It's The Little Things In Life

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Sunday, August 12, 2006

The greatest sacrifices in traveling are often the little things we take for granted in everyday life - curling up with a good book wrapped up in your favorite blanket, renting a movie after a long hard day at work, having a drink with a friend, doing laundry, home cooked meals. Copenhagen was full of these things for me. Lars is a rarity as a person. Despite the fact he is damn good looking and built to boot, he was, as they say, easy like a Sunday morning. We quickly slipped into a comfortableness with each other – sometimes teasing, sometimes talking deeply, and generally sharing a light fun banter. We spent a fair amount of time together the four days I was there and developed precious beginnings of a friendship.

When he opened his door to me, I was met with a bright smile, striking blue eyes, and the delicious aroma of stir fry. Vegetables are few and far between on the road and I crave them constantly. Lars chased me off to take a hot shower and wash away the long travel day. If I ever get to heaven, I want to kiss the feet of the man who invented hot running water. When I returned refreshed (and probably smelling a bit better) Lars poured me a glass of wine and we talked for hours over a delicious dinner. There is something about a home cooked meal and a glass of wine that a restaurant can never replicate.

Later that night we had drinks with friends at their new home. I felt part of their world sitting in the sparsely decorated home – sparse in part because they had just moved in and in part because the vision of “Scandinvaian” design – straight edged metal and wood in minimal quantities – is the only design in Copenhagen. Languages flew around the room – Danish, English, even Italian as everyone laughed in the glow of candles and soft lights. Danes, it seems, love candles – their way to keep away the gloom of the long overcast winters I guess. I was surprised to learn it doesn’t snow much in Copenhagen, only once or twice a year, but the winters are filled with overcast and rainy days more often than not. I was exhausted after the short night’s sleep and long travel day, but stayed to enjoy the sound of longtime friends enjoying one another – something you don’t often get to be a part of when you are traveling.

Saturday we took the socializing out on the town – heading to the Grill Bar for drinks. Kenneth, who I had met the night before, met Lars and I there. Grill Bar was the thirty/forty-something bar I wish Charlotte had. Hopping with hotties, the music rocked and the conversation never stopped. It was interesting watching the Danes. Certainly they were “playing the game” – who do I want to pick up and how do I do it – but unlike Americans they seemed to genuinely enjoy it. You know how some cocktail parties seem forced with everyone talking just enough to make their appearance and get the hell out? While at others everyone seems to genuinely be having a good time? American bars, especially the older pick up bars, always seem to have that forced quality. The Danes though all seemed to genuinely be enjoying the whole pick’em up process. I, on the other hand, was enjoying just watching. The best part was watching the girls swoon for Lars. They would bat their eyes and look at him doe-like while surreptitiously glancing sideways to give me a dirty who-the-hell-are-you look. I haven’t seen such cattiness since a TJ Ross clearance sale in the states.

We were just tipsy enough to think a whopper sounded really good, so Lars and I trekked in the direction of central station after the Grill Bar closed. Wow, what a contrast. You see Sweden’s alcohol tax is absurdly high and with the new bridge that connects Sweden and Denmark, the young’uns from Sweden can grab a train and head to Copenhagen for a few brewskies. And a few brewskies they had certainly had! There were drunk teenager and twenty-somethings everywhere. Quite the contrast from our high-falutin’ bar of perfectly coifed older types. We got our whoppers and a taxi and headed home, eating our whoppers and laughing about the look on my face when the bartender told me my drink was 190 Kroner – uh, that would be thirty American greenbacks. I nursed that baby for over two hours! Copenhagen is a great place to visit but you better have money if you want to eat or drink there!!

Ah but Sunday… Sunday night was the greatest night of all. We ordered take out Thai food and watched Lord of War. It was sheer heaven for me – to dine on take out by candlelight with a friend and watch a movie at home. That is one of the things I miss most in this new life. Patrick and I used to call them snuggle movies when he was young enough to spoon with me on the couch. It was one of our favorite forms of evening entertainment. As he got older, the snuggles stopped but the movies continued, always with a pizza or Chinese food. It was our way to enjoy each other’s company even when teenage tensions ran high and our relationship was challenged. No one’s company will ever match snuggle movies back in the day, but just the experience of sitting at home and watching a movie takes me back to the joy and the beauty of that time in my life.

Monday was laundry day. Doesn’t sound romantic does it? Wash clothes for five people and laundry day is a burden. But when you have had only a couple laundry days in the last year, it is sheer pleasure. There is something about pulling fresh clothes hot out of the dryer that just makes the world seem fresh and new again. I paid bills and took care of problems online while listening to the familiar and unappreciated song of jean buttons clanging in the dryer. What a delight. Monday night I got to wear my fresh, soft clothes to one last dinner with Lars. We talked about love and life and the roads that lie ahead. Later I snuggled into the warm down comforter one last time, listening to the soft patter of rain outside the open balcony door, hoping that whatever paths we are on, one day they will cross again.