09:23 p.m. | 2005-12-08 Lunch? On occasion, I send BestestGirlfriend (BG) an email that says only that. �Lunch?� On occasion, BG sends me an email that says only that. �Lunch?� It�s shorthand for a lot of things. As an innocuous inquiry, it simply asks: �Do you want to share food with me today?� As a certain question, it conveys a much more complicated idea. One that asks: �Are you there for me? How are you, really?, I need to see you, make sure you�re okay. Can you spare some time? What about this crazy-ass shit, what�d you make of it?� Mostly, it�s a one-word signal that we both use to simply say �I need/want to see you�. It works for us. It�s wonderfully deep and amazingly shallow at the same time. And, we�ve been batting �lunch� around for about a week. We met up today. Made it happen. We both seem to know when it�s time to just get together. We need each other in so many different ways. We each learn from the other, each revel in the other and each feel so blessed that we�re friends. When we�re together, it�s often difficult for other people to tell us apart. They call her �Cruel Irony� and they call me �Bestest Girlfriend�. Which is fine by us yet kind of funny. Anyway, we lunched together today. Oddly, whenever we�re together, people seem to be charmed by us. Especially men. Today was no exception. Separately, we both go to this same restaurant on a fairly regular basis and the men (customers and/or staff) are always quite friendly. However, when we go to the restaurant together, it�s a whole different experience. All the male customers/staff seem to trip over themselves to help us, talk to us and sit by us. It�s quite odd. Flattering I suppose, but disruptive to us. We just want to gab. A lot. I mean, really a lot. We can talk for days and we enjoy doing just that. Hence we�re always dismissive to male attention. Which is probably exactly why we garner so much of it. Okay, frolic and detour there. Back to my story� or point or whatever. The best thing is that BG and I lunched together. She�s doing great. Looks tired as hell, which is not surprising, but she�s okay. Almost done with her big huge project, which is somewhat of a debut for her. She�s done a fantastic job and I�m as proud of her as I�ve always been. She�s amazing. Tired and frustrated too. We talked about that today. Things she�s learned throughout this gigantic project she�s been leading. Her woes are normal and all things I�ve gone through before. (In case you don�t know, she�s not even thirty yet; I�m forty-one. It�s not something we notice, per se, but that gap is recognized by us both.) She�s learned some sad truths recently and I can relate. After dealing with all that, we went on to discuss current events in our lives, shared experiences and politics. I rarely discuss politics. Politics are based on beliefs. As such, they tend to be ingrained and close to a person�s heart, soul or mind. In other words, people are passionate about what they believe. Which is great. But not always so conducive to amiable conversations. People believe what they believe. There�s no right or wrong when it comes to politics or religion. Which is why those two subjects have never been recommended for chitchat. What�s so funny to me is that some people do think there are rights and wrongs when it comes to such topics. Passionate stances? Yes. Strong agreement or dissonance? Of course. No right or wrong though. Just thoughts and opinions. BG and I agree about that. Which is why we can talk politics. I love that about her because I can fully and firmly indulge in my instinct to speak about such matters. We�re both rational and balanced (can entertain opposite positions � law school training) so ideas can flow. Which is why we�re confounded by how close-minded people can be about such matters. But, we�re often confounded by the world so we shouldn�t be surprised, I suppose. I�m just happy to have such a great friend. Frankly, I�m grateful for all my girlfriends. I�m so blessed to have so many wonderful women in my life. I really am. I�m not exactly sure why it is that I have so many great friends but I�m certainly grateful. And, of course, we always find humor in the strangest places. To wit. (CI:) (Looking down while walking, noticing a pigeon walking towards us.) Hey, check out that pigeon. (BG:) That one? (CI:) Yeah. Look at his feet. (His/Her left foot was fine. The right one? No foot or toes. At all. Just a stump.) (BG:) Wow. I�ve never seen that before. (CI:) Me neither. (BG:) He�s gimpy. Like me. (CI:) Heh. Except you have a foot. Well, and he doesn�t limp. (BG:) Ha! Her sense of humor� my sense of humor? Same sense. Good thing, I suppose. your thoughts? seed flower