The neighbors here have as many differences as similarities, but when we all come together, we create something magical and unique, a community bigger than the sum of its many beautiful parts.
I’m reminded of the truth of that as I enjoy some laughs and neighborly conversation in the park, where I send more than a few people over to The Scoop for a proper cone. When I’m out of supplies, I walk back, strolling determinedly around the noisy garage. I’d normally bring over ice cream sandwiches to a new neighbor, but today, I’m inclined to bury myself in the zoningregulations in my search for a solution. There’s got to be some sort of law to protect businesses from this.
Back in the shop, my online search for regulations gets me nowhere, so I text my friends Nicholas and Kavya to say I need advice. They’re the owners of Blossom, the flower shop down the street, as well as being my closest friends. Not only can they offer me sympathy and support, but they’ve been generous with lots of practical advice and wisdom from their experiences running a small business.
Nicholas offers to host dinner, so after work, I make the short walk to the flower shop and the home he shares upstairs with his husband. Clay greets each guest and chats for a few minutes in the kitchen before disappearing out back. He and his boss on the carpentry crew, Sue, have a community project they’re planning, although I know he’s intentional also about making sure Nicholas has quality time alone with his best friends.
As we’re getting into the delicious tofu curry that Nicholas prepared, Kavya clears her throat. “I have an announcement: I’ve made a horrible, wonderful mistake.”
I perk up. “Oh no. And, yay?”
She pushes her plate back. “You both remember how I signed up for the glassblowing class at the craft center?”
“Of course,” Nicholas answers. “Zooey is taking the class, too.”
Kavya has been so busy with admin at the flower shop and running the booth at the farmer markets, she’s barely had space for a creative outlet. Her girlfriend Zooey noticed that and offered to turn one of their date nights into a craft night.
“I think it’s great that you’re trying new things together,” I say. “Now I’m just wondering how glassblowing became horrible?”
“Horrible and wonderful,” Nicholas adds.
Kavya nods. “As you know, Zooey and I are both busy as hell. She’s taking over the flower farm from her mom, and I’ve barely had time to experiment with new bouquets lately. The class was supposed to be an hour each week of stress-free fun. But we were talking to the instructor, and long story short, we agreed to help curate an art show at the craft center.”
“You’re curating!” Nicholas blurts out, excited. “You’ll be perfect for it!” He catches himself. “But you’re already overloaded,” he adds, concerned.
Kavya laughs. “Thank you. The show will feature all artists from the gayborhood, past and present. It’s already mostly organized, but the curator had to pull out. It’s not ideal to jump in only a couple of months before opening, but there’s a budget crunch at the center, and it looked like the entire exhibition might be canceled otherwise. Zooey and I each got excited about the work when we saw it, and here we are.”
“That is exciting,” I say. “Anything we can do to help?”
“Yes, please tell us,” Nicholas agrees. “Let’s save an art show at the craft center. Sounds like an adventure.”
Kavya smiles at both of us. “I’ll let you know. In the meanwhile, I appreciate your understanding if I seem distracted. It’s going to be a very full summer.”
“Understandable,” I say. “And honestly, no excuse needed. The way all three of us are working, who wouldn’t be distracted?”
Nicholas gives me a sympathetic nod. “What advice were you looking for? Is the garage still noisy with their renovations?”
“Worse than that,” I answer. “They’re open for business and louder than ever. I tried to look up noise ordinances online, but just got lost in the municipal website.”
“That website is a mess,” Kavya says. “I can never locate what I need on it, but the ordinances are real. I remember from when we added live music to the farmers’ market.”
“If the website is impossible to navigate, how am I supposed to...” I trail off as I realize the answer to my question, and Nicholas and I catch eyes.
“The library,” we both say excitedly, and Kavya laughs.
“There’s no problem that can’t be at least partially solved with a visit to the library,” she says. “But is there anything us non-librarians could help you with tonight?”
I set my fork down and consider the question, but shake my head. “This mess has occupied my mind enough for one day,” I say. “More happy talk, please. Preferably something totally unrelated to the garage.”
Kavya leans forward with a half-grin, a tofu cube pierced on her fork. “In that case, what’s new with your ogre boyfriend?”
I laugh. “He’s definitively not an ogre nor my boyfriend.” Slightly distressed when I think about it, I take a gulp of wine. “Shit. Do I talk about him like he’s my boyfriend? He’s so funny and nice and interesting and sexy to me specifically because he’s not my boyfriend, in fact.”
Nicholas scrunches his mouth to the side as he tilts his head, confused. “What does that mean?”
“It means that with identifiable details forbidden,” I explain, “our connection is pure fantasy. All escape. His world is not my world. Even if I admit something vulnerable or embarrassing about myself, I know it will never come back to haunt me. And when you don’t make space for real-life challenges, it’s much easier to simply enjoy someone, even if you might totally clash were you to meet.” I glance over to Kavya. “And we’re doing wonderfully, thanks for asking. The characters in our current story are on the verge of fucking reality into multiple dimensions.”
“Spicy,” Kavya says.
Kavya and Nicholas are the only two people I’ve told about my secret pen pal. When I shared, I was a little embarrassed toacknowledge it, but they of course immediately loved the idea. The emails I exchange once or twice a week are a healthy release, a creative project and sexual outlet, too. As I’ve been so wrapped up in opening the business, I’ve barely had time to search for true love, so I’ve especially appreciated that aspect of it.
It’s pure fun, and I believe strongly in the importance of nurturing fun in your life.
Even so, I make a mental note to revisit this topic later. It’s been a year since I launched the business, so maybe it’s time to make room for dating again. I don’t want to get too dependent on an anonymous stranger from the internet, after all.
No matter how appealing the idea of reality-breaking sex sounds sometimes.
