Saturday, May 1, 2010

Spotting the Ex

Kay and I have been very interested in advocacy for lgbt issues and so we started a PFLAG chapter and are members of Integrity, a group associated with the Episcopal Church. We try to work with the GSA from the university and another group, Valdosta Pride to reach out to the lgbt community. We thought it would be a great idea to have a booth with pride for this weekends Relay for Life Cancer event. Since it was our first time, we tried to be quiet but there to answer questions. Unfortunately during the afternoon it started to rain, which was a sure sign it was going to be a very wet evening.

Rick, the President of Pride moved our spot to another location so we could use a generator and get power, unfortunately, the rain forced him to cancel all his plans. Moving our spot to a new location also meant that we were now located behind the combined county school system's large tent.

Ever since my divorce we have seen my Ex only one time and that was when my daughter graduated from a college up north. I have never, in the 6 years since, seen my Ex out and about town; although my daughter informed me that my Ex has seen me on occasion. First, I hardly recognized her when she walked past me with her new boyfriend, (yuck, her ex-sister-in-laws widow). As my mother and my Ex are also Breast Cancer survivors, I expected them to be there, I just did really expect to see them. Well as our tent was no more than 15 yards from them my Ex really got a good looksy. I think she only stayed for a couple of hours and then left.

I should say that at first I would have sworn that she was not my Ex, that's is how much she has changed over the last 6 years. But I could eventually her by her gestures, watching her telling everyone who was sitting under the tent behind them that I was there. I recognized a casual backward look from people trying to get a look at who she was talking about, because I have done the same thing. We didn't talk or even say hello, just got several looks that could kill. Like, how dare you be here tonight, kind of looks. So I am quite sure that her phone line must have melted by all the calls she got. And the conversation next Monday should really be like the buzz of a swarm of bees. The friend that she was talking to made it a point to walk by our tent to get a better look for herself I can only guess. I made a point to nod a hello as she passed. It was unfortunate because I was walking my laps without an umbrella and I looked a real mess. I should have looked my best, but you can't do that when you are soaked and your hair is matted against your hair.

So until the next time we meet, I only can hope that it will be someplace where I can look presentable, at least.

Please call me and we will have lunch at my choice, OK. Until next time....

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