The Seattle Chronicles: Day Ten

"Of all the glad New Year, mother, the maddest, merriest day;
For I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be queen o' the May..."

(Anyone for Tennyson???)

I must have overslept just a bit. But I knew I had to get packing today, if I was going to leave tomorrow. But first...

Lauren was a marketing consultant, originally from a town just outside of Philadelphia. She had lived in Falls Church, VA, a few miles from where I live now, for at least 25 years. She had only moved to Seattle a year and a half ago, and took up zydeco this past summer. We met on New Year's Eve, and discovered (again) what a small world it was. We met for coffee early that afternoon. After well over an hour of pleasant conversation, and shopping at Renovation Hardware store (because I just love their gift items, especially after Christmas at half price), we parted.

I looked around at everything I had to pack. Then I called the airline. It seemed that the route from Midway to BWI was overbooked already, and they expected some delay. I offered to take the same flight on the following day.

That evening, I sat with Lauren in front of the television, watching a video of one of my favorite movies, "Dance With Me," starring Vanessa Williams and Cheyanne. It's all about salsa dancing, but it's also about the attitude that goes with it -- if you really understand the heart and soul of it. Lauren had taken a salsa workshop once, and didn't quite get it. I reminded her of the similar Caribbean origins of salsa and zydeco, and proceeded with a hands-on demonstration. "One, two, three, rest, five, six, seven, rest, one, two, three, rest..." and so on, starting with the basic zydeco step, and moving right into the basic salsa step. She got it alright.

We were up past midnight, looking out at the rain on the lights of the city, that beautiful city in the distance. We reflected on the year that was past, and talked of dreams for the coming year. I had found a momentary soul mate, and certainly a new friend.

The rain was falling still as I drove home after one in the morning. The radio was on 105.3 FM, a local Christian rock station. They played songs of hope, that which was beyond human grasp. How fitting an end for the day.