Lunch Husbandry

It can be hard to make a date with a husband.

We'd tried earlier this week for dinner and failed, so today's lunch plans were the substitute.

Like me, he's all about trying new places so with the tease that he'd gone back to work, he lured me to the west end to get the story.

Our impeccable timing meant we parked next to each other and walked into Estilo together.

They immediately got points for having the front door propped wide open.

They got bonus points for catering to RVA's penchant for booths, placing them not only along the walls but also right down the center of the restaurant.

It was one of those sideless booths that we chose for our catch-up session in the airy and inviting dining room.

Our sweet, little server must have come over three or four times in hopes of an order before we explained that it had been months and we had loads to talk about.

Eventually taking pity on her, we looked over a menu of appetizers, ceviche, tacos, salads, tortas and entrees representing Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Peru.

It wasn't easy to make our choices.

Given my meat-heavy meal last night (duck, fish and rabbit), I only had eyes for a salad but all of them had protein.

Our server was gracious enough to say that they could leave it out and my friend decided on tacos.

Finally, we were free to really talk.

"Can I start asking questions now?" he asked, clearly eager to do so, but when I said yes, he clammed up.

"Just start talking and I'll break in to ask when I need to," he modified.

It had been so long since we'd gotten together that I had to go all the way back to the beginning of summer to fill him in.

Yeesh, I should have assigned blog-reading homework before our lunch in preparation.

By the time I covered the past, our food arrived.

My salad of spinach and mixed greens tossed with pepitas, chickpeas and papaya was just what the doctor ordered.

But then he wanted the update on my dating progress of late and that's where the commentary began.

At one point after sharing an anecdote, he shook his head and said, "See, this is why I'm your friend and not dating you."

Actually the reason for that is his lovely wife, whom I've met and to whom he's been devoted for decades, but whatever.

When he'd been sated with my personal life, I inquired about his big news of going back to work.

Not just work, but going back as the big cheese, it turned out.

He explained how a board he sits on had been looking for a new CEO when it occurred to him that he was more than qualified to do the job.

Four interviews later, he had the job.

Listening, I felt like I'd heard this story before.

Wait! This was just like when Peter Gabriel decided to leave Genesis and they started auditioning lead singers until one day, drummer Phil Collins said, wait a hot minute, I can sing.

He was so impressed with my analogy that he said he plans to use it at an upcoming meeting.

"Do I need to give you credit for it when I use it?" he asked resignedly, probably already knowing the answer.

You don't have to but it would be nice. And I'll never know if you don't.

"You'll know," he said confidently, as if I have super-powers or something.

Do not.

I congratulated him and we talked Russian immigration and art exhibits for a while after that.

"You might intimidate other guys but you don't intimidate me," he said after I made a particularly pithy observation.

I am not intimidating, I reminded him. You just like to give me a hard time.

"Yea, but if I don't, who will?" he asked grinning.

You'd be surprised.