What Moves You

This is the first in a 2 part series....

After a long, hard week Tyrone and Natalie were on a mission for oysters and champagne. “Meet us over at the Marche,” Tyrone told me over the phone. “I don’t know. That place is pretty fancy isn’t it?” “Not in the bar,” he promised. That was good, cause I was wearing my black hoody complete with three holes resembling a ghost’s face on my sleeve, a pair of jeans, and a ratty pair of skateboard shoes that should’ve been replaced a long time ago. And I wasn’t about to change what I was wearing just to meet-up for a few drinks. Some people are all worried about style. My style is a lack of style.

I rode over there through the surprisingly warm March evening. When I walked in Ty and Nat were sitting there, champagne flutes in hand, and a big silver tray full of ice and empty oyster shooters on the half shell on table. “We saved one for you,” they said. “Cool, I haven’t had oysters in a while." I ate it. Mmmm-hmmm, it was the best oyster I ever had – fresh from the Northwest. The Marche is a little too snazzy for my taste, but all their ingredients are local. So, as far as snazzy places go, they’re ok.

We were all in a good mood for some reason. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the company, maybe it was the champagne and beer - probably all three. We talked about things like old roommates, Tennessee Williams’ Streetcar Named Desire, and sustainability. Natalie is the “sustainability expert” for an organic foods distributor, and we’re all a bunch of ex-Green Party radicals, so, we pretty much always end-up talking sustainability at some point. I looked at the champagne, the oysters, and thought of Natalie’s “sustainability” conference stories - the Hilton motels, the flame grilled salmon, the constant flying from one place to another. I saw nothing but contradictions. But I kept my opinions to myself. Who am I to burst their bubble? I've got plenty of my own contradictions. Besides their hearts are in the right place. Yeah, yeah, I know. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Well then, take me to hell.

Continued in Part II.