David could hardly be considered a socialite. His past embroiled in
stealing Aston Martins had made him a recluse for many reasons. Even after he
gave that up for Jennifer, he had remained his reticent self. He was also
fairly awkward with Jen in most situations. This clumsiness she had once
considered attractive, she hated as things spiraled downwards. Since they had
parted ways, David sunk decidedly.
stealing Aston Martins had made him a recluse for many reasons. Even after he
gave that up for Jennifer, he had remained his reticent self. He was also
fairly awkward with Jen in most situations. This clumsiness she had once
considered attractive, she hated as things spiraled downwards. Since they had
parted ways, David sunk decidedly.
Much later, He then rebounded on the cleaner side of the law, with a job
that involved Astons but not stealing them, and in a new continent few thousand
miles away.
that involved Astons but not stealing them, and in a new continent few thousand
miles away.
This rebound also incorporated an inexplicable change in him being no
longer a recluse. David found himself occupied on the social calendar. The new
continent was serving him well. Through his work he met new people. He was also
far more open minded. David was no longer justifying, no longer judging and no
longer expecting the worst. Jennifer was gone. She wasn’t coming back. There
would be none like her. His love was unique despite the outcome. This was a
truth he had finally made peace with.
longer a recluse. David found himself occupied on the social calendar. The new
continent was serving him well. Through his work he met new people. He was also
far more open minded. David was no longer justifying, no longer judging and no
longer expecting the worst. Jennifer was gone. She wasn’t coming back. There
would be none like her. His love was unique despite the outcome. This was a
truth he had finally made peace with.
It was during this time, he found himself finding a weekend with a
varied group of Europeans in a house near the Mediterranean Sea in Italy. He reached
there in the evening late, only to walk into a full house, filled with people
he did not know at all. He waved a cursory hello to all since making individual
introductions at point would have interrupted all the smaller conversations
that hung about in air. He moved inwards into the crowd, unsurely, but faking a
sense of comfort and calm in his surroundings.
varied group of Europeans in a house near the Mediterranean Sea in Italy. He reached
there in the evening late, only to walk into a full house, filled with people
he did not know at all. He waved a cursory hello to all since making individual
introductions at point would have interrupted all the smaller conversations
that hung about in air. He moved inwards into the crowd, unsurely, but faking a
sense of comfort and calm in his surroundings.
Finally, he ran into his friends who had invited him there in the first
place. Relieved, he clung on to them until they introduced him to others that
were nearby. From what he could gather, the crowd was mostly Italian with a
handful of French and other nationalities thrown in. It was an interesting mix
of people, languages, professions, and hair and skin colors. Like a younger UN
whose objective wasn’t world peace but rather striking vibrant conversations!
place. Relieved, he clung on to them until they introduced him to others that
were nearby. From what he could gather, the crowd was mostly Italian with a
handful of French and other nationalities thrown in. It was an interesting mix
of people, languages, professions, and hair and skin colors. Like a younger UN
whose objective wasn’t world peace but rather striking vibrant conversations!
Alcoholic spirits added fluidity to the discussions. There was wine in
open canisters that made one lose the Bottle count. There were cocktails being
made by a misplaced Brazilian who didn’t seem to care how long it took to make
the perfect drink. David, like a few others, was perfectly happy with German
beer, which he had bought along. It was during this round robin of getting to
know his companions for the weekend, he spotted across the room a girl with
curly sun burnt bronzed hair and big green eyes. She seemed animated in her
talk, as her hands waved about in free air. David found her pretty, an
observation most neutral judges would dismiss plainly. As if he alone was able
to looks past the freckles, and the awkward gait she carried about herself. He hoped
for a favorable introduction would come his way but he wasn’t about to force
one.
open canisters that made one lose the Bottle count. There were cocktails being
made by a misplaced Brazilian who didn’t seem to care how long it took to make
the perfect drink. David, like a few others, was perfectly happy with German
beer, which he had bought along. It was during this round robin of getting to
know his companions for the weekend, he spotted across the room a girl with
curly sun burnt bronzed hair and big green eyes. She seemed animated in her
talk, as her hands waved about in free air. David found her pretty, an
observation most neutral judges would dismiss plainly. As if he alone was able
to looks past the freckles, and the awkward gait she carried about herself. He hoped
for a favorable introduction would come his way but he wasn’t about to force
one.
Much later into the night, the topic had changed to art. David was
woefully ignorant of understanding conventional art but he did know a thing or
two about cars. Imbibed, he courageously set forth proving how some cars are
just pure art. That they serve no function but to just be! He was winning as
heads nodded and counter arguments fell silent.
woefully ignorant of understanding conventional art but he did know a thing or
two about cars. Imbibed, he courageously set forth proving how some cars are
just pure art. That they serve no function but to just be! He was winning as
heads nodded and counter arguments fell silent.
