12/27/10

A cup of tea with you
By Rubie Irene


So, I have this date planned.. with you..
I have been thinking about it all day... drinking my tea and wondering what you are doing.. It's insane.. I know.. but I have been planning this for a few hours now.. I'll let you in on the details.. hope you don't mind.. I will try not to spoil too much..

I figured we would start early.. I will try and fit a lot into a day.. I hope you don't grow tired of me.. but in all honesty that thought of spending any amount of time with you gives me those stupid little butterflies we talked about before..

Breakfast sound good? We can go to globe. I know how much you like it there.. besides.. some place you are familiar with to start.. I will let you order for me as long as you promise to let me pay? Does that sound alright? I am really not that hungry though I must say. I tell you about what I read about in yesterday's paper when I was staring at my phone hoping you would message me.. you did.. thank you for that.. I notice you staring at me behind your cup.. I pretend I don't see you, but the way your eyes can see through me is amazing. It feels unexplainable.. I like it though.. so please don't stop. I'll try not to let on that I know... I will tell you about it later though.. so I can see you blush...

It was far too short of a time but you look ready to go. I hope you aren't calling it a day. I ask what you would like to do.. you say it's up to me.. Thank grace.

I ask if you are up to walking.. you say it's fine.. So we walk to Elliot bay book store.. I am hoping they have this flash book I have been waiting weeks for.. every time I go in there I feel like I am in high fidelity and Jack black keeps saying "maybe next week".. I tell you this and you laugh at me.. I usually might be offended but I know you mean it in the most endearing way possible.. plus, I could not possibly be mad at you.. not with a smile like that.. We walk out of the store empty handed.. naturally. I just want to stare at you for a while.. even this old beautiful architecture doesn't hold up to you.. I want you to know that.. I begin writing you a poem in my head.. I'll let you read it later once I pen it down..

This all feels so surreal by now. I hope it's not. I hope it's not.

It's a long walk back to my car.. but I hardly notice. You talking to me makes the entire world around me fade. I don't notice the obscenities being yelled at me by the construction workers on 5th avenue.. I forgive them anyhow.. working on the same street for this long would have me a little loopy as well.. I'm trying to remember how you looked at me over breakfast.. It would be enough to keep me warm..

You ask where we are headed next.. I don't want to tell you in case you think it is cheesy. We head over to my side of town.. I think you can see where we are going.. but maybe not..
The kittie shelter has always been one of my favorite places to go.. because of this, I arranged a playdate with a few local felines.. I know how much you like them so I figure this might put a smile on your face.. I am hoping to adopt one.. perhaps you will give me your opinion? I want to ask you but you seem like you are in kitty heaven. I choose they grey one.. I will name it something studious..

By this time I would hope you are having fun.. If not I really wish you would tell me...

I'm ready for lunch, you say you could go for some.. We head over to Hillside Quickies on Brooklyn.. It's one of my favorite sandwich shops in the city.. You ask me what is good.. I tell you everything is.. I know.. I am of no help.. but watching you study that menu is something to be remembered.. I take a mental picture.. You are really a sight you know?

Lunch kind of slides by like a whirlwind. You appreciate the kitchy vibe of this place, you talk about the art on the walls, I watch your hands move.. I want to memorize you.. is that odd? I hope not.. perhaps you will want to remember me too.. The city has never been so beautiful until you arrived here.. I wonder if anyone else notices..

I run to the back to wash my hands and you are waiting for me by the front door. You picked up a copy of the weekly.. the personals are funny in that paper.. wonder if you ever read them?.. They are a good laugh.. I would much rather read the expressions on your face though..

It's about a 20 minute drive to west Seattle, but I want to show you my favorite record shop. Sure, we could have went to Easy Street on Queen Anne, but I have so much more history there.. I tell you the story of Eddie Vedder at the deck of the store.. we overlook everyone else.. I hold your hand.. you don't move away.. Those butterflies are working again.. Damn them.

I make off with 4 albums and you get 2. We walk down California Avenue, otherwise known as the Junction.. we stop off at the pet store to get the new kitty some toys and a collar.. You ask me about the name.. I still haven't decided.. perhaps Clyde? You laugh.. You really are beautiful..
Alki art supply.. It's not a huge store and sort of overpriced.. we don't buy anything but it really motivates me to paint when I get back home.. I tell you about the first picture I painted in Kindergarten.. It was of a flying saucer with people in it.. attached to a stick.. there were mountains behind and people below.. everyone looked happy. My teacher asks me if I have ever been "there".. I didn't know where there was.. and then I tell you that Seattle had always been my destination since I was a little girl.. you completely understand.. Your eyes look so gentle in the light.. it's a truly calming sensation.

We make out of the store without me spending a dime.. I tell you it's a miracle though I don't know that you believe me. We cross the street to the toy store.. I used to work here as a buyer I tell you.. You ask what that entailed.. I told you that I used to play with toys all day and decide on whether or not we should buy them for the store.. You asked why I ever left such an easy job like that.. I say "I never really did".. I buy us two bubble guns.. don't really know why, but they are such innocent toys and that is how I feel when holding hands with you..

We walk back to the car and you ask about the benches outside several of the stores.. I show you the one I painted.. You ask the inspiration.. I tell you about love, and my mother.. I don't know that you understand, but I tell you that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but right here with you on this bench.. you lean into me.. You are pure magic.

The walk back to the car is pleasant.. we talk of food and it is making you hungry.. but yet, not hungry enough for dinner, so we hold off. I ask you if you have ever felt like you were floating on water.. and you ask why.. I tell you.. It's how I feel right now.. you don't say anything.. so I tell you I will show you.

We drive to this old boat launch in the Luna Park district of West Seattle. It used to be a really popular place until the new launch was built a few years ago. We can hear the seals from the aquarium just across the sound.. the wind is mild but a little cold.. we walk to the end of this dock that is only tied down by a rope. We could very well drift off into the sound and no one would be the wiser... You don't notice your feet skimming the water until you look down. When you look ahead of you all you see is water and the city lights turning brighter as the sun sets behind us.. At this moment I wish we weren't facing east as the sunset is really beautiful from behind the Olympic mountains.. its very reminiscent of you behind your tea cup this morning.. I remember.

I'm starving.. Perhaps dinner next..

We drive over to Minnies, it's after 6pm so the parking is much better now. Not a lot of people know about Minnie's.. But it is one of my favorite places.. Dinner is amazing as it always is there.. you can see the spaceneedle just outside the windows and the costume shop just across the way. People are in there messing around with the feather Boas and cowboy hats.. You tell me about your drive in Tina, and how much you had seen. I wish I could have seen it all with you.. perhaps another time..

We skip dessert so we can go to Mr. Spots. That Tea house I was telling you about.. For some odd reason, you order chai.. as do I. Mine gets cold and you need a refill.. you call the waitress over and I begin to pen that poem I was writing for you in my memory. You pretend not to notice but I see you sneaking glances.. Don't worry I'll sneak it in your pocket later I am sure..

We discuss the day and I tell you how much I enjoyed your company, I am hoping you tell me the same. Perhaps you do, it's too soon to tell. But those butterflies are working overtime as I know our day is drawing to a close..

I want to spend the night just talking over tea and watching you.. i want to see your eyelids get heavy when you can't talk anymore.. I want to see you tell me all the wonderful things that cross your mind.... Perhaps one day soon.. Perhaps one day soon?


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I am a 28 year old artist, living in Tacoma Wa.
Boston Terriers, all things nautical, tattoos and bearded things in general.
Loved and lived to tell about it.. sort of.