Today’s post is the 5th instalment of Ravi’s story. 

The first post was Spread Your Wings .  After I wrote that post, the next two instalments (part 1 and part 2) were what happened the day Ravi left home. 

Ravi left his parents home to go to a new city, a new life, a new job. In the 4th instalment, Cinnamon Buns & Peanut Butter, Ravi discovers the basis for successful relationship.

Thanks for coming along. – David

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Saturday morning

Ravi did his cleaning, and laundry.  By the time noon rolled around he felt proud of his small space and every room smelled clean, even the bathroom. Mom would be proud.

But today was different, Ravi was still happy about his clean basement suite, but also a little sad, disappointed in himself really.  Half asleep, he had only half slept since 5 in the morning,  he felt regret.

12:22 Saturday midday

Ravi found himself walking to “Hug-A-Mug” to have a coffee and muffin. Wrapping his fingers around the mug, he looked outside.

He wanted to drop in on Marie at the bookstore, but he didn’t really have a reason to see her…. although he could bring her a cinnamon bun. Was it was too late for morning coffee treats?

Ravi knew why he was disappointed at himself.  He had analyzed himself while walking uptown; his analogy was that it was just like swimming in cold water.

Ravi knew the best way to go swimming in the river, even in June when it was basically melted snow. The best way for him was to go quickly into the water and as soon as he could………Dive in!  He felt wonderful! Even if he ran out quickly to the beach shivering.

But if he tried to wade into the river slowly,  it was torture! He was nervous then, afraid of the cold water shock instead of the happy sound he always made when he hit the surface!

The cold water made him all tense, and sometime he would even chicken out after standing there for ten minutes. That made him frustrated and embarrassed, after it was just water.

Grandpa would have said;

Right or wrong, he had to make a decision.  The road of life is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make up their mind.

Ravi decided he needed to dive in! 

Ravi had been wading into his friendship with Marie for too long.

Of course he saw it in her face also, he wasn’t that unobservant.  The air in the car had been charged with tension when he drove her home after the movies.

 Finally they ran out of things to talk about and she went inside.  Everything friendly of course, but the night ended on a dull note.

He should have dived in, and kissed her weeks ago. He could be happy as a friend of course, but what if it could be more?

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Ravi just “seemed” confident on the outside.

Ravi for all his outgoing nature, wasn’t that confident, and it was worse as he really liked Marie, she was important to him. Almost 20 years old, he was a “nice guy” not a Romeo.

Ravi was on his way to the bookstore before he knew where his shoes were carrying him.  No more wading in!

He didn’t even remember to eat his muffin.

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The bookstore smelled like spicy patchouli.

Marie had had a busy Saturday morning already and the store wasn’t even open yet.

The first hour before the store opened was always relaxing.  Marie could listen to music as she worked. New books needed to unpacked and put on shelves, displays needed to be created for the new arrivals.

Marie’s hands were busy being productive, but her mind was elsewhere.

Marie missed Ravi’s usual morning visit, he was a highlight of her morning on weekdays, and today she felt a bit wistful, and she knew why.

She had been so certain, hopeful even that he was going to kiss her after the movie. Her heart had been pounding when they stopped at her home.  It had seemed to her that his hands were trembling, but she hadn’t asked him why, and then the moment had passed.

She felt disappointed walking into the house that night. She knew they liked each other, but was it just as friends?

Dancing to the mellow sounds of Frank Sinatra, and swishing gracefully to unlock the store, Marie was optimistic about Ravi, she had no choice or did she?

What if they could be more than friends?

Young-at-Heart

Fairy tales can come true
It can happen to you if you’re young at heart
For it’s hard, you will find
To be narrow of mind if you’re young at heart

You can go to extremes with impossible schemes
You can laugh when your dreams fall apart at the seams
And life gets more exciting with each passing day
And love is either in your heart or on it’s way

Marie decided that she needed to know if PB liked her! (She called Ravi PB which was short for Peanut Butter) 

Marie had to know soon before she lost too much sleep or had a heart attack!