“You must not believe in God”, the green eyed girl piped confidently and
suddenly. David’s stare changed sideways
to address the new participant in the debate. However, he was thrown off by the
blatant judgment she had just proclaimed.
suddenly. David’s stare changed sideways
to address the new participant in the debate. However, he was thrown off by the
blatant judgment she had just proclaimed.
Most others had now lost thread of this conversation or were simply
bored. So David was left alone with her. Her name was not Jennifer. Yet, she
spoke just like her. She went head first into convincing how wrong David was
with inexplicably winded arguments. She spoke in magic tongue while her eyes
snaked in David. All this while, David’s
head was whirring in overdrive. He couldn’t believe that he had found a
Jennifer look-alike who spoke just as curiously as her. As he put himself to
bed that night, David seriously considered it to be random event. One whose significance
shouldn’t be explored but rather slept away…
bored. So David was left alone with her. Her name was not Jennifer. Yet, she
spoke just like her. She went head first into convincing how wrong David was
with inexplicably winded arguments. She spoke in magic tongue while her eyes
snaked in David. All this while, David’s
head was whirring in overdrive. He couldn’t believe that he had found a
Jennifer look-alike who spoke just as curiously as her. As he put himself to
bed that night, David seriously considered it to be random event. One whose significance
shouldn’t be explored but rather slept away…
But the next day she continued the duplicity. There were the same
intense discussions followed by periods of complete unfamiliarity. She would gaze in his eyes as if it meant involvement
only to show him hollowness a few minutes after. David couldn’t believe that he
had just encountered an older Jennifer, years after he had met one on a plane
to Germany. The resemblance was stupefying.
intense discussions followed by periods of complete unfamiliarity. She would gaze in his eyes as if it meant involvement
only to show him hollowness a few minutes after. David couldn’t believe that he
had just encountered an older Jennifer, years after he had met one on a plane
to Germany. The resemblance was stupefying.
But her being so Jennifer like, as weird as that was, wasn’t upsetting
at all. David hardly reminisced of the time a few years ago when he was
stealing Astons and being irrationally in love. In fact, he looked at this
fire-brand with a sense of closure that he never had. His basic truth of
assuming there could only be one Jennifer was pleasantly destroyed. And now
that there were at least two of them, David could finally de mystify the un-mystified.
Further, he found her at end of the weekend
as commonplace as ever. Nothing could take away here personality or her unique
life experiences, but David was no longer interested in her ability to excite
or to recite.
at all. David hardly reminisced of the time a few years ago when he was
stealing Astons and being irrationally in love. In fact, he looked at this
fire-brand with a sense of closure that he never had. His basic truth of
assuming there could only be one Jennifer was pleasantly destroyed. And now
that there were at least two of them, David could finally de mystify the un-mystified.
Further, he found her at end of the weekend
as commonplace as ever. Nothing could take away here personality or her unique
life experiences, but David was no longer interested in her ability to excite
or to recite.
He pondered then as he drove back. What would happen had he
met Jennifer for the first time now? Would he still behave as irrationally as
he did for her or would he just curiously cock his neck before moving on? It occurred
to him that his magical love story with Jennifer was sadly and realistically
limited by a bracket of time. That the David of now had in truth no irrationality
left for those who were merely ‘interesting’. He was saving his for the long run,
to spend with a woman of stable head and straight talk. One that did not questioned his belief in God
but rather admire his love for the most beautiful car in the world.
met Jennifer for the first time now? Would he still behave as irrationally as
he did for her or would he just curiously cock his neck before moving on? It occurred
to him that his magical love story with Jennifer was sadly and realistically
limited by a bracket of time. That the David of now had in truth no irrationality
left for those who were merely ‘interesting’. He was saving his for the long run,
to spend with a woman of stable head and straight talk. One that did not questioned his belief in God
but rather admire his love for the most beautiful car in the world.
The only truth that remained was that there was a past with Jennifer
that happened which happened to most. She
wasn’t the one or the only.
that happened which happened to most. She
wasn’t the one or the only.
Rather, she only ‘was’.
Oh, D! Commonplace? I admire your level headed approach in that you didn't immediately get lost in her aura, but I hope you find someone who is the best of both worlds. Someone who excites you as well as provide the stability you are looking for. Can you be sure she was merely 'interesting' and wouldn't also have been straightforward and level headed if you needed her to be? I hope you didn't disqualify her just because she was interesting!
Ha! There is a fine line between David and I but seems like you think I have crossed way past it. Regardless your point is well taken. For David, it was the deflating of the assumption that there couldn't be another Jennifer which really turned the tide for him. For me though, there never ever was a green eyed Jennifer 🙂
liar
I agree with Upasna! It is too difficult to believe that there is no fact in this fiction 🙂
Your description and the setting made it sound like a European movie. The sea-side villa, the wine, the flowing conversations, the meeting of strangers. I want a weekend like this!
way to gang up on me girls 🙂 Here is my official rebuttal.
"All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental"
Especially the 2nd Jennifer 🙂