Credit writer Neil Diamond and sung by The Monkees 1966

Rainy evening in April. The 11th to be exact. 

I had just flown in late that afternoon from a business meeting in San Luis Potosí Mexico but was so looking forward to today. 

I met Emily for the first time. 

Not as an applicant. 

Not as a tenant. 

Just Emily. 

We had agreed on a restaurant earlier near her side of the city. 

I walked in she was already there. Punctual it seems. Sitting uncomfortably at the bar. She seemed out of place (in a good way). It wasn’t her cup of tea to be there, but again, waiting on me. 

Casually dressed. Wearing a green tank top or as I call them – a wife beater. And jeans.

Should I hug her? I didn’t. We exchanged our salutations then headed back to the hostess where we found a quite booth. 

We ordered wine. A beer for me. Calamari appetizer (which she loved).

I listened and caught up with her life. She had just started working for a major distribution network and had nightshift hours but good pay. And benefits – big plus. 

I didn’t have much to offer as far as conversation but I was satisfied being a listener. To me, I sensed she needed someone to talk to. An adult. Someone that wasn’t a coworker. Someone that wasn’t her family. Just someone to talk to. I easily and comfortably obliged. 

Sometimes that’s all people need. An ear. A sounding board just so they can unpack what they have compartmentalized in their head in solitude. 

In person, in a booth – her green eyes can almost pierce right through me. Almost blinding at times. It’s not intense. Subtle and strong. I’m involved in animal rescue and I guess I’ve seen more than a 100 pair of green eyes. So to see them on her is both welcome and familiar. I have a hard time making eye contact at times. 

Our dinner went by so fast. The remainder of her dinner she took it to go. It was already getting late. Still I could listen to Emily longer. 

It was a very casual dinner but I learned some things about Emily. Mainly how strong she is emotionally given what all that’s transpired. Gosh, just a short time ago she was married to a man for 25 years and had established a family. Stability. Life just took some unique speed bumps and wild turns. Now she was scrambling to normalize her life. Find a different place to call home AND find a new job. 

I’m not speaking for anyone but certainly it makes me wonder why people have to endure such hardships. 

We agree to keep in touch.

I thought of her the whole drive home.

Unexpectedly I’ll see her again in a few days. I didn’t know it then, though.