Willie Waltzer*Love in a Hot Climate*
*Summer, in Virginia, dear readers* Humidity. Mosquitoes. Warm nights and warmer days. The buzz of the locusts and the hum of air conditioners. The whir of fans, the clink of ice cubes in tall glasses, and, for my neighbor, love.
*She is a woman of a *certain age,* my neighbor. Warm, lusty, passionate* She is often bloodied by life*s battles, but her head is never bowed. Always a new cause to fight for, a new crisis to be faced. And, when in the midst of a new love affair, she totally immerses herself, gallantly ignoring the almost inevitable disastrous outcome.
*This summer*s amore is a younger man. He*s a true God* tall, bronzed, built like a porn fantasy. Surprisingly well mannered and considerate for so butch a guy. It turns out I know his mother* small world, right? Anyway, he and my neighbor are having a truly marvelous summer love affair: boating* sunbathing* picnicking* loving* (A lot of the last item mentioned, I might add!) If the glow on her face is any indication, my neighbor is truly in heaven.
*Many folks would say that she*s a glutton for punishment, my neighbor. Once fall arrives and temperatures drop, so too could the younger man*s passion cool and fade away. Love is easy to maintain in the warmth of the summer sun, but seems to die when the first frost chills the ground. Best to cut things off now and save oneself the pain of a winter heartache, a wise person would counsel, but*
*I deeply admire my neighbor*s courage. It*s not easy to dive headlong into a May/December romance, knowing damned well that the outcome probably won*t be *happily ever after.* This woman always chooses to live for the moment and to hell with tomorrow. Sure, if the stud leaves her high and dry come October, I doubt that she*ll have the merriest of Christmases! But*
*Think what memories she*ll have to remember. Hot nights wrapped in a he-man*s embrace* Awaking to sun-drenched days cavorting with studly on a beach* Dining/drinking/dancing the warm summer nights away* Compared to the drabness of a safe, risk-free existence, wouldn*t you jump at the chance for a fantasy, too?
*So, let*s wish my neighbor a fabulous southern summer, one that will warm her dreams for many years to come. In the midst of an increasingly sterile, jaded world, let*s give a cheer for those among us who live their lives fully, who always say *yes!* to adventure. Maybe, one day, all of us will experience love in a hot climate*
*** *Au Revoir,
****Willie Waltzer
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