Sylvia, my wife of 16 years, wanted a life of excitement and nothing I did was enough to satisfy her insatiable appetite for adventure. She demanded lavish vacations, dream houses in exotic locations, sex acts I wasn't inclined to perform. I was only focused on the future, not the present. The pandemic changed that.
We had been saving since I began my career as an accountant and Sylvia insisted it would be a perfect opportunity to travel. I felt it was too risky. Accountants could easily work from home so why risk leaving the house and getting sick? My protests convinced her I wasn't the type to take chances. Long or short, life was passing us by. I condemned us to the here and now -- no future, no adventure, no romance. We drifted apart until our arguments became faint whispers. Soon there was no communication at all.
We didn't part on bad terms, she simply left and never looked back. She was right. I needed more excitement in life, but I didn't need anyone breathing down my neck with disapproval. Nothing about our relationship would have ever changed, but maybe something about me could.
***
The vibrancy of a neighborhood coffee shop was more depressing than the isolation of my dreary apartment. In the 6 months since my wife left, I failed to adapt to the casual interaction of younger patrons. But something else troubled me. An employee that stood about 5'6" with a tight skirt, brown hair and an "Isabel" name tag pinned to her white blouse was impossible to ignore.
I overheard her conversations with Peep about college girls that entered the shop. Peep was a muscly guy working the counter with shaggy blonde hair and a Justin Bieber cuteness. He may have been more than a co-worker -- her best friend, boyfriend, lover -- why did I care? My 44-year-old mind was lost in places it didn't belong, especially with a woman half my age.
When Isabel found me bewildered by the endless menu of beverages, she recommended a lavender latte, reached for the syrup on the shelf above -- her breasts tightened, lifting her blouse, exposing her creamy smooth stomach -- while peering at me with a curious expression. She handed me the steaming cup with an alluring smile. Perhaps she gave everyone the same smile, but to me it felt sweeter. Her passionate eyes and scent of patchouli raised goosebumps and I succumbed to my emotions, flashed a weak smile and whimpered, "Thank you so much."
It was pathetic. Who was I fooling? Did she prefer a middle-aged accountant -- 5'10" with business cut hair and wire frame glasses -- over a blonde muscular dude with a nice bulge but no brains? Not a chance. She was a beautiful outgoing woman with the admiration of everyone who came through these doors. I was invisible. I took my coffee to a far off table to sit alone with my fantasies.
***
Isabel plopped herself into the chair next to me and brushed her hair back, "Whoa, standing behind that counter sure can make a girl wanna lie down. Don't you agree?"
I had no idea how to respond. I shifted on the wooden chair and tugged at my pants to relieve a wedgie. She asked, "What are you playing with?"
"Nothing."
"Oh? I knew lavender was an aphrodisiac, but I didn't know it would make you a monster."
"Um... Shouldn't you be working?"
"You seem to be working it just fine. What do you think my job is anyway?"
I was overwhelmed by her beauty and all I could do was babble, "Are you getting off soon?"
She nodded at my crotch, "Are you?"
"Why are you making it so hard for me?"
Shocked by my accusation, she responded, "I'm not making it hard. I'm not even the one who's playing with it."
I stood up to leave. Isabel said, "Hey, don't go. I'm just joking around. Listening to Peep all day makes me forget my manners."
"Well, my name is Rocket Harding and I really have to go. But I'd like to talk again sometime."
She examined me suspiciously, "Is that your best line?"
"Yup."
I didn't know what to make of her. I visualized elaborate sexual encounters as she looked me over with prying eyes. When I turned to leave, she brushed my hand, "I'll have something waitin' for you at the counter, on me. Same time tomorrow, okay?"
I nodded and quickly escaped before I had the chance to say anything stupid.
***
I couldn't get Isabel off my mind. Was she really interested in me or was she trying to make a maladjusted old man feel comfortable? And what about Peep? Was she attracted to him? Everyone else was. Not even the Beatles had so many eyes blinking at them.
I didn't know how to approach Isabel. Should I ask her on a date? Do people her age go on dates? Her age was the real issue. Someone my age could turn me down without any controversy, but pursuing a younger woman -- is that the right word, pursuing?
This was hopeless. I just needed to be reasonable. There were times to be cautious but this wasn't one of them. I came up with a plan. It was childish, but it was all I had. I would leave a notebook for Isabel to find with my address written in it so she could bring it back to me. If several days passed and I didn't see her, I'd have to get my coffee somewhere else.
***
When I returned to the coffee shop the following afternoon, there was a cup with "Rocket" written on it sitting on the counter. I grabbed it and waded through the Friday crowd to a dark corner table like a lost tourist. I was delighted to see Isabel finally escape and make her way toward me.