louisa may today

Today in Seattle I chatted with my friend Simon in Sydney. As a third year medical student, Simon is currently shadowing doctors at a small town hospital. By his fifth week in obstetrics, Simon informed me that he has now started delivering babies.

As a grown man, Simon himself looks somewhat infantile - I’m not sure if it’s the baldness or the manic stare, but either way, the thought of Simon standing between my legs whilst I lie in such a vulnerable position makes me reconsider populating this world. 

Simon assures me that this new skill of his should not affect me - or indeed the woman he sews up. It should only affect the father. If Simon likes him, he will add an extra stitch.

                           

This evening in Seattle I went along to my first West Coast book club. We ate guacamole, meatless meatballs, chevre and brie with water crackers, and a mixed green salad. We washed it down with silk and citrus tea.

We spoke about the book for about 10 minutes before each of us confessed that we had yet to read it. Our next meeting is June 3rd. 

Today in Seattle I met an older gentleman who went by the name of Ronelle. He grew up in Louisiana, one of 16 children: eight boys and eight girls. Ronelle himself was one of three sets of twins, all six boys: Ronelle and Lonelle, Hermit and Herbert, Claude and Clyde. 

Ronelle is father to five girls. His twin is father to five boys. I didn’t catch their names. 

This evening in Chicago, returning to our hotel after demolishing half a spinach and mozzarella deep dish pizza, my friend Tessa and I walked past a homeless man begging on the Magnificant Mile. Tessa offered the man the rest of her pizza. He politely, and without hesitation, declined. He is sick to death of pizza.  

Today in Wicker Park, Chicago I met a young French bulldog named Eddie, after Edina on Absolutely Fabulous. She was patiently waiting for her owner inside American Apparel on Milwaukee Ave as he bought her a hoodie for spring. When I asked the mustachioed gentleman if I could pat Eddie, he informed me of his dog’s diet: flaxseed oil, mixed vegetables, and seeds. 

Eddie is a vegan.

Today in downtown Chicago I was offered a free makeover by a Russian woman at the Clarins Macy’s counter. She lives with her mother and her four year old son, Nikita. Her mother speaks Russian to the boy, whilst she speaks English. Lately, her son has begun to reply to his young mother’s queries over whether or not he liked something with the word “tolerable.” 

She hopes he stays four forever. 

Today in Chicago I got my nails done by a second generation Vietnamese woman who hasn’t slept a full night through for seventeen years. Her husband snores louder than the ‘L.’

Today in Seattle, the sun shone high and heated the city to a sweltering 80 degrees. I was in Chicago where it rained. 

Last night in Seattle my husband and I went to see Jersey Boys at the Fifth Avenue Theatre. We are trying out this thing in our first year of marriage where he accompanies me to a musical if I promise to sleep an entire night outside in the desert without a tent.

Just as Jack waited until morning before informing me that he had seen a scorpion the previous evening, crawling within close proximity to where i lay my bivy sack, I too waited until intermission before telling Jack that all musicals have two acts. 

We celebrate our one year anniversary in 6 weeks.  

This evening on a rooftop in Capitol Hill, Seattle, I celebrated the city’s sunny acceptance that spring has sprung by sociali(z)ing around a BBQ with a fellow Australian, a Canadian, three Americans, and a boy from South Dakota.