“Čaviņa! Ar ko tu šobrīd nodarbojies?” telefona ekrānā iegailējās ziņa no draudzenes. “Ar sublimāciju!” smaidot atbildēja Rūta.
Istabas logs bija atvērts un pa to plūda svaiga un atspirdzinoša vēja plūsma. Saule žilbināja acis, bet žalūzijas negribējās nolaist. Kokos nepaguruši vīteroja putni. Tik skaisti, bet arī tik ļoti kaitinoši, kad gribas, bet īsti tomēr nevar iet ārā. Varēt jau var, bet tomēr bail. Ja nu daudzdzīvokļu mājā ir kāds, kuram ir vīruss. Ja nu pa ielu kāds nāk pretī un sirsnīgi nošķaudās. Nē, ārā labāk nerādīties! Eh, bet tik ļoti kārojas tas vegānu saldējums ar zemesriekstu sviestu un cepumiem. Nē, nauda jātaupa. Rūta piegāja pie skapja, izņēma zemesriekstu sviesta burciņu un ļāvās notiesāt jau ceturto maizīti, ko klāja bagātīga zemesriekstu sviesta un zemeņu ievārījuma kārta.
Tad nu viņa kā ļoti likumpaklausīga pilsone brīvprātīgi izolējas. Nē, viņai tas pēc būtības nebija jādara, jo uz ārzemēm nepaspēja aizlidot. Rīt viņa būtu lidojusi uz saulaino Turciju, bet robežas ir ciet, pasaule ir uz pauzes – par ceļošanu uz kādu laiku var aizmirst. Labāk pat nedomāt. Sāp! Putni turpināja vīterot. Nez, šiem dziedoņiem vīruss nevar pielipt? Kaut kur ārzemēs esot saslimis kaķis ar jauno vīrusu.
Telefons ik pa brīdim ievibrējās. Kārtējais karantīnas joks: “Godājamie pilsoņi! Ja Jūs karantīnas laikā runājiet ar saviem mājdzīvniekiem, puķēm, vai mājturības aparātiem, ir pilnīgi NORMĀLI, tādēļ Jums nevajag vērsties pie mums. Meklēt profesionālu palīdzību iesakām tikai tad, ja tie sāk Jums atbildēt. Dziļā pateicībā, Jūsu pārslogotie Psihiatri un Psihoterapeiti.” “Tā, kas ir ar mani?” pie sevis nodomāja Rūta. Viņa daudz sarunājās pati ar sevi. Šad un tad uzrunāja arī kādu mājturības aparātu, bet viņa to bija darījusi arī pirms vīrusa. Mēģināja runāt arī ar Dievu, bet nebija pārliecības, ka Viņš atbild (vismaz audiāli ne).
Putni nebeidza vīterot. Rietošā saule sarkanīgos toņos iekrāsoja pretējās mājas sienu. Mhmm! Rūtu fascinēja saulrieti. Piemarē tie bija īpaši skaisti. Pat, ja tā ir brīvprātīga pašizolācija un medaļu par to visticamāk Rūtai neviens nedos, tik un tā ir jēgpilni jāpavada laiks. Viņa bija topošā rakstniece. Šodien bija laba diena. Viņa rakstīja un ik pa laikam sajūsmā iespiedzās. Bija tapis stāsta skelets. Angliski. Rūtai runāt un rakstīt angliski bija kā elpot – ieradums:
This is a story of four friends. A, B, C and D. C and D are best (female) friends. A and B are two good-looking men. C likes A, A likes God-knows-who and is related to B, but loves conversing with C. B loves to tease C, but C is annoyed by it because she believes she’s heard from God that A is her husband to be. D likes B, but B thinks D is no wife material. D also fancies A. C is dying of jealousy and journals about it fervently.
A seems to like hanging out with D and they often travel together, but do not seem to exit the friend zone. C is puzzled of how can this be. No, this can’t be. A and D would make a great couple – they both love travelling and they laugh a lot.
Meanwhile after much journaling and sleepless nights C finally decides that she was wrong about A and wants to take time for herself in the HERE and NOW. Going cold turkey is the best strategy they say. Not long into C’s time off A, C starts having thoughts about B. Ya, a hole can’t stay void for long. One infatuation is replaced by another. B once told C that there was chemistry between them. “Wait, a sec!” thought C to herself. Maybe C and B are meant to be together! “Yes, that’s it. It’s not A, it’s B. How didn’t I see it all this time!” thoughts excitedly buzzed in C’s mind. The train of thought had departed the station [only to be derailed later, but C didn’t know it… yet].
