Cocktail Hour
Seasoned romance in the time of Covid-19
KNOCK, KNOCK, three seconds, KNOCK. Ruby smiled when she opened the door. She looked up and down the hallway. It was a beautiful bouquet. She picked it up and smelled it. It was a nice smell — roses and honeysuckle. There was a card.
She followed the instructions and typed in the Zoom address.
Roscoe was waiting for her.
“Hi, Ruby. Did you get the flowers?”
“Of course, I got the flowers, how else would I have known about Zoom?”
Roscoe laughed. “I thought you knew everything.”
Ruby snorted. “Now, how would you know that?”
“Word on the street.”
“Which reminds me, are you careful when you go out?”
“Careful?”
“Mask and staying away from people?”
Roscoe grinned. “So, you care?”
Ruby looked away, shaking her head. “You’re as vulnerable as I am, maybe more so. You’re a man and you’re going outside. It’s not smart.”
“Does that mean you don’t like the flowers?”
Ruby shook her head. “No, it doesn’t mean that. It means I don’t want to be responsible if you get sick.”
“Oh. Yes, I’m careful. I don’t go far, only to The Store, the local grocery store.”
“I know what it is. You don’t have to do this. I can and do go there when I need to.”
“So, you don’t want me to?”
“Damnit Roscoe, I like you’re trying to make this damned quarantine a little easier, but it’s not worth the risk. I can do my own shopping.”
“Aren’t you lonely?”
“This is my life. I’m a writer. I’m used to sitting alone with nothing but my thoughts.”
“I’m lonely.”
“I’m sorry for that, but there’s not much I can do.”
“I liked doing things for you. Should I stop?”
“Yes, if it means you have to go outside, if you have to be around others.”
“I guess it means I stop. I’m sorry if I made you mad.”
“You didn’t make me mad, but I don’t want to be responsible.”
“You’re not responsible. It was something I wanted to do. It made me feel better.”
Ruby, deep sigh.
“I saw that, heard that,” said Roscoe, grinning.
“What are we to do? I like the little gifts. I liked the flowers, but it’s not worth the risk.”
“Can I decide if it’s worth the risk? I really am careful. If the store has too many people in it, I wait until most of them leave. I make sure they stay away, six feet or more. Most are very good about it. They’ve set up Senior hours where us old folks can shop without having too many people around. If I promise to go then, would it be okay?”
“Careful with calling anyone old folks?” laughed Ruby.
“Seniors? Well-traveled? Seasoned? Mature? Decrepit?” Roscoe laughed.
“Seasoned is good. We taste better than those haven’t had a chance to savor life.”
“Do you savor life?”
“What do you mean?”
“Just that, do you enjoy life? Do you savor it? Enjoy it completely?”
Ruby shook her head. “Probably not completely, you?”
Roscoe shook his head. “No, not completely. I wonder if anyone can completely enjoy life. I think you need other people to do that.”
Ruby smiled. “Is that a hint?”
“No, an observation. I didn’t think about it until just now, but I think it’s true. Life has to be shared to be enjoyed, fully enjoyed.”
“People can make life hell.”
“Yes, they can. Or they can make it heaven. Did anyone ever make it heaven for you?”
“I don’t know you well enough.”
“No, I guess you don’t. I suspect someone did and now they’re not there. Do you write about him?”
“What makes you think it’s a him?”
Roscoe laughed. “You wouldn’t put up with me if it was a her.”
“Why not?”
“Because.”
“Oh, because I would be a lesbian, is that it?”
Roscoe nodded. “That’s it.”
“So, lesbians can’t have male friends?”
“Are we friends?”
“More acquaintances, but I like talking to you.” Ruby rubs her chin.
“Does rubbing your chin mean you’re thinking?”
“It could; it does. Do you drink?”
“Drink, as in booze?”
Ruby nodded. “Drink, as in booze.”
“Why?”
“We could do afternoon tea or have a cocktail hour.”
“Cocktail hour?”
“Sure, we’d have to do it via Zoom, but we’d do this at some appointed time, hour. Give us a chance to know each other better but not put either of us in danger.”
Roscoe smiled. “I like that — cocktail hour. I’ve always made it a rule never to drink alone, but this wouldn’t be drinking alone, would it?”
“Not in my book.”
“What time is good for you?”
“It really doesn’t matter, almost anytime as long as it’s in the afternoon. I do my writing in the morning and then read in the afternoon and evening.”
“What are you reading?”
“It varies, right now I’m reading about the Mossad. It’s kind of research. Are you reading anything?”
“Yes, but let’s save that for our first cocktail hour. Maybe we can read the same book sometime and talk about it. Do you like movies?”
“I did, not impressed with what’s out there now. We can’t go to a theatre; that would be a death wish.”
“I was thinking about watching the same movie on television…”
“No TV.”
“Oh, that might make it difficult. I wonder if I can do something with Zoom and Netflix. I think I can use my TV screen as my Zoom monitor. I wonder if that would work?” He rubbed his chin.
Ruby laughed. “You’re rubbing your chin.”
“It must be contagious…”
“Don’t say that!”
“Scared?”
“Concerned.”
“Concerned is good; scared is not. If I get it worked out, could we do dinner and a movie?”
“How would we do dinner?”
“Eat in front of the screen. Can you eat in front of your screen?”
“I could, but what if we just did popcorn?”
Roscoe grinned. “I haven’t had popcorn in ages. How do you make your popcorn?”
“Microwave.”
“Is that supposed to be good for you, with all that salt and stuff?”
“I have a special popper where you put in the popcorn, put it in the microwave and then it pops without oil. It’s air popped without an air popper.”
“Does it taste good? Sounds bland. What’s popcorn without butter?”
Ruby laughs. “I cheat, I add butter and a little Mrs. Dash.”
“Amazon?”
“Amazon, what?”
“Did you find your popper on Amazon?”
“Yes, I have your email address. I’ll send you the link if they’re still making them.”
“Please. So, drinks and then some time we’ll do a movie.”
“We could. You have to make it work and I have to find some wine.”
“Can I buy you a bottle? I’ll buy two bottles the same, that way we can talk about the wine.”
Ruby shook her head. “No, you’d have to go to the liquor store. Maybe we do tea until we can get the wine without putting either of us in jeopardy. Getting warm enough might be time for margaritas. I have the tequila and triple sec, just need some lime juice.”
“I can get you the lime juice.”
“Yes, and so can I.”
“What if we went together?”
“Six feet?”
“Of course, and masks.”
“Of course.
“Where should we meet?”
