It is my sincere pleasure to dedicate the following to a new/old friend of mine...Jennifer Weise (aka: Ms. Calabash). A "kindred spirit" and a talented lady... SOAP FLOATS For those of you who may be in similar circumstances, dating on the other side of divorce following a lenghty marriage is a ‘Brave New World’ that bears absolutely zero resemblance to the carefree dating years of our youth. The analogies of driving down the highway are striking: ‘CAUTION’ ‘DETOUR AHEAD’ ‘DEAD END’ ‘WRONG WAY’ ‘ALTERNATE ROUTE ADVISED’ ‘DO NOT PASS’ ‘STOP!!!’ Even so…I’ve yet to see the sign that says “GIVE UP”, and that is what this story is about. A number a years ago and quite by accident, I met a very lovely woman who had spent her younger years as a ‘B’ soap opera player in Hollywood. She was never a leading lady, but was instead the steamy vixen you KNEW was destined to meet her end after a few episodes the moment she appeared on screen. She had a fairly successful career moving from soap to soap and doing a series of commercials until “Amazing Grace” touched her life and she turned her back on Hollywood forever. The people who had introduced her to her new-found faith had a traveling ministry that she joined as the featured singer as she undeniably possessed the voice of a nightingale and was determined to now use it to God’s glory. We met providentially when they had a local event and, after a few evenings of rather intense conversation, immediately struck up a mutual admiration. Or at least I did as she had little interest in juggling the development of a long-distance relationship with her new-found commitment. On her last night in town, I finally got her attention; while alluding to her past career and in a twist from the movie starring the iridescently-beautiful Sandra Bullock, I leaned across the table and with a straight face said, “ Sometimes you just have to give things a chance…don’t you know ‘soap’ floats?” She left town the next morning and my charming message championing my cause was close behind: your departure has left me in ‘DARK SHADOWS’ feeling as though I’m in ‘ANOTHER WORLD’ on ‘THE EDGE OF NIGHT’. ‘AS THE WORLD TURNS’ and I find myself in a ‘SEARCH FOR TOMORROW’, it is my hope that God’s ‘GUIDING LIGHT’ will create ‘THE SECRET STORM’ in your heart and perhaps the remaining ‘DAYS OF OUR LIVES’ might be spent in a mutual ‘LOVE OF LIFE’. The hook was set…and the next few months were a wonderful, yet confusing montage of infrequent visits, late night phone conversations, and hurried messages. It is so often said that God can make anything happen…and from my own experience, I have absolutely no doubt that is true. And yet…He also gives us the wisdom and discernment to know that when a door is closed to us, whether for a season or permanently, we need to not bloody our hands or our hearts in a vain attempt open it…..She made the trip to town one last time just so she could say “goodbye” in person. That was just the way she did things. We sat in the coffee shop with hands reaching across the table, fingers intertwined, as she shared future plans for their ministry, her voice rising to the level of a songbird in her excitement, never touching on what had passed between us. I walked her out to her car and she looked up at me with violet eyes that said everything she could not and held me tightly, but only for a moment. As she drove away, I saw her wink at me in the rearview mirror and blow a kiss. I laughed and nonchantly waved at her, shielding my eyes from the glare of the summer sun until she was completely out of sight as people in the restaurant stared out at me as though watching someone say goodbye forever was the most casual thing one could witness. I never heard from her again and I never tried to get in touch, both knowing that the occasional, unexpected “hello” would serve little but to reopen delicate scar tissue that time would only heal if left completely alone. The years have passed and memories have faded from color to sepia. But every once in a very great while, just before daybreak…a nightingale comes into my dreams and wakes me with its song. And as I lay there in the pale shadows just before dawn, a bittersweet tinge of regret briefly passes over me for something very special that was unavoidably lost…then I smile at the sweet and funny encouragement we shared…the affirmation that “soap floats.” Goodnight, Ms. Calabash…..wherever you are. I hope you grade on the curve…
Posted on: Sun, 07 Jul 2013 00:05:45 +0000