A Very Small World

 

The usual Sunday night place just in time for sunset.

Been a very wild couple of days. Working on getting our passports renewed. Jim and I were forced to work as a team to fix the leak in our washer. Mix in that we've been social, too damn social for introverted me.

Saturday night. We head off to the house of a local musician we know well. It's his 72nd birthday and there's a shindig at his house. I didn't know anyone there at first beyond the host and hostess, but that's okay, I love to people watch. I'm hobbling because my knee is still a problem, the band of muscles on the outside of it are strained and I've already been told its a long recovery time. It hurts, I deal. 

After slipping out back to smoke a little of the devil's lettuce with the host I went back into a house to sit in the living room to people watch and rest my knee. I sat down in a living room filled with ladies of a certain age. One of them kept telling me I looked 'familiar' Well, thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster I was slightly stoned because I didn't betray where I knew her from. From the Walmart subsidiary days before. Yes, it's Mrs. Bronx Honx! I was beyond shocked as I'd never seen her with any of the hosts or in our friends group.

By that point in the evening the house and yard were filled with people I know well and only a few strangers. I never told Mrs. Bronx Honx where she knows me from, but I did sit back and observe her. She spent much of the night firing questions at others, the same questions she asked me. What did you do for a living? What's your educational level? Where do you live? Etc, world without end. I noticed she had no time for anyone holding a bachelors degree or less. Turns out she worked in the medical field, ran her own clinic and she was looking for like educated folks. Not here!

The saddest question she asked me was 'What do you do with yourself here if you are retired?' I had to answer that it's a time to pursue those things that make you happy, I paint, I quilt, I crochet and make jewelry. I garden. I read. I write. There's really not enough time in the day for everything I like to do. Like right now I'm in the middle of doing laundry and I'm about to bust out my macrame cord and random sticks and make a wall hanging.

Me being curious as I am wont to do had to ask the Mrs. what she does for fun, her passion. She said, and I quote "Medicine" before telling me she's bored stupid to the point where there's no point. She's alone, she is lonely and has nothing to do. In this place with zillions of things to do, travel to see and experience. I don't get it! There is always something to do even if that something is going to the beach to beach walk.

At one point she pigeon holes my dear husband, discovering his many advanced degrees and the fact that he's lived all over the world. By the time he was ten he'd circled the globe as his father taught hither and yon around the world. Jim, being Jim, being Midwestern friendly and polite with his people pleasing persona sat and talked with her so long she announced to the room that he was the most interesting, educated and nicest person at the party. I rolled my eyes. Lady, please stop inflating the already copious ego this man possesses!

 

Later her husband arrives, and I realize I'd been around him and talking to him in the drum circle cum pot smoker circle outside. He seems perfectly pleasant and charming, not at all like his previous appearance. 

The Mrs. and I did that modern dance, exchanged business cards after she asked for my phone number. My business card lists a collector voice email that never rings here, an online thing that I listen to infrequently and rarely call anyone back. Always have a phone number and a plan when a crashing obnoxious boar wants your digits.

On the way home I told Jim that she was the lady insulting Costa Rica and Ticos at top volume in English at the store and I have no intentions in being friends with her, or hanging out with her! I'll be 'nice' to her, but slightly removed and not entirely friendly. She's incredibly negative.

The next night we're in downtown here, preparing to pay the bill and depart from our favorite beach front restaurant when she shows up. Luckily it was for a very few minutes and I'd partaken hard again of the devil's lettuce, but in that time she'd glommed onto my closest friend here, who happens to be very educated and a retired lawyer. Later I asked my friend for her opinion, telling her nothing about my previous interactions with the Mrs. and she told me about the same questions being lobbed at her, including the one about what do you do to stay occupied in this place since she thinks it's an accursed boring place. My friend is just as puzzled as I over her lack of all interests and curious lack of wanting to do all the touristy things, or travel.

I just cannot! I am hoping this lady does not take to popping up where we are because I am was done with her when she started acting like the most entitled white Gringa in Costa Rica.