solitaire's the only game in town by summerfield

solitaire's the only game in town

a friend (i use the word friend rather loosely here) called to find out how i am doing in this time of the pandemic. she said she just "heard" that i had separated from my ex-partner. i told her it was old news and that in fact i dated someone after him, which also miserably failed to work. she said she's found someone (she's been divorced for quite a few years) through a phone app called "tinder" and they've been dating for a few months now, they're really compatible and enjoying each other's company; that her guy is smart and good-looking, etc. i wanted to tell her ted bundy was smart and terribly good-looking. she said i should go on tinder and maybe i'll find the man of my dreams (i told her i found the man of my dreams a long time ago and he's since died). alternatively (here it comes, i thought) his best friend who has been a widower for a couple of years now is available and maybe we could "hang around" at their place and get to know each other.

sometimes i marvel at people's lack of delicacy. this "friend" worked with me in the same firm for a number of years, and she was one of those people who would tell me i am such a strong and wise person. and there she was calling me essentially asking me to date her boyfriend's best friend. so i told her i am not looking for a man, nor do i have any more interest in looking. i am happy where i am at now in my life. i can do whatever i want to do and go wherever i want to (except now with COVID i can't). then there's the lecture that i should forget my ex, she didn't think he was a good man, and i told her, i have already forgotten him but she just reminded me! the conversation went on and on, and i was afraid that the rose which was standing on a vase sans water might wilt if i don't finish taking a photo. the end of it was that she would call me again to check on me and to arrange to go out with them when the restrictions on indoor dining and bars have been lifted. she didn't acknowledge that i said the restrictions will last until the end of 2021 and that i will definitely not be available until the end of my life, or hers, whichever occurs first. she just brushed me off, she'll send me a PM on facebook, etc.

oh, my goodness, what a nincompoop. it's sad when you have a high regard for someone and suddenly it all goes poof! with stunts like this. and these so-called friends or good acquaintances treat me like a child, telling me i should date and all that shit. do they think i am desperate like them? well, i suppose i better log on to my facebook account and put her on my blocked list. 🤣
such a beautiful \high key photo of this rose!

How patient you were with your "friend" to listen to her for so long! I wouldn't have made it through all of that!
November 17th, 2020  
A very lovely high key rose & as always, your narrative is human and humorous. I got a chuckle out of it.
November 17th, 2020  
@grammyn - i can't change my phone number because i've had it since cellphones became the rage but the next time she calls, i would tell her i have some kind of communicable disease. what do you suggest? COVID? SARS? H1N1? tuberculosis? herpes? eczema? 😂 🤣 😜
November 17th, 2020  
It's a lovely shot! I feel for you with your "friend." I think folks like that do mean well, even if they step on our toes sometimes. She probably doesn't know better. I used to tell people who wanted to "fix me up" - "stick a fork in me cause I'm done." LOL! That usually stopped the blind-date-fix-me-up thing with their friend of a friend of a friend. I agree with you though. It's nice not to have to worry about what a partner wants or doesn't. Nice to do whatever you want to whenever you want.
November 17th, 2020  
@summerfield LOL! D- all of the above! ♥
November 17th, 2020  
@grammyn - dang! if i have all of the above, i should be dead! 😂
November 17th, 2020  
@marlboromaam - exactly!!!!
November 17th, 2020  
I love your rose. It conveys so well your story. You are very funny and a great photographer!
November 17th, 2020  
Beautiful shot of this gorgeous rose which fortunately did not die. My daughter in London is on tinder but unfortunately most of the men her age have some kind of baggage, be it physical or mental ;-)
November 17th, 2020  
Whoa! So beautiful! A very Graeme-like capture. But without the drops of blood or fumes of guns.
November 17th, 2020  
Lovely shot. She probably meant well, but ........
November 17th, 2020  
fantastic image
November 17th, 2020  
I just read the entire story - as a widow who has found a beautiful place in the world I hear you!
November 17th, 2020  
Wonder how far down her contacts list she went, got brushed off, and still scrolled and persevered to get to your number??


Lovely high key.
November 17th, 2020  
Fav for the shot, loved your story. Boy do I hate smug women! Great thing is when you get to my age (v nearly 70) matchmaking has long gone by the board:)
November 17th, 2020  
What a great shot to go with the narrative. Thanks.
November 17th, 2020  
Lovely image Vikki.
November 17th, 2020  
beautiful rose! I like your shots with a white background, really showing off the qualities and details of the flower.
November 17th, 2020  
The rose does look a bit wilted but lovely anyway. A great story.
November 17th, 2020  
@randystreat - it was so cold and windy yesterday and when i got home all the petals just fell off. what do i expect for $6 bouquet of 4 roses. there was a branch of baby's breath and two fern leaves which had a lot of 'spores' at the back i had to throw them away.
November 17th, 2020  
😔
November 17th, 2020  
@summerfield well we don't want that but if she thinks you are then maybe she will leave you alone!
November 18th, 2020  
Love the image! I always thought is was interesting the way my friends all knew the perfect man for me NOT.
November 18th, 2020  
Well, I'm glad you finally got the shot off and it's a lovely one indeed. How exhausting to have such "friends"!
November 18th, 2020  
Wonderful shot of this rose.
November 18th, 2020  
Leave a Comment
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.