Riley:First pitch at7p.m.
Riley:Do you want to see batting practice? It starts about an hour beforethegame.
Alex:I don't know…doI?
Riley:We'll skip it this time and get dinnerinstead.
Riley:I'd rather lose some of the experience if it means not having to deal with your foodmoods.
Alex:I don't have foodmoods.
Riley:It's one of those things you can't notice about yourself. Kind of like how you can only see the Great Wall of China fromspace.
Alex:That doesn't makesense.
Riley:Probably because you only had four almonds forlunch.
Alex:Sometimes you're anasshole.
Riley:Sometimes?Often.
Riley:But at least I don't get into foodmoods.
Alex:That's great. I have to prep forsurgery.
Riley:Have a few more almonds. I don't want you to stab some poor guy in the heart while you're inthere.
Alex:This would be an awesome time for you to choke on myballs.
Riley:I'm good on balls for today,thanks.
Riley:I don't want any pictures or anything, but text me when you're done. I want to go over your BostonBucketList.
Alex:Are you serious about the Swan Boats? I googled that and I'm pretty sure it's not my style. I don't like bird-shaped boats on little ponds. Seems juvenile and bizarre. Like I should be wearing a fairy princess dress and drinkingpinktea.
Riley:Of course I'm serious! Non-negotiable!
Alex:Then you're getting a picture of a necrotic bile duct before the dayisdone.
Riley:Everything isnegotiable!
With a smile,I tucked my phone in my back pocket and opened my notebook. The rough sketches of Gastro Girl greeted me, and I indulged in several minutes of sketching. She was different than I'd first thought, a little sharper but also softer in certain ways, and those boots had to be red. No questionaboutit.
* * *
Riley:I'm guessing the answer to this question will be no, but I'm askinganyway…
Riley:Have you been to theaquarium?
Riley:It's a cool spot. There's a really old sea turtlethere.
Riley:The Museum of Science is also fun. They have one of those giant IMAX screens that stretch around a concave wall so it feels like you're right there in the GalapagosIslands.
Riley:Actually, it's kind ofatrip.
Riley:My friend, Gigi, she's a landscape architect, loves the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum. They have a special installation in the spring. Something with hanging flowers, Ithink.
Riley:True story—there was a full-on art heist there about 30yearsago.
