For the first time since I’ve gotten him,when I take Boo out to do his thing, I’m wary. I live in a lovelytownhouse in a quiet community. But tonight, I’m checking over myshoulder to make sure no one is lurking while I give Boo time tostretch his legs. After we come back in the house, I take my laptopoutside and sit on my back patio – five-foot fence with a lockedgate – to give Boo some more outside time.
Ross,
Good to know your football injuries were notmajor and have healed. I don’t want to think of you hurting.
Last night I made falafel and tabbouleh. Ididn’t make the pita bread, tahini, or za’atar mix, but everythingtasted good. I’m partial to Greek and Middle Eastern food, althoughI admit that there are few cuisines I don’t like. Today, I met afriend for lunch at a superb Vietnamese restaurant. We werewaddling when we left, but yum. The meal was spectacular.
I’m a psychologist with a focus on middleand late-stage adolescence. Most of my patients are kids in highschool and college. As you can imagine, some of what I hear isheartbreaking. Not every outcome is Dr. Sean Maguire-esque, but Itake comfort in any and all progress made, and hope I’m providingmy patients with the tools they need to get them to acceptance andcontentment. Happy is a great goal, but for some people it’s notattainable.
Apparently, I let it all hang outeverywhere. My inner goofball comes out in other places aside fromthe garden center, although, I confess, it’s one of my favoriteplaces to be. I’ll share a fantasy – no, not any of those. And no,I’m not blushing. Here goes: I’d love to live in a house on acouple of acres of land where I can plant hundreds of differenttypes of flowers, and flowering trees and bushes that would bloomas close to year-round as I can get. I’m not outdoorsy in thehiking on a trail kind of way, but I love being outdoors with myplants, and to have a huge garden filled with all that beauty wouldbe amazing. I’d like to grow fruits and vegetables too. Makes sensesince I love to cook. The idea of bringing in zucchini from mygarden and cooking it for dinner that night would be fantastic.
Hey, I have a request. Absolutely, feel freeto tell me no. I won’t take offense, and I don’t want you to doanything you feel uncomfortable doing or might put you in anawkward position. I heard about those two young women in Boston whowere victims of Rohypnol spiking. I wondered if you could find outhow the one who had the heart attack is doing. I know with all thethings going on in the world to focus on this one incident seemsunusual, but since I see patients who’ve had things like thishappen to them, I guess I’m more sensitive to this story.
Again, if you can’t or don’t want to, noworries. Truly.
Flower
Boston, Massachusetts
Ethan
There Are No Coincidences
I couldn’t fucking believe it. I read andre-read her letter at least ten times. What are the odds this womanwould ask me about my case? I’m not falling down the paranoiarabbit hole. I don’t think she’s a plant. I know for a fact myhome, car, and office aren’t bugged, and my computer hasn’t beenhacked. The letters I compose and print out haven’t been seen byanyone but me before I mail them out.
Do I think TLC might’ve fucked up and sheknows who I am? Maybe. But the likelihood of that is not high. I’dput it in the ten percent range, and that’s being generous. My guttells me she doesn’t have a clue who I am, where I live, and forwhich agency I work. I listen to my gut. It’s kept me safe andalive for the past thirteen years.
I have to look at this rationally. The casemade national news and she could’ve read about it online or heardabout it on TV. If everything she’s written is the truth, then shewould be sensitive to these types of cases and she would beconcerned about how Jessica is doing. But what set her off? There’ssomething she’s not saying.
She’s held back before, particularly when Ipushed her about what happened to her.Jesus fuck.I prayshe doesn’t share the same set of facts as Sky and Jessica. But,knowing the state of the world, it’s sure as fuck a possibility. Onaverage, there are about 300,000 incidents of rape and sexualassault each year in this country, and law enforcement knows theseincidents are underreported. Most spiking occurs in alcoholicdrinks, and around twelve percent of college students report theirdrinks have been spiked and they were victims of sexual assault.Those reports are made by the people who remember and who choose toshare what happened. Most who remember don’t report. The systemsucks, and the victims know it.
I’m not a harmonic convergence type of guy. Idon’t believe the universe is talking to me, and if there is a God,I’m absolutely certain my shit is not on the top, middle, or evenbottom of any list of things a deity would contemplate. Butsomething brought Flower into my life, and now I have to figure outhow to elicit information from her to determine where she lives. IfI can get her to narrow that down, I will find her.
Hey babe,
Middle Eastern and Vietnamese. Damn. I’mjealous. I don’t know that I’ll cook any of that for myself, butthere’s a falafel joint not far from my job. I’m going theretomorrow to grab lunch, but no tabbouleh. Not a huge fan of herbydishes, or getting food stuck in my teeth. Yeah, some people brushtheir teeth at work. I’m not one of them.
I had to search for who Dr. Sean Maguire isand figured out he’s a movie reference. Have to admit, never sawGood Will Hunting, but now I’m curious.
Well, Doc, you continue to impress. Of allthe subgroups you could’ve worked with, that seems one of the mostchallenging. No wonder you take comfort in flowers, plants, and thegarden center. Everyone has to find a way to keep their lid loose,and having a couple of acres filled with things you love soundsperfect. But why have flowers as close to year-round aspossible?
I’ll see if I can find out anything for youabout the girl. No promises, but I’ll try.
And, babe, putting a zucchini in the sameletter with a fantasy has to be a subliminal message. You flirtingwith me, Doc?
Ross
Dutchford, Connecticut
Theresa
A Man in Uniform
Leave it to Ross to find a Freudian slip.Early on I’d guessed he’s intuitive, now I’m sure. He understandsmy thing for flowers and gardening keeps my “lid loose,” and hefigured out I want to meet him. If the promise of him is half asgood as I imagine, he’s someone I’d enjoy spending time with. Don’thate on me for understating it. There’s a lot to be said forfinding a kindred spirit, but if there’s no chemistry, no zing,we’ll be good friends and nothing more. Not that such an outcomewould be a bad thing, but seeing Sofia and the unbridled happinessshe’s living makes me yearn for some of my own. I don’t know ifRoss is that man. But I’d like the opportunity to find out.
Since he’s moved across the country for hisnew job, he’s either on my coastline or three thousand miles away.If he’s anywhere on the eastern seaboard, no airport is more than atwo-and-a-half-hour flight away. I’m not opposed to long-distancerelationships, but if I’m in it, I want it close by. Maybe he’swithin driving distance. DC is too far, but NYC is doable.
Look at me, making mental plane reservations,and mapping out weekend road trips to meet a man who may be acomplete sham.
