Forever January

“I’m hungry. Let’s go get something to eat.”

“What do you mean, ‘let’s go get something to eat’? It’s almost midnight and I’m in my pyjamas!”

“Yeah, but Louie’s is open 24-hours and they have the best chocolate chip pancakes in the world!”

“I don’t know … It’s pretty late. You should be sleeping.”

“But I’m not. And you’re not. So let’s go get some chocolate chip pancakes. But, my dear, you will have to drive. I’m a little inebriated.”

And so this was our first meeting. And it was like two old friends meeting after many years of separation. No awkwardness. No long pauses of silence.

Chocolate chip pancakes and staying up until 6 am, talking and drinking wine.

“I want to take you to the gardens and Tsunami tomorrow. Do you want to go?”

“Sure,” I say — all the while thinking, “Well, we’ll see. Usually there’s never a call back!”

But thank you for making me get out and living a little, for giving me a non-normal night.