my pretty face and all my gentle ways

most of last week and continuing into today there's been a parade of loud trucks, jackhammers, cement being poured and men, men, men, men, men. you know how the powers-that-be at city hall gets their little whims and just begin frenzied and seemingly pointless construction projects? well, they're doing it on my street. as near as i can tell, they are ripping up sewer drains, manhole covers and nearly all the sidewalk on the street. i'm not sure what they're accomplishing, other than the fact that we're all going to have nice newly poured sidewalks.

last thursday, i was walking up my street on my way to go meet a friend and spend the day on the toronto islands. very happy to escape my needy new kitten (who ended up being a zelda and not a tallulah) and the noisy construction when i nearly walked right onto a newly paved sidewalk. it was so newly paved that the city worker was still smoothing out the wet cement. i stopped, pretty much in the nick of time and said, 'oops' just as the construction guy said, 'whoa!'. i stepped into the street and looked at him as i told him that i was lost in my thoughts and didn't even see what was going on.

and then i saw what a mistake that was... this guy was stunningly gorgeous. yes, sure - bad me - i'm objectifying him based on his looks - but if you saw him - you'd not only forgive me, but you'd understand and reach for a tissue to wipe away your own drool. ;-> he was shirtless - but for the open red and orange construction vest, wearing dark sunglasses and with dark and lovely skin. and oh yeah - very nicely muscled. *sigh* picture a sunny beach somewhere in latin america and you pretty much know what he looks like.

then he flashes me this stunning smile and asks if i'm alright, if i have too much on my mind. i just smile back and tell him i'm ok and thank him. as i walk to the subway i start to wonder what the hell i'm doing. unless this guy was just the sweetest most concerned guy on the face of the planet, he seemed to be hitting on me.

which lead me to wonder - how does one successfully flirt without getting a serious dose of self-loathing. i mean, flirting usually is gag inducing. it's a game. i don't like games - i like honesty. i think i'm too straightforward for my own good.

discussing it with a friend that night, i told her that i wondered what carrie bradshaw would do, faced with the same circumstance. we agreed that she would of gone right back into her apartment, made a giant pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade and would of come back out to offer it on a perfectly perfect serving tray while wearing a little sundress - probably with pink and yellow stripes on it. life just isn't like sex in the city - is it?

i saw my gorgeous friend again on friday morning. i left early on my way to yoga and we smiled and waved at each other as i walked past him on the way to the bus stop. the weekend came and the street was silent.

today on my way home from yoga and a late lunch with friends i was walking home when i passed the arriving cement truck. the cement truck acted like a siren's song for the construction guys on my street. there was a parade of about 6 of them walking from the bottom of the hill, to the top of the hill to meet the truck. and from across the street that gorgeous guy smiled and waved at me.

as i smiled to myself and unlocked the front door i realized that i didn't need to flirt, i didn't need to make an ass of myself - it was enough just to get those little smiles and waves. that and the fact that i realized that this guy is probably 10 - 12 years younger than me.

[music | bella, "can she play guitar"]