Cup XXII: Coming-out Tea Party

Tea: Vanilla Lapsang

Music: Suzanne Vega, "Small Blue Thing"

Time: Late Afternoon.

As I sit at this wonderfully (other members of Clan Steve beg to differ on the adverb) cluttered computer desk, I turn my head to the left and see bags and bags of tea. Down a bit on the shelves, I see an orange notebook. Below that, more tea.

Eyes front: A paperweight, in the shape of the house-smooshed witch's legs and feet -- ruby slippers and all -- from "The Wizard of Oz." Eyes down a bit more, chocolate dipped ginger Altoids.

Eyes up, slightly right, and we find a small green stone, an eagle fetish, a Tibetan creativity symbol, two rubber ducks (one dead and one devilish) and a pen shaped like a cactus.

A bit more to the right, and more pens appear. One looks like a Holstein cow, one like a stalk of asparagus. Yet another has the Statue of Liberty atop, and it lights up when I press down to write.

So what do all of these things have in common (and in common, I might add, with the Suzanne Vega song)?

They all came to me from Seánan Forbes, who is -- in all conceivable orders -- friend, collaborator, co-conspirator, encourager (with both pushing and pulling connotations), and all-around undefinable kindred spirit.

Seánan is fond of saying that, "A good relationship expands worlds." My world, and those of my family and friends, certainly have expanded -- in all sorts of ways -- from this one. I can only hope that in some small way, I've been able to do the same in the other direction.

This is one way, I suppose. It's a daily note of acknowledgement, of thanks and of things for which there are no words.

Today's story:

Nathaniel Hawthorne, "Young Goodman Brown"