ANOTHER FINE MESS

Friday night, Amy and I were invited to the law offices where she used to work, for a wine tasting. Since Amy has been hooked up to her IV food source, I find myself seeking out opportunities for us to get out when she's untethered (in all honesty it shouldn't take a lingering medical problem for me to think this way). Noting that this event was being held at her old office, and I could tell Amy wanted to go, plus the realization that Amy had been feeling better recently all combined to quickly convince me to attend. The fact it was free admittedly played a large role too, since that also dovetails nicely into our current budget.

It was a pleasant enough time, although Amy started to fade and fell victim to the temptation of foods we knew she wouldn't tolerate.

The folks at this office are nice people. They are, for the most part, wealthy people. I don't attend many events where they serve rack of lamb. Actually, this was the first I've ever attended. The wealth is on display, from the office furniture, to the fancy foods, to the wines which were excessively expensive .

These things I could see readily.

It wasn't a very large crowd, and I managed to speak with most of the folks in attendance. Almost all of them work together constantly, yet I saw very little true communication. I certainly didn't have any conversations that I would call meaningful. When the talk did venture into territories more personal, or even simply more thoughtful, I found our fellow guests drifting away.

This was an occasion for display not depth.

A time to marvel at life's fineries, talking up tannins and the subtleties of lamb.

I came away full...and hungry for something more substantive.