beautiful woman alive. He is attentive. Interested. For this hour, I feel that I am truly living outside of myself. I am not sitting next to a man I may work with one day, it's a man that I could be partners with and share my life with. This is a man I can learn from, he could make me a better, stronger person. He believes in changing the world rather than degrading it. He would rather save starving dogs than power lunch at Barney's Greengrass. Why is he in LA? Is this man here to change my life, or I am here to change his. We could be the best of friends or perhaps even lovers. He sheds a bright shiny new existance on my life. He broadens my knowledge or art and creativity. All of this just over coffee.

The sad thing is this man, never even spoke to me and we already had a life together! (In my mind at least).