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Isaac: I know there is something going on. Thorfinn envites me to a barbeque on sunday. I am quiete sure, that out of the blue a nice young guy will appear. And then we have to do some chores together, like peeling potatoes or drive to the supermarket for Thorfinns secret barbeque sauce, because he forgot some very important herb to buy.
Yes, i am the only one from our group of friends who is still alone. Pete has Alberta, Sasappis and Joan are engaged, Thorfinn married Susan, Trevor and Hetty are dating for years. There is no need to set me up with somebody, i am quiete capable to do this on my own. I am content with my situation. No one of my friends needs to worry that i will end in their garage apartment all alone.
I am not very enthusiatic when i drive to Susans and Thorfinns party. Somehow i will survive this afternoon. I am prepared for the worst. i have my wellthumbed edition of the Iliad with me, maybe i can sneak off to the spare bedroom at least for a while. If the children don't find me first, they are quiete a handful. I am not in the mood to admire little Thors playmobil piratship again. This time i am lucky. When i came into the house, Susan hands me a cocktail and i am able to blend into the background. Apparently Susan and Thorfinn forgot to think of any tasks for me. Nearly unseen i can dissappear into the guest bed room. When i open the door there is already someone lying on the sofa, reading Platons Kritias. I clear my throat. Nothing, no reaction. The guy doesn't even looks up from his book, very rude.
I don't know what to do, shall i go back to the party and listen to Thorfinn talking about the secret ingredients of his barbeque sauce? Suddenly the man on the chouch looks at me, he grabs his mobile and says: Sorry, i had my hearing aid on mute. It is the best way to hide from Susan and Thorfinn.
I sit next to him on the sofa: Is it ok, if i stay here for a moment? I won't disturb you, i have my own book with me. He says: It's fine. I need to hide here, Thorfinn is trying again to set me up. Constantly he introduces me to some idiot cousin of Susan or a jerk from his office. It is so embarassing. At that moment the door opens and Susan peeks inside: Isaac, i want you to meet a friend of Thorfinns. But you found each other already, so i leave you to it. And she is gone with the speed of light. Probaly telling Thor the good news. It makes me laugh: So this time i am the jerk from Thorfinns office. He blushes: I am so sorry, i am just so sick of their matchmaking. I agree: They try it all the time with me. They just don't get it, that i am happy on my own. They don't understand it, i had these shortlived affairs for years. They all ended badly. As long as the right guy doesn't show up, i am content to be on my own. He nods: All the time they treat me like i am not a complete person on my own, because i am still single. It so annoying. They have a word for it: smug-married. I ask: What is your name by the way? As you already heard, my name is Isaac. He smiles: My name is Nigel. I was in college with Thorfinn and Susan. I look at him: Pleasure to meet you Nigel. And just a wild guess, but you are from england? When i mention england, his whole face changes, he beames: The pleasure is all mine. Yes, i am from england, Leceistershire, I suppose, that doesn't mean anything to you. I came to the usa for a semester, but then i stayed for good. But i still miss england. Suddenly the room is much to small for two grown men.
I stand up from the sofa: I have an idea, what about sneaking out of here? There is a teashoppe in Queens we could go to. They have an afternoon tea. Nigel looks at me: And miss Thorfinns barbeque? He will be pouting for weeks! Actually a nice cup of earl grey would be perfect right now. We leave the house unseen, but as Susan tells me later, she and Thorfinn saw us from the kitchen window driving away. When Nigel and i get in my car, i say: I never told Thorfinn, but i don't eat meat anymore, for health reasons. So all these grilled meat and the smell, it is torture. Nigel says: I get that. I am a vegan for years, but the smell of roasted meat, it is hard to stay away from it. Looking at all the these kinds of food, and not beeing able to participate, it is not my favourite way to pass an sunday afternoon.
