Martini Days

Blondie (she of The Daily Blonde) asked me in a comment on one of my posts if my martini days are over. To which my response is...it depends....now I think I have martini moments

My blonde friend and I go back to my earliest days as a born again single guy when I enjoyed having a good time. As I settled into my new found bachelorhood I developed a taste for vodka martinis (4 parts Grey Goose, 1 Part Extra Dry Italian Vermouth, shaken, with three large olives). However, given my parental responsibilities, the opportunity for a good time and to indulge in the aforementioned concoction were rare.

I got my own place once my kids' mom was once again able to function as a parent. Every Saturday night I made myself a vodka martini to celebrate the end of the week and to greet the new one. The drink itself was not as important as what I thought it represented, which was a brief interruption from my routine, a break from wearing so many hats, a reminder that I am still myself. My martini days are behind me, I felt, but thought there was still room in my life for martini moments.

As for this weekend...after my son's little league game I have a date with a steak and an overpriced martini at one of Boston's better steak houses. I imagine the steak will be far better than what I could manage at home (however, I do grill an excellent steak), and the drink at least the equal to what I can make here. What I am looking forward to however, is not that illusory moment, however brief, where I am not a dad, not a mortgage broker, not a boyfriend, not anything except Tom. What I am looking forward to is what comes afterwards, when I am reminded that the connections in my life make me who I am. My relationships define who I am and allow me to be truly myself.