Just so you know, the proper answer when the hott green eyed wonder pours the vodka into her belly button and asks if you want a shot, is probably no.
I however, left my brain in a box and having two heads but only enough blood to support one at a time, said, “ Absolutely!”
After all that transpired since,
Yes I would do it over again.
Love, Lust, hyper intelligence, Amazonian capabilities ,fantastic kitchen skills and beauty.
What heterosexual male could say no.
I had been conducting renaissance fencing practices for some of her friends. Which was the how and why I was hanging around her to begin with.
I was thirty seven at the time, she was, I believed, in her mid to late twenties. She had a two year old boy, and worked tech support for an ISP.
When the Saturday afternoon practice was over, I called my bass player to let him know where to pick me up for band practice. While waiting for him, She, poured me a shot of Apple Smirnoff, ice cold from the freezer. When she held out the shot glass to me, just to be polite, I accepted it. Slainte!
The Saturday before, there had been some drama with the baby daddy. She had made a big pot of Green Chili stew and cornbread, which we, her friends and roommate devoured. It was amazing.
Right after eating I was standing on the breezeway, by her front door smoking a cigarette with her roommate. She doesn't smoke, but was holding her son in her arms, standing in the open doorway.
Previously I had seen the baby daddy about, but had not interacted with him. This particular afternoon he showed up uninvited. He approached the three of us there on the second floor breezeway. Loud, belligerent, obviously intoxicated.
It began with him calling her bitch, and demanding she give him money and booze. She refused, told him to leave, not to come back all fucked up. He did not like that. Grew louder more verbally abusive.
I, asked him to chill out, the two year old was crying , b.d. told me to mind my own business. Threatening to “whip her ass”. This was not acceptable. He telegraphed the smack down, I stepped between them. He hit me. “ Now, it's my business. Get the fuck out of here.” I told him.
She had stepped back into her apartment, b.d. tried to step around me slapping at her. I didn't plan anything, simply acted. Honestly, I wasn't thinking about us being on the second floor. Or that it was two and a half floors straight down to the tennis court and pool deck.
I didn't know that skinny white boys bounced. That was interesting. He couldn't fly, as we all discovered, and gravity was in the on position. We all leaned over the wrought Iron railing to survey the moment.
At some point during the abrupt , unplanned rapid departure of b.d. I had lost track of my cigarette. So I lit up another one and continued to watch. No one from the complex made any attempt to check on him or help him.
Before I finished my cigarette, or decided whether or not I was going to check on him, his best friend arrived on the scene. Dude noticed b.d. immediately as he walked into the court yard.
By this point several other residents of the complex, her neighbors, were lined up, observing the results of b.d.’s failed flying lesson. His friend checked him out and scooped him up, then promptly fell into the Holly hedge.
Being New Mexico, the planter held trimmed prickly Holly bushes and cactus. I did not succeed in not laughing. After some El Paso street eloquence amid their struggles, the dynamic duo made their way out to the parking lot and left. I never saw b.d. again.
I hung out in case b.d. was stupid enough to come back. Vodka and Irish whiskey was consumed. She and I sat up all night talking and drinking. Honestly, conversation only. There was no physical contact.
When I saw that morning had broke, and the Bottles were empty, I went Home. A week passed. The next Saturday, I was ambushed. Per training and doctrine, when ambushed, I attacked back.
So, one shot turned to two turned to three. My bass player called me from the parking lot. I gathered my things to leave. That was when she poured the shot into her belly button. I forgot all about band practice.
I stayed the night, the next day as well. I did not make it home until Tuesday afternoon. My roommates had been concerned but had no idea where I was. My bassist had no idea which apartment or building to look for me at. I , had turned off my phone.
When She dropped me off , Chuck was at work, his Gf, Cat, was home. Jack my shepherd was happy to see me. Cat followed me around yelling at me about being worried etc.
I ignored her, went to my room and changed. I had showered earlier that day but I had been, sort of, in the same clothes since Saturday morning. I was checking the damages in the bathroom mirror when Cat walked by the open door.
Cat kind of freaked. The scratches on my back were bleeding, and there were hickeys and bite marks and bruises . “What the fuck Donn, how many were there?” I was confused. “ Huh?”
“Who kicked your ass.? Your bleeding.” she declared.
“Ummm… it's not what you think.” Was all I got out before she realized the nature of my wounds, plus, I was blushing, turning bright red.
Cat stared at me, a moment, “ omg! You are a freak! You better not bleed on my towels. Omfg!” She stomped off.
The next Saturday, She and I, went on a date. We were going hiking and camping out over night in the Mountains. I showed up, with my back pack, ranger roll, mres, and canteen etc. She, had a canteen and two knives.
She asked me what the hell I was carrying. “ I thought we were going hiking and primitive camping.” She stated.
Late that afternoon, she saw a wild rabbit sitting on a stone out crop. She threw one of her knives, a throwing knife. Later, while I set up camp, she gathered wild herbs, ramps etc.
It was the best rabbit I ever tasted. That night, with the Leonids streaking across the New Mexico skies, I realized, that I was In Love, in lust, amazed and extremely happy.
Yes, it was worth it.
Even with the break up and divorce,
Yes I would do it again.
I also have two gorgeous daughters now.
Sometimes you win, and lose and succeed all at once.
Life and love are complicated.