Redefining New Orleans In Iowa
I just got off the phone with TRS (the one who's originally from NO but now lives in FL). All I can say is what I don't want to say because I don't want to get ahead of myself...
He asked me about my last Spanish class & I told him the truth...I skipped it for a massage and sea salt body scrub at the end of a long & stressful day at work.
I asked him when he had his first kiss & he told me it was when he was 13 and in Russia (really?! Russia?!) It turns out that he's more of a world traveller than I am! And as he remarked, "But I'm not an international lover like you," referring to the Norwegian, "but maybe I became one at 13." Hmmm.
Then he asked me when my birth day was since he was Googling me at the time (which I found a little creepy at first, but then remembered that I'd Googled him after our first conversation) and saw that my birthday is October '74. "That's me!" he exclaimed. "What day is your birthday?" he asked. After I told him he paused, so I asked, "When's yours?" which was a question I'd been thinking about earlier today in anticipation of our next conversation. Lo & behold, we were born two days apart! No wonder we have so much in common.
We continued our conversation about children, experiences, & careers. He asked me if I've always been so career oriented. "I've never had a choice," I remarked. "I've always had to think of providing for my son & myself since he was born & his father & I divorced while I was still in school." I then told him that I'd love to revel in simply being a mother if I could have the same standard of living and didn't have to be a provider. Then, somehow, we ended up talking about music.
I asked him what his favorite type of music is and he replied, "Reggae." I asked if he liked the old school Bob Marley reggae or the Shabba Ranks reggae. He gave his explanation and he asked me what kind of music I like. I shared the repetoire that makes up my eclectic collection (including country) and he said, "how did I know you'd like country music?!" Then I asked him if he likes jazz (besides the Sade he falls asleep to every night). He said he likes some and I offered to share the little bit of Cassandra Wilson that I have while keeping in mind the one bootleg copy of Amel Larieaux I got from the SJA. I told him "I might definitely have to make a mixed cd for you," and we both laughed at my totally "me" statement. Then it hit me. This man could very well redefine New Orleans for me.
During my years in NO, the SJA introduced me to a lot of things, good and bad. Some of the good things he shared with me include the eclectic music that still speaks to my soul and has helped define who I've become. In the recent past, I haven't been able to listen to that music without thinking of the bad parts of myself my relationship with the SJA magnified. I'm beginning to think that by sharing them with TRS and having a healthy (read: truly friendly) relationship at a distance, that New Orleans may be redefined for me while I'm living in Iowa.
He asked me about my last Spanish class & I told him the truth...I skipped it for a massage and sea salt body scrub at the end of a long & stressful day at work.
I asked him when he had his first kiss & he told me it was when he was 13 and in Russia (really?! Russia?!) It turns out that he's more of a world traveller than I am! And as he remarked, "But I'm not an international lover like you," referring to the Norwegian, "but maybe I became one at 13." Hmmm.
Then he asked me when my birth day was since he was Googling me at the time (which I found a little creepy at first, but then remembered that I'd Googled him after our first conversation) and saw that my birthday is October '74. "That's me!" he exclaimed. "What day is your birthday?" he asked. After I told him he paused, so I asked, "When's yours?" which was a question I'd been thinking about earlier today in anticipation of our next conversation. Lo & behold, we were born two days apart! No wonder we have so much in common.
We continued our conversation about children, experiences, & careers. He asked me if I've always been so career oriented. "I've never had a choice," I remarked. "I've always had to think of providing for my son & myself since he was born & his father & I divorced while I was still in school." I then told him that I'd love to revel in simply being a mother if I could have the same standard of living and didn't have to be a provider. Then, somehow, we ended up talking about music.
I asked him what his favorite type of music is and he replied, "Reggae." I asked if he liked the old school Bob Marley reggae or the Shabba Ranks reggae. He gave his explanation and he asked me what kind of music I like. I shared the repetoire that makes up my eclectic collection (including country) and he said, "how did I know you'd like country music?!" Then I asked him if he likes jazz (besides the Sade he falls asleep to every night). He said he likes some and I offered to share the little bit of Cassandra Wilson that I have while keeping in mind the one bootleg copy of Amel Larieaux I got from the SJA. I told him "I might definitely have to make a mixed cd for you," and we both laughed at my totally "me" statement. Then it hit me. This man could very well redefine New Orleans for me.
During my years in NO, the SJA introduced me to a lot of things, good and bad. Some of the good things he shared with me include the eclectic music that still speaks to my soul and has helped define who I've become. In the recent past, I haven't been able to listen to that music without thinking of the bad parts of myself my relationship with the SJA magnified. I'm beginning to think that by sharing them with TRS and having a healthy (read: truly friendly) relationship at a distance, that New Orleans may be redefined for me while I'm living in Iowa.
posted by N'j at 10:30 PM
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