The Long and Short of It

The long weekend was both long and short.

Long because my ma was in hospital in B.C. and I couldn’t get to her and bring her the carrot juice, pureed soup and cappucino I knew she’d need.

Short because I spent most of it with someone I like, and the hours ran sweetly into one another, like a long sip of good wine.

Long because it rained most of the weekend and the evenings came with a sharp, autumnal wind.

Long because we stretched it out:

With a leisurely later afternoon lunch (slunch?) at Terroni on Queen St West. I was feeling flush, what with a recent labour dispute settlement, and treated Someone I Like to a meal: veal sandwich and a beer, as it turned out. I. Did. Not . See. That. Coming. I said in mock-shock. I didn’t even know Terroni’s, famed for its traditional southern Italian food, had sandwiches on the menu!

Me, I ordered the chickpea farina-tuna- green salad, which was OK, and a softly amazing housemade gnocchi with tomato sauce and ricotta, a lovely pinot noir along side. My lunch companion sighed over the sandwich and I have to admit, after a bite of it, I appreciated its smoky, gamy flavours.

Long because we saw a few movies at the Inside Out Festival, and those movies were lengthy, and challenging. I did enjoy an intense, dark German lesbian drama, Vivere (Taxi Driver – meets- Lost In Translation). No lipstick, no romance, just a lot of driving and regrettable romance. Bring It On!

Long because this spring is long, with chilly weather and blowsy, blooming trees and shrubs, wherever you look. A sudden pool of fragrant air, and then it’s gone, you keep walking, wanting more.

You sit in a cafe on College Street, late in the evening, and hover over tea, and raspberry-rhubarb pie, holding the hand of someone you like.

Long and short, good and sad, piquant, swift moments embedded in a continuuim of grey clouds, hours, rain, and days.