andthen

Arrgh, the issue of being out-classed when dating !

I was visiting my sister in Portland Oregon, and ran into this beautiful woman while sniffing perfume at a place where a dear friend works. We spoke for just a few minutes, but it was a very nice conversation. She talked about being "older" (women simply don't use the "O word" in my experience) and I mentioned that at our age ( in our 60s ) we may not get that many opportunities for sensual things. Meaning the perfume sniffing of course, but other things as well. I touched her arm as I said it.

Jesus, what was I thinking with a stupid line like that ? But on the other hand, I did mean it, and it really is the truth. I can be direct at times, I must admit.

She mentioned that she was visiting from New York, and somewhat apologetically said that she was 'in academia'. Her daughter was with her, and said "Come on mom, we really have to go !" I said something about how sad situations like these were, where people meet briefly and then never see each other again, and she wrote me out her e-mail address **so** fast it made my head spin.

If we spoke for 5 minutes, I'd be surprised.

I got home and said to myself DON'T DON'T DON'T LOOK HER UP ON THE WEB !!! But I had her full name, and my curiosity got the better of me I must admit. I only looked briefly, but....

A professor at a prestigious college in the East, and.... a PhD from Yale Law School.

Half the judges on the US Supreme Court have PhDs from Yale Law School.

Interesting women are hard to meet at my age. And she's stunning. And she wrote a book on the nature of law in Buddhist Tibet. I'm bright enough, and I really do think these aspects of her life are *very* attractive, but suffice it to say, I live in a very modest home, have published no books, and don't have a PhD in anything.

I had a weird and vivid dream about situation the same night.

I bucked up and wrote her an e-mail the next day, suggesting we get together for coffee before I headed home. She wrote back, saying what a great idea, but I was back home in my own town by the time I got it.

I talked to my mail-lady about it when I got home :

She : "How was your trip to Portland ?"
Me : " I met a nice woman there."
She : "Is she smart ?"

Arrrrghh !.

We know absolutely nothing about each other. In theory, I know that she was there visiting her daughter (who goes to Reed ) and that they were taking an "advanced sewing class" together. ( I sew.) She knows I hybridize peony flowers, and that I dared to touch her skin.....but that's about it. I'm *NOT* letting on that I know *any* of these other things about her.

We've exchanged a couple of very nice initial notes. My first one was titled "Foolishness". She countered with one titled "Serendipity". All very romantic of course, but really....

So....then I got the e-mail saying :

"Sorry to miss you. Tell me about yourself, where you are from, where you grew up, what you've done and enjoyed in life."

Trust a lawyer to put something like that so briefly. I suspect she's come to her senses.

But I did write her back, and told her things as best as I could....but as briefly as I could.

In response to her own enormous question, I asked her in return if she could sing or play a musical instrument.

We'll see if she gets the humor in that.

Walked around feeling somewhat sick to my stomach for a day or so. When it comes to connections like this, you hate to see such things waved in your face, and then snatched away.

Feeling better now though, and am willing to think of it as foolishness again. Foolishness can be fun, and is really nothing worth staking ones life on.

We'll see what she writes back.

Wonder what her daughter's saying though, as she saw the whole thing. For some strange reason, I'm counting on her being on my side.

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