singleton

this past weekend, my family attended the wedding of our neighbor, one of my sister's closest friends.

it was a lovely ceremony on the waterfront of a small harbor in newport beach. there were about one hundred white chairs facing a kiosk decorated with small white lights and tule, round tables and heat lamps set up to one side. all gleaming against the grey sky and silver water.

after the ceremony, i am approached by the mother of a good friend. have i heard about my friend's new boyfriend? yes, of course. i'm anxious to meet him. we exchange tidbits of information. we are both happy for my friend/her daugther and hope that things work out.

we meet again at the buffet line.

"you know, jennifer, my husband's nephew is here tonight. he's single. 33."

"i'm still in recovery," i respond instinctively, defensively.

she nods as if she knows something that i haven't told her.

i see the nephew later seated at table 3; we are at table 2. he has shortly cropped dark hair with the tiniest hint of silver in the back. he is handsome in the way that men are when they wear slacks and button down shirts. he is thin and shows his teeth when he smiles. (reminds me of P's smile).

my sister mentions the nephew later. "did you see that guy in the striped shirt? he's not married."

"i know. k's mom has already told me about him."

"he's cute," she tells me, emphasizing the "Q" in cute.

i agree. but i feign disinterest in him.

i feel that there is a definite bridget jones element to my life these days. being a singleton among smug marrieds.

you remember the scene in the movie when she is the only single person at a dinner party of married people and couples. one of them asks her, "so bridget. why are there are so many unmarried women in their thirties loose in london these days?"

she answers, "well i suppose that it doesn't help that under our clothes we're all covered with scales."

scales are harder to conceal among bakersfieldians for some reason.

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