D was a great friend. She very supportive of C and couldn’t stop remarking on what a great couple B and C would make. “C, you compliment B!” exclaimed D.
Since C is no longer going after A and is even purposefully avoiding A (that is what going cold turkey means), A is a gentleman and let’s C just be and keeps the distance between them.
A, B, C and D are friends and do what friends to and decide to travel abroad together. Well, C can suck it up for the sake of friendship and be in the same boat with A [yacht, C, it’s yacht!] They book a voyage to a remote island. The weather is in their favour – it is the hottest and most sunny it’s been in years. A, B, C and D pack up and sail off into the sunset…
[Wait, don’t go anywhere. The story is not over. Yet!]
E also would have wanted to go, but … you snooze, you lose. “See ya later, alligator!” C waved goodbye to E. “In a while you will cry crocodile tears! Mark my words,” thought E.
Blissful four and a half days. Blue skies! Generous sunshine and milk-warm water. What a wonderful and romantic getaway. But they were just friends.
A was mostly hanging out with D. C was still avoiding A. B was looking after C and making sure she was alright. C longed for B and wanted to spend time alone with B, but B kept a safe two meter distance between them and it wasn’t even the time of COVID-19. Yet!
One afternoon C and A were accidentally left alone at a table near the yacht. At first A and C ate breakfast porridge in silence, but then the old flame of long repressed longing to converse with a like-minded intellectual rekindled. Turkey spread its wings and took a flight for the first time since C vowed to herself to avoid A at all costs. A and C were laughing and flying high on the cloud of philosophical and theological ideas. Meanwhile cold turkey exploring the island.
A, B, C and D are back on the yacht. Beautifully orchestrated lightning strikes are making the sky blaze with light. The sailing is a bit rough. A is loving it and his excitement is rising with each new wave. Though a thunderstorm is all around them, C is at peace. She trusts the captain. He is like Jesus Christ. Well, he might not be able to calm the storm, but he certainly knows how to navigate the yacht safely to the shore.
A, B, C and D are still just friends. D no longer likes B. Cold turkey is back for C regarding A.
Later that summer C is yet again deep in thought and thinks it’s time to take a leap of faith. C is a writer and she does what writers to best – C writes a long letter to B, confessing to him that it is too hard for C to be just friends with B. A is no longer on C’s mind. C is tractor beam focused on B. “It’s B! It’s always been B!” words poured onto the pages of C’s journal. How could C not have noticed B?! All the sexual tension between them, all that teasing, B looking over C during their trip. B must be the man for C, but B needs help. Oh, yes, C must help B to realize that B and C are meant to be … [C has obviously not read Steve Harvey’s book “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man”. No, she is not there. Yet!]
C is excited and looking for new high-heel shoes. C is infatuated with B. C is on cloud number 9 or maybe even 21. Who cares! She is flying. “B, B, B …! Oh, hi A!” C runs into A on the street.
YES! Šis ir labais. Rūtai visas iekšas lēkā no sajūsmas. Conversations with friends. Tāda ziepene, ka prieks. Rūta ir plūsmā. Tad šādi jūtas rakstnieki! Tad šāda ir sajūta, kad esi noķērusi iedvesmu aiz astes un tiec parauta tai līdzi. Viņa uzlika austiņas un dejoja. Āda vibrēja no enerģijas. Bija sajūta, ka simtiem skudriņu skrien pāri viņas augumam.
Haaaahhh … Rūta pārlaimīga un nedaudz nogurusi no dejošanas ieritinājās krēslā. Rūpju rievu bija nomainījušas smaida krunciņas. Viņa paņēma rokās kladi un steidza pierakstīt vēl pēdējo rindkopu:
That day C really wanted to meet B, but ended up having pizza with A. C went on a couple of business trips abroad and was still flying high. B never read C’s letter. C flushed it down the toilet. [No, not now, but later. I am getting ahead of myself.] But it didn’t stop C and B from lusting after each other. At one point they were mere inches away from fornicating, but God works in mysterious ways and B and C parted ways never having consummated their union. C was devastated, but didn’t go cold turkey with B [big mistake, C!]. B moved on quickly. C was stuck in the pond of her conflicting emotions and was depressed for almost a year. C flushed down the toilet her letter to B. B married E. C cried her beautiful eyes out. [Well, sh*t happens!]
D was still very supportive of C. They did what two female friends do best – they talked about A and rinsed it all down with wine.
“Čau! Tu vēl joprojām ierakumos? Šodien ir īstais laiks kafijai!” darba un plūsmas beigas ieskandināja īsziņa no viņa.
“Come and get me!”, viņa atbildēja.
The End (is nowhere in sight)
