I love Valentine’s Day. I don’t know why. I just love love, I guess. Here are some short midweek stories in honor:
The other day, Sean told me I had been doing "kitty talk" in my sleep the night before. You know, like baby talk but for the kitten. "Here, kitty kitty! Come here, Puff..." And that, moments later, she was there outside our door, responding to my call. Cracked me the heck up. Poor kitty, so confusing-- "yes? well?" I love her so much. But also, that sounds like THE creepiest way to talk in one's sleep. Sorry, Sean.
I was in a public restroom once and the motion sensor faucet was being difficult for a woman near me who just wanted to wash her hands and get out, for crying out loud. I watched her gesticulate wildly in an attempt to please the faucet gods. It sort of became a wild dance, and it took so long that when it finally did respond and started to work, it scared her and she jumped. Delighted, I commented to her, "Surprise!" She did not respond.
Yesterday at Harmons i was waiting in line at the bread counter. The woman in front of me was on her home waiting for her loaf to be wrapped up. She walked away and I stepped up. I told the employee what I’d like and looked down and at an already existing and wrapped loaf sitting on the counter. It was so weirdly out of place that at first we said nothing and just stared. Then, an exchange went like this:
The employee said, “Wait.. did she not get her bread?”
“I was so confused,” I said.
“She’ll be back,” she replied.
“She’ll be back,” I agreed.
Then, when the employee returned with my loaf and finished wrapping it I said,
“Or, she’ll only think she got her bread and then go home and be like, where’s my bread?”
She replied, “That’s what will happen. That’s what I would do.”
“Same,” I said. And then, after picturing myself clutching another person’s bread to my bosom, running after her through Harmons yelling “Waaait! You forgot your bread!” I just left it there and walked away.Once in Bklyn, I was driving on a gloomy, rainy, very gross wintery day. I was in the car at a red light and I spotted this guy crossing the street in the midst of a questionable umbrella experience that brought me a lot of joy. For at least five blissful seconds I watched him carry his umbrella like this:
What you are looking at is a man whose umbrella has collapsed yet he remains unawares. He finally realized he was not, in fact, being kept dry, and he looked up to investigate at least three times before he fully digested the situation, rectified it, and I was so, so pleased. I laughed all the way home. It’s one of my favorite things to think about.
Sean does not like to be jump-scared. I’ve learned this many times and now do my best to respect his wishes but he is so fun because he always jumps sky-high or makes some kind of semi-human sound. Also, often it is accidental. Once, on Valentine’s Day many years ago, I was home in the apartment when I heard Sean approaching in the outer hallway. Just as he opened the door to enter, I slid into view in my socks as a fun hello. It startled him so badly that, in defense, he reflex-threw a bouquet of flowers he’d been carrying which hit me in the face and fell in a heap to the floor.
And these are all examples of the kinds of things that make my day. Hope yours is full of things/people/exchanges/scenes you love.
Sincerely,
Your JenPal-entine.
Oh man, the kitty talk. I can just hear it and it keeps making me break out into laughter out of no where. Thank you for sharing that. And all of these. Finding joy and humor all around us, no matter the size or place, is the only way to live.
I'm super late to the party but...! The bread counter story reminded me of a story on your blog shortly after you relocated back to Utah and tried to buy legit baguettes. You explained that the bread should be crusty and the girl said, "Well, if you leave it out for a day..?" I STILL laugh about that!