Up In The Air

In mid-July my wife had a Monday evening tennis match and I had an itch to get out and meet Michelle. I had three new summer dresses from a trip to Nordstrom the Friday before, and I wanted to model them for Michelle and wear one of the three out. I also had my new wig I wanted to wear that Michelle had helped me buy, so that was another reason. She wasn’t working, and her kids were with their dad, so she was free and wanted to meet.

I suggested the 360 Bar in downtown St. Louis, a rooftop bar I had only been at once a few years before. The weather wasn’t too warm, the Cardinals weren’t playing (the bar overlooks the stadium, albeit in the distance), so I thought the bar wouldn’t be too crowded. Michelle was excited about going there.

I drove to her house to finish my dressing. I brought all three of my new dresses, and modeled each for Michelle. She liked all three. In turn, she was going to wear a sexy outfit she had bought when we went to the upscale thrift after we bought my new wig. I was going to wear my Red Keds, but Michelle suggested a couple of alternatives, although the heeled sandals she wanted me to wear didn’t fit. I ended up wearing a pair of her black sandals.

We parked near the bar and took a few pictures on the street, including the most famous St. Louis backdrop. It was a nice evening and a welcome break from the summer heat. 

The bar was more crowded than I expected but we found seats at the outdoor bar. Going out with Michelle is always a double edged sword. Being with a GG gives me more confidence about being out, but being with someone as freakin’ gorgeous as Michelle means that you get more attention because she gets noticed, which means in turn I get noticed. I have learned to live it. [Editorial comment: Suck it up, Nancy! ☺]

We ordered some food and drinks and used the backdrop to take some pictures. Michelle wanted some pictures too so I took some with her iPhone, and I showed her how to crop and edit them. The solo picture of her she posted to Facebook and Instagram; part of me wants to brag “I took that picture” but the sensible part of me says “not a good idea.” Dee has been on her Facebook page once, last Halloween. 

After about 45 minutes, it began to rain, so we were forced inside to a table. We stayed for about another hour, had another drink and snack, and before departing hit the ladies room, where the multiple mirrors meant another round of photos. We made it back to where we were parked before the real rains hit; over the next 18 hours St. Louis was hit with ten inches of rain, causing lots of local flooding. My suburb had eight inches of rain, and one of my neighbors endured a flood of about two feet to her basement from a nearby creek.

Two other stories to tell.

First, I stole the title from the George Clooney movie of the same name. Scenes from the movie were filmed in a building near the bar, a building I worked in during my working days.

Second, some times my worlds collide. 

Back in January, I met a guy (“B”) Michelle was dating. We were at Hooter’s, and he came and joined us. Michelle told me some details about him, such as their daughters playing for the same volleyball club. Michelle subsequently broke up with “B” and started dating someone else. 

Fast forward to mid May. I’m doing a coaching clinic, and working with a 6th grade girl, and she says she plays volleyball. I ask her if she knows “X” (Michelle’s daughter). She says she does. I then ask her why she’s here at the clinic. She answers her brother is on the team I coach.

I put two and two together and realize “B” is the dad of one of the freshman boys I’ve been coaching for the last two months. At the time, I confirmed my suspicions with Michelle. I begin to wonder whether “B” has made the connection between his son’s high school coach and Michelle’s friend Dee. From then to the end of the season, a couple of weeks, I see “B” a couple of more times, but I try not to interact with “B” too much to avoid him figuring the puzzle out.

While we are at the bar, Michelle tells me she had met with “B” the day before. I suggest to Michelle it’s probably best she downplay my friendship with Michelle, for somewhat obvious reasons. I told her not to lie, but just better not to mention me. For better or worse, Michelle doesn’t have much of a filter, and confesses to me she asked “B” a question about her son and tennis, and I came up. As it turns out, “B” had no idea the man he has been calling “coach” and Michelle’s friend Dee were one and the same. 

Driving home, Michelle is texting “B”, and through Michelle I just ask “B” to keep the news to himself. He seems like a good guy, and I hope he will, although I haven’t seen him since (as either a guy or girl), and I won’t likely until next spring. That might be an interesting conversation. I guess that’s “Up in the Air” too.

But as Michelle noted to me, we all worry about others making the connection between both sides of us, and as I said, “B” had no idea. 

And in the end, I’m not gonna worry about it. I am who I am.

My apologies to Dee for the delay in today’s post. I neglected to click AM instead of PM when originally I scheduled it.