For Old Time's Sake/Reentry

Old Time's Sake

Four years ago, on the last Sunday of Jazz Fest, and a party at T&A's, I met R. I was recently out of a relationship, and scoping the party, and he was pretty drunk and totally enamored of me. He impressed me by guessing my astrological sign on the second try.

This is also the first time I remember meeting J, although he claims we met before. He might be right. But I remember talking to R about baseball, and J about betting on the ballet. The only way to make it interesting, he continues to assert, is by betting on which ballerina will fall and break something.

So there I am, a little 23 year old girl, in over my head without realizing it, sitting in a circle of chairs with R to my right, me trying to carry on conversation with the group, he holding my hand and staring wistfully at me. How was this 30 year old man so goofy, I thought. We made out in the alleyway before I went home, and it was terribly fun, and S screamed down from her window at us... and he never called me again. When I ran into him months later, he admitted he had a girlfriend, and still had the girlfriend and.. well, yes. Men are idiots. And pigs.

So, this past Sunday, after the festival, all the people came to my house, and I was wearing my new skirt, and meeting people and having a great time... and everyone left except J, and... Do I have to say more? He said "You're being flirty." Really? Is that it? It would be so much easier if the sex weren't so unbelievable.

So then we go to T&A's, and R has arrived, and I take J home, but not before I tell R I wouldn't mind making out with him in the alley again. I return, and we make out on the couch. I have to say, 4 years is the longest its taken me to get to 3rd base! Maybe we'll sleep together next jazz fest.


Reentry.

Funny thing about all this is returning to a normal life. I went to the gym last night, and ran and worked out, and I feel like gangbusters today. I was excited to come to work, had new energy and whatnot. Also went to go see a show last night, which was a lot of fun (with the groom: is that bad?), but glad I didn't pay for the ticket.

Returning to normal life after 2 weeks of the festival or 2 weeks of carnival, or even 40 days of abstinence... that is the greatest challenge. My officemate asked me yesterday, "So what now? What happens in New Orleans now that Jazzfest is over?"

We count the days until Hurricane Season, I told him.