Life is Beautiful

We're getting down to the wire.

My oh-so pregnant friend and I thought it best to schedule a long lunch before she becomes unexpectedly unavailable for lunch or anything else.

It was a no-brainer to end up at La Parisienne, our favorite obscure getaway for its sunny ambiance and patio.

Since we'd been in last, there had been some changes.

Now that they do a regular salsa dancing night, the dessert case is gone and a settee has replaced a couple of the former high tables.

Since we arrived toward the end of the lawyers' lunch hour (the building is crawling with them), we had no difficulty finding a shady outside table.

She orders the exact same salad and fries lunch every time we go while I switch it up, this time choosing the La Parisienne crepe, a combination of city ham and Swiss cheese.

I just like the sound of "city ham."

When I went to pay, she wasn't having any of it.

"My treat because I'm proud of you for starting to date," she said, beaming.

Now that's a good friend.

We sat outside in the afternoon sun talking about the men in my life - a couple of new suitors and a recurring character, someone she remembers me seeing a couple of years back.

From her, I heard about work frustrations and the impending life change of adding a baby to her already-hectic world.

I wouldn't want her life right now and she certainly wouldn't want mine.

On the other hand, in many ways, we are two of a kind.

To that point, a familiar face passed by us, spotted her, looked over at me and we watched as he realized that while he knew us both separately, he hadn't realized we knew each other.

His restaurant and music worlds were colliding right before his eyes.

"Did you see him get that "of course they're friends" look?" my friend laughed. I had.

We lingered outside so long that our poor server kept coming out just to check on us when there was nothing to check.

Eventually we got the hint and moved on.

Since we don't know how much more girl time we have, we were reluctant to end our date.

Instead, we drove to Bev's in Carytown for ice cream, something I'd suggested weeks ago after seeing the Big Star documentary when she'd declined.

Today, looking at the Labor Day weekend and the symbolic end of summer, it seemed like an ideal way to wrap up our afternoon.

She got fudge swirl and I asked for mint chocolate chip, but was served chocolate chip.

Close enough.

Today it was the company and the occasion that mattered more than anything else.

It'll be interesting to see where the two of us are next time we can wile away an afternoon like we did today.

Here's to change and whatever it may bring.