"Oh, I remember! And there's that packet of sugar you picked up at the Bar Il Palio, there on the plaza where they race the horses! You still have it after 9 years???"
Of course I do. It's still held by a magnet to my refrigerator, as is this souvenir postcard from the Wegman show at the Jepson. That Palazzo was the background as I sat and watched folks in the evenings.
"I do like those colors you added, like frosting on a celebration cake. Nice of the artist to have that card!"
Right place, right time!
"Absolutely! And just where were you that you felt as though you were back in Italy?"
On the patio outside Cancun. We were taking a change from going Thai, and she really loves this place, too. You know that brick facade out front, with the arch openings? Well, from where I was sitting, the curve of the arch matched the curve of the big oak, with blue sky and a changing parade of clouds... and my mind began thinking of Italy.
"My goodness, just how long were you out there in the sun?"
Oh, no, I was in the shade of that palm tree on the patio. That said, I was there for quite a while. I had arrived early and settled in to wait for her. After standing around for four or five songs, I went into the restaurant to check the time. Was it 1:30 yet? "It's 1:18," the hostess told me, suggesting I sit while I waited. And so I did, but outside, under the cloud-mottled blue sky of summer.
"So, you didn't sit long out there."
Oh, but I did. She's job hunting and had texted to say she would be there between 2 and quarter past. My phone had stayed home on the charger, so I had no idea. That's why I had to ask about the time earlier.
"I had wondered about that. So, when did she get there?"
I saw her blue Jeep just about the time I was going to go ahead and get my shopping done at Publix. I gave her a big smile and we sat down in the cool of Cancun. She checked her watch and said it was 2:10.
"Wow."
I thought it was a nice coincidence that I'd waited as long for her as I had waited for my appointment with the breast cancer doctor this morning.
"Wow."
I know, right? Sure felt like right place, right time, to me! I even talked about that to Dawn, and she had asked how I had passed that much time in the waiting room.
"Yeah, forty minutes is a long time at a doctor's office. Was the waiting room full?"
No, just me there. So I listened to the health-tv spots: nasal polyps and how they're caused (I have had one in my right nostril for more than 20 years); three different types of insulin shots (I wonder which one Bunny takes); the timeline for lung clearing after stopping smoking (it's been 25 years since I did, so my risks are now same as those of a nonsmoker, and have been for the past decade).
"Dang, g'friend! Well, at least it gave you some table conversation!"
Even better! I found out that Dawn had once had laser surgery for the many nasal polyps she had, as that was supposed to improve her breathing. Sadly, it had not. I was also reminded that she was once a cigarette smoker, too, but quit almost 14 years ago. Her no-smoking anniversary is in January. Oh, I just thought about that! That's about how long she and the Koz have been a couple!
"That would have been a good question for her! Maybe that's why she stopped."
That could very well be. I know that Frank stopped for love of Mama.
"Yes, and they had a few years of travel fun after that, until COPD caught up with him."
That would have been sometime in 1992. I remember he had an oxygen tank at mine and Jeff's wedding out under the oaks at Wormsloe.
"Good memories! I remember that the bridal march music wouldn't play, so Ronnie had started loudly humming the song and Smitty and Tony had chimed in, as had Sam and Bobby! What a hoot!"
Yes, it was. Good memories!
"And I take it this means good movie?"
It does!!! "Free Guy" has been all I hoped it would be, after waiting for almost two years for it. It's a pinch of "The Truman Show" and a dollop of "The Matrix", plus a dash of "Groundhog Day" and heaping spoonful of "Dead Pool"!
"I see. So, it's a hopeful romantic comedy that features a man who was clueless?"
Exactly! Yes, that's it exactly!
"And you've used all three of your A*List freebies for this one movie?"
Not quite! I just found out that it's going to be on the Big D screen tomorrow night!!! At last!!! Nothing against "Respect", but that screening room is meant for panoramic vistas and large explosions... and the Aretha Franklin film has none of that. Plus, it's super long. "Free Guy" gets in and gets it done in under two hours. That's been a rarity this summer for action films. That's why I've only seen "Black Widow" and "F9" once, but I've watched the delightful "Jungle Cruise" multiple times!
"Like you're doing with this Ryan Reynolds."
Exactly.
"And like you may do next week with this same movie."
Well, possibly. The new Hugh Jackman starts Friday and it's science fiction. So, I just may need a double-header of the new "Reminiscence" with "Old", just to satisfy that itch.
"Heard. Okay, get your Almost Applebee's Wonton Tacos ready! 'Press Your Luck' will be on in another thirty minutes!"
So will the "Quantum Leap" with Sam as Elvis. Decisions, decisions!
"Enjoy, dear!"
1 comment:
No luck on pairing "Old" and "Reminiscence".
"Old" was gone this week from the AMC offerings.
Barbara found it playing still in Pooler, and suggested a 10 PM Tuesday screening on Tuesday... but I told her that was too late for me.
As it was.
I also told her the reason I'd wanted to see it again was as part of a double header with the Jackman film.
She and I had seen that one together, by the way.
What a nice treat for both of us!
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