My Third Divorce Is Not Your Business

There is a Wilner running around Greece and another walking around grease puddles. One takes pictures of exotic places and the other tells people to put their guns away or leave the premises.

But there are stories we tell, stories we share and stories that no one gets to hear.

Fellow asked me how many ex girlfriends are divorced, how many are widowed and how many are called grandma now.

“Your kids don’t like thinking about you having had experiences with other women or other men but it is not the same with the grand kids. They either can’t stomach the idea or they find it exotic.

I don’t know anyone your age who can’t relate to it. Tell me how long you have been divorced and I’ll tell you whether you are ready to date or if you are still looking to just hook up.”

Somehow the crazy and unhinged find me along with those who are certain they know exactly who I am.

Sometimes I simply ignore them and sometimes I give them answers like my third divorce is not your business.

“Bet there is at least one who got away, one who wishes she had never come and another who thinks of you as the guy she should have been with.”

I nod my head and say he might be right and tell him there is no doubt at least one can’t figure out what to do with or about me.

“I am difficult.”

He focuses upon me, says “oh” and waits for me to expand upon it but I smile and walk away.

Buying Another Car

Thermostat says it is 100 degrees outside and I can feel the heat radiating off of the pavement. The dealership is  operating out of modular offices because the main showroom and attached offices are under construction.

The salesman has to be 30 years younger than I am or close to it. He isn’t reading me well but I am trying to be patient with him because he is young.

What saves him isn’t his youth but something about him makes me think he is trying and that counts for something.

I send him and the younger Mr. Wilner out on a test drive because I don’t need to be in the car and I want his focus elsewhere.

An older guy approaches me and asks if he can help me. I shake my head no but he chooses to engage and this how I end up in the ridiculous conversation above.

He’ll find me a second time when I exit the office to make a telephone call. I’ll turn my back on him to indicate a lack of interest but he’ll ignore that and engage again.

This time he’ll pick up on the edge but choose to ask me to explain why I am irritated by him. He’ll tell me that if I worked with people I’d have a better understanding of how to get along with people.

I’ll tell him I manage a multi million dollar portfolio and that I spend my days working with people. I’ll walk away wondering why I bothered to say anything about what I do.

Later on a finance guy will say he understands I am a tough negotiator. I’ll smile and tell him I don’t know who he heard that from or if he is just making it up.

He thinks I am messing with him but I am serious.

Been at the dealer for more than three hours and it has been a pretty productive day. I am done.

****

On the drive home I review the list of things I accomplished and think about what didn’t happen.

Somewhere between there and here I’ll think about how the Virgo would appreciate the list making and checking things off.

That will remind me about telling someone about how many labels my father would make for things and the reorganization of the pantry.

There was always a way to make it more efficient.

I Can Make More Money

The younger Mr. Wilner and I are engaged in a deep conversation and I tell him it is time to talk Tachlis.

“You ought to be proud of yourself and all that you have accomplished but there is more to do and more that can be done. Let’s talk about mapping more things out.”

We break things down and delve into thoughts and ideas about some future possibilities.

“One day I won’t have any children on the payroll any longer. One day they’ll take care of me right.”

We both laugh and I tell him to remember that even at my age I am not done.

“There are solid opportunities for me. Things that I can go after if I want to. Some claim that by this point in life I am tapped out and that I have gone as high as I am able to.

That is nonsense.

I can go harder and higher.

I can make more money.

But I temper all that with asking myself how will those things impact my quality of life. Will they improve it or will they hurt it.

Quality of life is central to our existence. It impacts our happiness and our contentment. When you find the people, things and experiences that foster it you need to protect that.

And if you get to places where it is impacted negatively you need to figure out how to fix it.

Life is as simple or as complicated as we make it.”