These are strange times indeed. As beautiful Italy is dealing with the pandemic, the likes of which none of us have seen in our lifetime, it's a time for self reflection and contemplation. As of this writing, March 19, 2020, the media says we are two weeks behind Italy in the severity of the pandemic, and I'm sheltering in place. This whole experience brings up the question, "What would you do if you know the world is going to end?" Is death inevitable from this disease that shreds human lungs? With the self-isolation happening, there is plenty of time to think these big thoughts.
But let's back up about a week. A week ago, when self-isolation was only a recommendation, I admit, I was pretty much going about my business as normal. I had dinner on Friday night and the restaurant was eerily empty. At that point, I decided I should self-isolate. I still wasn't too worried -- but looked at the isolation time as an opportunity to let my inner introvert soar with books and art projects that are overdue.
On Sunday, I was contacted by the Trainer. Trainer is a friend with benefits, who has always been delightful and fun. With his job as a personal trainer, he's busy, and I'm always busy so we hadn't seen each other in almost a year. He's a very interesting friend for me, and somewhat unusual. He's 20 years younger than me, in his mid 30's. He has the most perfect body of any male I have ever been intimate with, and that's a decent number of male bodies for comparison. He's handsome, witty, smart, and has a perfect smile. I would sometimes wonder why this beautiful young man would want to hang out with me -- but that thinking has definitely changed to why wouldn't he want to hang out with me?! With our mutual love of Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, liberal politics, and current events, he, with his old soul, and me, with my young one are actually a comfortable match. I think very highly of Trainer in many ways.
He tells me all his training sessions have been cancelled the next day, so he comes over to my place around 11pm. He's as cute as I remembered, and he's toting a Twin Peaks lunch box. Pleasantries are exchanged, and now it's time to have some fun. He opens the box and it's filled with all the accoutrements of smoking the herb. Smoking pot, or smoking anything is really not my thing, and I'm a neophyte for sure. But it feels like the world is ending, and for once, I'm jumping into the party full force. Drugs, check.
We start smoking, and in his gentle and kind manner, he's coaching me on proper technique, length of draw, all the things that one should do. I'm obedient, and follow his smoke rules, while he is happily giving me too much info about the use of hemp string, and don't lean over with my long hair -- all kinds of useful tips. Trainer and I are starting to feel the pleasant buzz, and it's nice. But wait! We're getting thirsty and we'd like a beverage. Now we're in my area of expertise. I have a nice bottle of Absinthe, saved for a special occasion. I make this suggestion to Trainer, and simultaneously, we both think this is an excellent idea. Because it is an excellent idea! Drugs, check. Alcohol, check.
Trainer follows me into the kitchen, where I get the bottle and I also have an old-fashioned reproduction absinthe glass, along with the slotted spoon and sugar cubes! I have all the liquor paraphenalia, and we are in business! I pour the olive colored liquid to the top of the lines, etched in the glass, and put the spoon over the top of the glass with a single sugar cube. I grab another glass to fill with ice water, and attempt to drizzle over the cube, but my motor skills are a bit off, and I just pour the water quickly. Unfortunately, I broke the glass I used to pour the water -- my favorite Ringo Starr glass. I'm sad for about 1 second, but other things are pre-occupying my mind.