Nigel: I am so done for. Thorfinn invites me for a barbeque on sunday. He is my best friend, so i can't say no. But i am sure, that he will try to set me up with a nice guy on this barbeque. He tries it all the times, it never works. It is so embarassing for me and the poor guy involved. When i come to the house, i say hello to Susan, Thorfinn and the kids. But then i dissappear straight to the spare bedroom, as soon as they are busy with their party preparations again. I switch the hearing aid to mute and lie down on the sofa. I start to read Kritias, i haven't done this for a long time. I really hope, Thorfinn doesn't finds me here. He just doesn't gets it, that i don't need to find a new partner. I don't want a blind date. I am my own person. I was until recently in a relationship, but the spark was long gone, it was only comfortable. My ex boyfriend had the opportunity to go for a reseach project to Paris. He wanted me to join him. But i got my own business here, even if it is only a litte bookshop. I put so much work into it, to make it a success. I can not leave it. That my friend went to Paris for 3 years was the perfect excuse to separate. It didn't hurt much and in the end i was just relieved. And now i am alone for the first time in years. I don't need Thorfinn to change that. I am really busy with the shop. There are book presentations now and then, the last friday of the month is book club. The grannys in the neighbourhood love that. We eat cake and talk a lot about Jane Austen novels. In the end we can never agree on the important question, who is the better, meaning hotter Mr. Darcy, Colin Firth or Matthew Mcfadyen? I am team Colin. Every gay man wo saw the miniseries in the 90ies, remembers the wet shirt szene, yes you can see the nippels. But there is also a nice battube moment and a sweaty fenching practise. And Colin lookes so handsome in these regency clothing. All that makes it worth watching 6 hours of Pride and Predjudice. I was very young when i saw it for the first time, i gave certainly me a hint where my interest lie. I rest my case.
Suddenly a guy my age enters the room. He is a little overweight, not handsome in the classical way but somehow interesting. He is one of the few men who look better with a little more weight on. My first thought is, that he would look perfect on a painting wearing an oldfashioned uniform. He has really remarkable green eyes, i think some people call that colour hazel. He seems to be a little annoyed. I switch my hearing aid on and apologise.
He asks: If it is alright, if stay here for a while, Thorfinn has found the love of my live for me, again. I really can stand another afternoon of this.
It makes me laugh: When he invited me for the barbeque, he let it slip that he wanted to introduce me to a mate from work. Now it all makes sense. Please don't be mad at me, if don't fall sobbing into your arms, waiting with bated breath for your proposal!
He looks at me: Well Thorfinn could have choosen a lot worse. Last time he forced a star wars weardo on me, half the time i had no idea what he was talking about!
He asks: What did you do to get rid of him?
He chuckles: I started talking about the Iliad, and he was gone very fast.
Then i remember: I think we met before. It must have at been Thorfinns stag night or his wedding. I am not sure.
He thinks for a moment: Yes, it's true, it must be the stag night. I missed the wedding, because the semester in cambridge had already started. I already thought then that you are really a nice guy, but i was on my way for a term abroad. So it wasn't the right time.
I agree: I was in a relationship at that time, it wasn't the perfect moment to meet. I liked you too right from the start. Thorfinn never needs to know that, or he will be so smug.
He stands up from the sofa: What about if we just leave the party a little earlier? There is a nice british teashoppe in Queens who serves an afternoon tea.
I am already on my way out of the room: Thats sound lovely, a cup of earl grey would be perfect right now!
Isaac: It is 3 years later. I am in our flat getting reading for the wedding. Pete and Trevor are with me. In a few minutes Sasapphis will drive us to the registers office. Hopefully Nigel will be there waiting for me. He spent the night at Thorfinns house. Nigel texted me all night how excited he is. I texted back that i am cool as a cucumber, but that was a big fat lie, i guess, he knows that. I am a nervous wrack. It will be great, to say i do in front of all our friends and family. Thorfinn already told me, that he will block the doors if i change my mind at the last moment. There is no escape, and i don't want to test Thorfinns temper, so i think there is only one solution.
Nigel: I am on my way to the registers office to marry Isaac. Thorfinn drives. I am so nervous, i don't know why. We got together 3 years ago. We share a flat for 2 years. I am going to do this with my eyes wide open. Why i am suddenly so scared? I will say i do to the man i love, it must be easy. I ask Thorfinn: When you married Susan, did you felt so scared right before?
Thorfinn laughs: Remember, i was a mess, but you helped me to get a grip. I was really panicking, but when i saw Susan at her fathers arm going down the aisle, i wasn't scared anymore, because it felt just right.
You will see, the moment you see Isaac everything will be ok.
I am relieved: I hope so. But you will block the door in any case, so if someone here tries to run away, just to be sure?
Thorfinn: You can bet on that. And you will name your first adopted son after me, you said so on your stag night!
I laugh: I never promised you that, was i that drunk on my bacherlors party? We will discuss that later.
Thorfinn: But it's not forgotten.