Dear 123Greetings Subscriber,

I hope you’re all back from your holiday vacations safe and sound and with your significant O intact! I have great friends to help me through stuff, and yes, love is definitely in the ‘air’ for our Kate!

My big “DOH!” moment was when I asked Aaliyah whether we could still be friends. Folks, it’s no surprise that I can do pretty stupid stuff under duress. Just bumping into Aaliyah after I’d been thinking of her so much over the holidays was like she teleported right in front of me. I mean talk about wishful thinking!

She was hesitant to reply. “Bob I think it’s going to take some time for me to get adjusted to our new situation. It happened kinda fast for me and I really need some space now. I’m trying to start a whole new life in a new city.” My heart sank. I realized that we were losing whatever connection we had… there was a chance she might be out of my life forever. Then she said, “I’ll tell ya what, why don’t you drop me at the airport on Saturday?” A sparkle of hope! I thought–maybe, just maybe there’s still a chance…

I left Aaliyah and headed out to Brooklyn Heights where everyone was meeting up for dinner at Le Petit Marche. Adrian hadn’t been there before and I really wanted him to try the lamb! There was Kate, Adrian, Megan and me. It was one of our weekly “catch up meets”. And of course, Kate had a big announcement.

Kate and Jeffrey have been going out for a week or two now and they’re totally in love. They knew it but hadn’t said it to each other. You know how it is of the big pressure with saying those three little words! Between Christmas and New Year, they were still getting used to just being with each other. Anyway, the surprising thing is, it wasn’t our Kate who said it first!

Jeffrey, being the romantic maestro whispered, “I love you” into her ear as she was leaving the subway to come to the restaurant. “Then the doors closed on me. I didn’t even have the time to react! He was smiling when the train moved and then he was out of sight.” Kate explained. “That is so romantic,” said Megan, teary eyed.

Frankly, I wasn’t ready for all this mushy stuff, so I just said, “Why wasn’t he man enough to wait for your reaction?” And of course the women were appalled at my comment. “Maybe he didn’t want a reaction. Maybe it was his way of saying, ‘No matter how you feel, I’ll still love you’ kind of a thing. Ya know?” Megan continued. Adrian all of a sudden said, “Ya! Maybe he wasn’t ready for a reaction.” Oh great, even my best buddy’s against me! I can’t help being cynical. I’ve been through a lot and this mushy stuff was hard to hear.

I decided not to dwell on the matter and I think the others sensed my unease too. Megan took up the subject of steak fries and how fantastic the Coq Au Vin, is. Thank goodness for Megan, I was totally saved from the mushy “I love you” stuff.

Remember Irina my other ex that I mentioned in my last newsletter? Well, I ran into her while getting breakfast at the Comfort Diner–my favorite! Not only do they serve the traditional stuff, but they have beer too! She was on her way to work at the Clinton campaign headquarters.

I asked her, “So Irina, is this what out-of-work models do? Get out the vote?” Of course, I was being sarcastic. To my surprise she took it well, “Ya, I’m interested in politics now. There are so many rich and famous people to meet! What’s more I get to talk to them sometimes, which is really cool.” It was the Irina that I knew–the Irina who is always casual and has funny answers to everything. “But what about the votes and all that social change stuff? Don’t you believe in that?”

“Of course I do, Bob. That’s where I get my energy. The rest of it, the thrill, the excitement and meeting celebrities is just part of the package. My parents are really proud, too. It really hits home when you think of places like Chechnya, where both my parents come from. So this election is a big deal for them.” It was really great to catch up with Irina. I forgot how much fun she was to be around. She can talk about issues and things without getting you down and getting too serious. “I mean think about it, there’s so many people who have struggled and died just so everyone has equal rights. Voting is just one basic fundamental right,” she declared.

I was taken up by her little speech. It seems she really believed in what she was doing. Talking about voting, are you registered to vote? Vote now or forever hold your peace… well, for the next four years anyway!

Fighting for your rights and standing up for them is what America is all about. I can’t find a more patriotic cause than that. So I was really excited when I met Frederick Gray in my usual bar. He was talking to Pete–our regular bartender. He was so enthusiastic that I just had to introduce myself.

He’s a seven foot tall big guy with really long dreads. He’s named after the abolitionist and reformer Frederick Douglass. He was passing out postcards for a Black History Month poetry slam down at the Lower East Side poets’ cafe. We bought each other drinks and we talked about his experiences in the Civil Rights Movement. We talked about Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X and the Black Panthers. It was really a great discussion of how people can change the course of history together.

For me it was uplifting, I mean here I was so concerned about my breakup and being so self-centered. Then a guy like Fred walks into my life and changes my whole outlook. It only happens in New York, I tell ya!

This week’s Zen quote comes from Martin Luther King, Jr. who said, “Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.” Spread the love brother, ya know what I’m saying? I’ve decided to not hate or be bitter about stuff. I think no matter what the future holds, I’m going to have a positive outlook on things. I’ll let you know how I’m doing next week!