The soft balmy breeze whispered across my face, as if it wanted to expose a secret about Mr. Strawberry. “Oh, do tell,” I said to the wind. And the wind slyly replied, “Well, it wouldn’t be a secret then, would it?” Oh that fickle wind. You never know which way it’s gonna blow.
Refusing any further conversation with the baiting breeze, I stepped into the crowded restaurant on Ocean Avenue, where Strawberry suggested we meet. My eyes darted down the bar and across the waiting area, but there was no tall, red-haired man within radar. The host hadn’t seen him either.
Where was he? Checked my phone…nothing. Was he late? Hope not. Never a good sign. Please don’t let him be one of those tardy guys. It’s just one of those lasting odors where you always want to stand a few feet back, y'know.
Suddenly an expansive hand snuggled my shoulder. I slowly turned. The sight of Strawberry made me silently gasp. His physical fare had become no less appealing.
Get a grip, girl.
“I was at the far end of the bar. Tried to get your attention, but your scanning missed me.”
Had Strawberry spoken? I was still trying to get a grip.
He led me over to the bar where I ordered an extra-dry vodka martini, straight up with a twist. Yum. I didn’t know if that was a wise choice, given my current grip situation, but I promised myself I could have a wee one. (Or maybe two) And I always keep my promises.
(Excellent tip from a New York bartender…“Martinis are like women’s breasts, one is not enough and three are too many.”)
The martini became an easy topic of discussion. As he sipped on his peppery Pinot, I told him my cocktail of choice first appeared on the scene in the late 1800’s. A San Francisco bartender invented it and decided to coin it ‘Martinez’, after his hometown of Martinez, California. Many thanks to that beloved bartender.
By dinner our alliance felt more secure. We were voyaging out, Strawberry and I, exploring the other’s world. Granted, this was due, in part, to a magnificent martini and a fine red wine. But there was a true connection…
to be continued...
