I met my coffee date from the gym for dinner last night. He’s a poet and a songwriter and I had this idea we could meet for dinner, each bringing the other something to read.

I really like this guy because he is “shrunk”. I like him for other reasons too, but he told me he was shrunk by his mother the “shrink” and it is apparent and it makes him really nice to be around.

So anyway, I showed up with one of my stories, Little Mike. It has sex in it, but I never really considered bringing anything else and I wanted to explain why to some extent. So I did. Or at least I tried to. Because though he listened, it was clear he thought I was ridiculous and when I decided he was right, I stopped. One second later, he started to read.

Whaaaat?

Well I’d just printed the thing and it was 33 pages long! I thought we were going to exchange the stuff, talk over dinner, go home and read and then talk about it at some other time. You know. After having a chance to absorb and assimilate in private.

“I wouldn’t start that now,” I said, aware I was being controlling. “Because if you do, you’re going to want to finish it.”

He just looked at me with this face that said, “I know what I’m doing.”

And it’s long,” I added, smiling stupidly. “It’s a warning.”

He smirked a little and continued to read, so I laughed. I guess he does whatever he wants, eh? And nothing is better than that, so I was happy but a little embarrassed. Because although he was on page one, I knew the sex started on page two, so I blushed.

I’d never dreamed he’d read the thing in my presence but as it turned out, I calmed down by the time he was on page 3 and I really started to enjoy the experience. Because I got to see his reaction for one thing and he was laughing. He was laughing at virtually every page of the story and it was a thrill for me to see this. It was new. I’d never seen someone react to one of my stories, live so you can imagine what a treat this was and I calmed down completely.

And while he read my 33 pages, I read the poems and songs and stories he’d brought for me and it was just awesome.

See, I suppose I am a writer at this point. I have written a 600 + page book and written something pretty much daily for almost 6 years, but I don’t know any writers! None.

But now I do! Last night I ate dinner with a peer! We’re both writers. We both put our thoughts and feelings into words and I don’t know… I just really enjoyed myself.

I imagine this must be what it feels like to be a musician and hang around other musicians! Or to meet someone who speaks your language in a foreign land. And I have no idea how I could be this old and have never had this feeling before, but this is the case. Isn’t that a trip? Post dinner, today I feel open and expanded so I’m chocking this up to Jupiter in Sadge…

Are you a creative person? Do you have an opportunity to exchange with a like-minded person or persons or do you work in a vacuum?