The Visible Woman...April 20, 2001

Friday

April 20, 2001

"Skill come so slow, and life so fast doth fly,
We learn so little and forget so much."

Sir John Davies, Nosce Teipsum

Dad digs for tomato planting

green onions from the garden

TGIF

I remember a high school teacher telling a story about a student who found himself on a train in Europe. Unable to converse with his companions in the compartment in English or their languages, they resorted to Latin. I found this story very impressive, if implausible. I couldn't imagine being on a train in Europe or being able to converse in Latin. I would have loved to do both things. I've ridden a lot of trains in Europe but I know close to zero Latin.

Before I could get off to work, Dad came by. He had some tomato plants and his shovel. He is planting some tomatoes in my neighbor's garden. He pulls up some green onions for me. (My favorite produce.) Sometimes he shows his 84 years. Other times he seems like a rock.

So, I went to work. I had a meeting. I have given the people presenting my opinion before. I have since realized that (1) their boss disagrees; (2) their boss has the power. Therefore, I pedal back my opinions and look for information. Then I look to convince them that taking certain first steps is more in line with what both of us believe will work.

I fool around with some other stuff. I ask some buddies stuff in e-mail. I can't make myself understood to one until he comes down in person and we talk and then he says 'oh, I see what you want to do.' I try to find out who in the company does a certain job. Must go through the org chart next week and try to figure it out.

SuRu and I had lunch at the parents. Pimento cheese sandwiches, ham sandwiches, salad. Mom says that her computer did something when she tried to send a message.

Mom:
I tried to send and it yelled and screamed about wanting a phone number but I didn't give it one.

Me:
It yelled and screamed?

Mom:
Well, not really. But it didn't send it.

Me:
I clicked send and it sent it. I'll have to see it when it does it to figure it out.

Dad doesn't feel well. He seems old. Mom says he told her he was going to Home Depot and the grocery store and then he also planted the tomatoes and was gone a long time. "I've been home long enough to have two naps," he asserts. He is examining the skin on his arm which is wearing out and occasionally rips off if he knocks it. He is out-living his skin. He has had gall blabber surgery but feels like he has gall bladder problems again.

FFP has a meal almost made when I get home. Salmon with grain mustard, peas with jalapenos, spicy kale. It is tasty. I pick out a 1994 Rhone. We have some Brillat Savarin (the cheese not the old, dead foodie) for dessert. Nothing seems to be on TV so we watch Casablanca for the umpteenth time. I always notices something new. When the Germans order champagne and caviar, I suggest we go out to Jeffrey's and have some caviar after the movie.

We peek in Johnny's dining room and he and Jim are talking about our unsung hero award. Jeffrey's bar is hopping. But Jim makes way for us to have a table. I get a glass of champagne, FFP some Shiraz. We have Osetra. And a cheese plate. And a dessert. And some espresso. The bar allows smoking and dining but the smoke eaters make it tolerable. (These are not people eating smoke but machines that do it. Amazing.) There are four of five people smokeing. All women. There are several tables with just two women. No recession in evidence here.

At home, sleep comes easily.