Shabz, the wonderful woman at the Dolphin Square grocery store, has taken to procuring for me, without permission. Within the last two weeks she has come up with three men. She tells me that each is quite smitten with me, and all express the need to come to my flat and have me cook for them. (Why that is a big request and common to all of them is a mystery.) One of the men is apparently a candidate e for marriage and marriage could be a solution to my visa issues. This is an example, so on February 22, 2017 Shabz sent an email with the subject line: Admirer. “Hello it’s Shabz. Please Can you come to the shop the guy painting on ladder wants to see you Looool” I respond: Are you kidding? I am laughing. You are younger and better looking. Alexis” I did not rush over to the shop so Shabz sent another email: “He’s gone for lunch now but he left his card for u and he said he’s going to start to read your blogs.” So now its a couple of weeks later, I have been to Scotland and back. Shabz tells me that the painter has been religiously following my blogs and the two of them chat away about them, “Can you believe what happened to her at King’s Cross Station? for example.I tell Shabz that I am very pleased. “I don’t want or need sex, it is blog readers that I am seeking.” An elderly male customer overheard the conversation and chocked, I asked him if he had a computer. He said yes. I gave him my blog business card.
New readers do not know this but for some reason I have become a man magnet. It is ridiculous actually. But the popular explanation is that I am unavailable and men want a woman woman who is unavailable. I am unavailable for many reasons the chief ones being that I am old, itinerant (Dr. Woolfson’s phrase) and wear a huge engagement ring. (The ring is a leftover from the second marriage.) There is also the posh doctor’s analysis mentioned in a prior blog: “There is a shortage of sexy seventy-three year old women in London.” Then, if and when, a man gets to know me a little better I tell him/they the ultimate truth:” I am incapable of love.” I guess makes for unavailable.
Another reason that I do not need a traditional relationship is because I am spoiled. Last night for example I was treated to a fantastic farewell feast at the Rex Whistler restaurant. I was seated at the Lord and Lady’s table, which is on the left hand side when you first walk in.I have attached a photograph to the blog. I said to the boss Matthew: “I don’t like sitting here because I have to act ladylike.” He quickly retorted: “Good, I should have sat you here more often.” I did bother him again and told him that I was the best dressed person in the place. He scanned everyone and said: “ I will find someone.” My response? “You will have to look real hard.” Matthew was not being very gracious actually.
A few months earlier at another posh restaurant the boss graciously said: “Alexis, you are always the best dressed person in the restaurant.” Then he called me a flyster and when you look up the word it is perfect. But that was then and this was now and was the food ever delicious at the Rex Whistler. I had the venison for an appetizer. It was paired with poached pear. Perfect! The roast beef was superb, rare as requested with potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. Matthew forced me to eat my vegetables. As vegetables they were delicious but they were vegetables, recognizable as same. The staff told me I could get away with not eating the vegetables but a promise is a promise. I had a cheese selection for dessert. I think it was one of the best meals of my life and it was accompanied by the most exquisite wine pairing in the entire universe. Kate, the sommelier and I had a discussion about the red wine. I said that to me very good red wines tasted and smelled like dirt. She said that was an apt phrase for many reasons. Those wine snobs with all of their fancy terms. Dirt is the word.
Always true to my blog I passed my blog card to the couple at the next table and then I scored very big. There was a table of about eight people at the other side of the restaurant and as the place emptied out I was able to enjoy eavesdropping. (Ttopic of a prior blog). As they left I told them that I quite enjoyed their conversation. (unlike the prior blogged one). They laughed, I gave them my blog business card. I ran out of cards, they had to share.
But just so you know relief is in sight. I sent my cousins and friends the details of my train journey across Canada. There was a mistake, showing that I left Saskatoon and got to Toronto in an hour. My cousin Carol-Ann emailed: “Impressive. Especially the hour to travel from Saskatoon to Toronto. Can’t wait to see you! ” Lifelong friend Bruce was thorough and informed me that I would arrive in Toronto on July 4th not July 2nd. I emailed: “As usual Bruce you are brilliant. Thanks. How unusual Toronto on July 4. Phew!! Alexis” Bruce: “ Well, you have to be somewhere on July 4!” Alexis: “Better Toronto than Mississippi” To new readersI am a born again Canadian.
Attached is a selfie I took looking ladylike at the Lord and Lady’s Table. My utterly handsome waiter said of me: “You are amazingly cute.” That is the truth, that is what he said. Now he might be blind but that is what he said.
