The Truth Of It Is...

I have amazing friends. They pretty much tell it like it is and fatigue and alcohol don't soften the blow.

At 2:10am, after a prolonged valentine's dinner with some of the best friends in the world (see Jessie's menu below) I was re-applying a bit of blush and gloss for the cold walk home. I explained that, you know, I could run into the ex on the way.

New York is the world's largest smallest city. Indeed, six months could pass without ever seeing your neighbor's face. But, having been a student of psychology forced to take statistics to fulfill my math requirement, I knew that, given the laws of probability, that was one stat that, as a newly ex-ed couple where the only thing that separates us other than the vast difference in our personalities is ONE square New York City block, I just wasn't willing to bet on. What I was willing to bet on was that the ride home to Manhattan from City Island, fondly referred to as Shitty Island- though not by me, I love it there, was going to be a long one.

Luckily, Holly and her fiance Michael were with me. Holly happens to have been a marriage and family therapist in a former life and usually has sound advice. The key word here being usually. As she watches me primp, the way most NYC women do in the subway cars, for an event that most likely is not about to take place, she turns to me, and in the truth that has lost it's tenderness with one too many drinks says, "You know, it's over, thank God, and you don't need to waste one more minute thinking about him. It's upsetting".

I should mention that Holly is know for prefacing most statements with, "The truth of it is", and I have to admit, the truth of it is...she was right. However...I couldn't let that be the end of it. There is, yes is in bold and italics, going to be that inevitable moment where we'll see each other again; preferably when he's just come back from an extended stay at Betty Ford and I've finished principal shooting on the screenplay I recently had optioned, but who's keeping score? That day will come and when it does, I intend to be ready.

So, after the final application, I pointed the gloss wand right at her and said, "You know what, you'd do the same thing if you were me". The truth of it is...I was right.

Jessie's Menu: (worth travelling to City Island for...)
Greeted at the door with Champagne and sat down by the fireplace to a wonderful cheese plate
First Course: Roasted Red Pepper Soup (red for valentine's day of course)
Second Course: Short Ribs in a Hoisin Sauce on top of Girts, that's right...Grits, and a side of Broccolini
Dessert: Pot au Chocolat topped with Creme Fraiche
Other drinks on hand, various Cabernets, Veuve Clicquot and Knappogue Castle single malt Irish Whiskey (my favorite)