On the house.

My sympathetic ear we shall call Earnestina.

My sympathetic ear, Earnestina and I went to The Blue Fish for lunch together today. Trouble & Earnestina talked about work politics - hers and ours. The situations are so similar. Earnestina is philosophical: says there's always someone, if you get rid of your problem person another one walks in the door.

Waitress and part-owner of The Blue Fish, "M." is a student of Calypso's. She brought her mum out from the kitchen, to meet us. Her mum is considering coming to dance as well. They were so cute together, Mum and daughter; both charming, vivacious Italians. Mum did a few of the dance moves that Calypso had taught M. - some very cute waitress-inspired ones. Serving trays, taking money. Cheeky, comic moves.
Mum offered us coffee on the house.

I feel proud of Calypso for attracting such admiration and making people feel so at ease and friendly. Earnestina knows who's who out of Calypso and Trouble. I don't know that she knows me too well. Shell. I guess. Earnestina is okay. I just felt so distant from it all, watching over the shoulder of Trouble and Calypso, listening to them talking, knowing again, just witnessing again, the truth: this is not my body.