Thursday, December 3, 2009

perfect stranger

“in three words i can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” ~ robert frost

i’m a fan of mr. frost. i have been ever since one of my english lit classes at the W dissected his poem “the road not taken” in an eye-opening way from which I swear my passion for choosing the path of most resistance was born. however, it’s always refreshing, especially in my life now – my busy, city, northeastern, always pensive life – when I meet a rare human being that is a stranger only until a handshake.

so it goes with the fireman pete my sis + i met at pastis this afternoon who reminded us of frost's quote. a man who believed so much in the restaurant’s bananas foster that he bought a plate just so we could have one bite. a man that insisted that drinking champagne alone was bad luck, so he purchased us another glass (when we were just splitting one). a man that told us that according to him + the bartenders at pastis, the three best sounds in the world were: 1. an orchestra tuning up 2. a plane taking off + 3. the popping of a champagne bottle (our #1 choice but to each his own….) and then explained these were so because they signified something exciting was about to - or already - taking place. a man that toasted to my sister’s new life in the city + my future in boston. a man that without a missed beat, offered a hug when we parted. a man that I know in my bones, somehow someway, my path will cross with again – after all, as pete said, “the world is round.”

thank you pete. for the champagne, the kindness, your passion for new york and most importantly, the renewed love in humanity that is sometimes much needed.

i received a fortune years ago that i keep taped to one of my journals so it stays close to my heart + thoughts. it simply states: i believe in mankind. and it’s true, i do. but only because of people like pete.