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inertia
Somehow, somewhere, things got really delicious.
After taking in panoramic views from the tip of Mt. Greylock last week, Alex and I stopped at a tiny candy store at it’s base, filled cups with warm apple cider and tried the proprietor’s homemade maple candy. We drove around aimlessly, landing on the main street of Williamstown and waited for the one-man barbershop to have a free chair in which to tame my boyfriend’s overly enthusiastic hair growth. Turbulent Souls finally took a turn for the charismatic as a man named Ivan told the narrator that he could be one thing or another, but he couldn’t be nothing because to be nothing is shameful waste of inertia. Distracted, I stared at the ivy climbing the pillars of the church across the street, each a perfectly speckled symphony of garnet, sienna, and smashed-pea green. The mulled spices absorbed me as the sun slipped behind the mountains, and I buried my nose in the crook of my boyfriend’s neck, inhaling his cologne and trying to bite his shoulder through the corduroy jacket, fully overwhelmed with content-ness.
In a whirlwind of activity, we’ve booked a trip to Paris next month. This Friday, we’re taking a long weekend in Dallas for a wedding (but secretly I’m just looking forward to watching Alex profess undying love to a plate of ribs). Tonight, we’re checking out apartments in the West Village before joining friends in the East for a late dinner. Between all this, there will be family gatherings, tart apple pies, pumpkin-spiced skim lattes, and watching winter’s sparkly descent over the city. Maybe there will be re-runs of last winter’s afternoon skating in Central Park followed by drinks at the Plaza, or maybe this year it will be Tiffany’s and takeout.
I don’t understand forces that swirl around us, making something grand out of the ordinary, making symphonies from the mundane. All I can do is pay homage to them, feel grateful. Tell you about it. Hope it stays. And hope you get yours, too.
comments (13)
my greylock? i went to camp near there as a kid! and hey, at least you're boyfriend is in the same state as you....sooo jealous.
1 | dahl | November 10, 2004 04:34 PM
I wholly recommend that you go to the original concrete shack of Sonny Bryan's (Inwood and Harry Hines) if you want to see Alex profess such love for ribs.
2 | New Blue Shoe | November 10, 2004 05:20 PM
Go for it, big spender!
3 | brownstoner | November 10, 2004 06:34 PM
Will you take me to Paris with you? I know French! Well, kinda. Or... can you just take a picture of you smiling all big and cheezy in front of la Tour Eiffel? I'm so jealous that you're going such neat places and have such a great boyfriend but I'm also happy for you at the same time. OH WOE IS ME.
4 | Colleen | November 10, 2004 07:30 PM
secretly I'm just looking forward to watching Alex profess undying love to a plate of ribs
Considering that woman was supposedly formed from a rib taken from man sheds a whole different light on this sentence… :-)
5 | Aristotle | November 10, 2004 08:58 PM
Thank you.
6 | Kalli | November 10, 2004 10:07 PM
If you tire of French cooking and want a wonderful meal with enthusiastic service, go see Sergio--you will never forget him. The restaurant we enjoyed morst during our stay in Paris was La Casa di Sergio. It's Italian, and having been to Italy this is as good as any restaurant there.
It's a quick walk from the Eiffel Tower.
7 | Tree | November 11, 2004 12:22 AM
I can't remember how I found your blog (most likely it was linked from some other blog I was reading) but I just had to say that I love to read your writing. You write the way I wish I could write. Have a rib-chompin' good time in TX!
8 | Karyn | November 11, 2004 05:54 AM
Paris is a wonderful and beautiful place, except for the French people. I couldn't help but be amused when beggers would curse me for being American and then ask me for spare change. Of course, that was in 1988. I couldn't tell you how they are now. The attitude change is dramatic when you go into the country side though. The citizens are very gracious there.
9 | ccs178 (Chris) | November 11, 2004 09:49 AM
check out Apollo at 3 place Denfert-Rochereau (near a train station)... the BEST food I've ever had... and the BEST desserts. yum!
10 | J | November 11, 2004 12:27 PM
It's lovely how you live up to your name.
11 | Amanda | November 11, 2004 12:51 PM
5 smitten-less days, I'm sensing an engagement is coming on...
12 | jenn | November 15, 2004 05:05 PM
"Paris is a wonderful and beautiful place, except for the French people. I couldn't help but be amused when beggers would curse me for being American and then ask me for spare change. Of course, that was in 1988. " --Chris
Oh, me too. I was there in 86.
I'm not a blogger. I just happened to stumble across this site, while looking for reasons why "ONLINE DATING DOESN'T WORK." Which, in turn, led me to an entry long ago, which led me here.
And now here I am. I don't know if there is an appropriate way to introduce oneself, but I must say that The Smitten's writing is more than entertaining. I feel an addiction coming on.
13 | Suburbanblue | November 15, 2004 05:56 PM