This morning my friend JoJo dropped me a text asking if I'd like to drive up to Malibu and relax for a bit. I replied quickly and immediately started rubbing on the suntan lotion. JoJo's got a convertible and today's a gorgeous day. Me, JoJo and her two little dogs were on our way before high noon and as we wound our way through Las Virgenes canyon, all felt right with the world.
As I mentioned, I was careful to slather on suntan lotion before leaving the house. My fair complexion ensures a lot of freckling and burning if I'm not too careful in the sun. Little Dog #2 found my sun lotion rather appealing though, and licked off a fair amount of it before we even got out of the car. Sad to say she licked me more than anyone has in months (ahem, Mr. John Chambers!). Little Dog #1 made herself at home behind the driver's seat (see picture). They are adorable indeed.
We parked and spent an hour or so relaxing at the side of the sea, enjoying the sound of the surf crashing onto the shore. Then we headed back down the Pacific Coast Highway and stopped at a divey little place where JoJo assured me we'd get great seafood. We headed inside to order to go and I was amazed by the quality of people watching! This was such a slice of America, so many different kinds of people. There were a lot of bikers there. The PCH is understandably a big destination on such a gorgeous day off. Standing in line to order, I was impressed with the volume of diverse beverages in their coolers. Sort of reminded me of an old house party when everyone brought something to drink and you ended up with buckets of drinks to choose from. As I searched for my drink of choice, I started chatting with the guy next to me about those days. All the drinks you could want. Someone else would drive you home. No work the next day. Ah, ignorance was so bliss. This guy evidently was a biker but of the Latin persuasion. He was dressed in something out of a movie - neatly pressed khakis, a thermal long sleeve shirt under an ironed black Harley tee shirt, and a bandanna folded just so and wrapped around his forehead like he was covering a precisely inflicted head wound. He had sideburns but was clean shaven. He spoke with a slight Latino twang, and I was touched by the living embodiment of someone I'd only ever seen on screen. As we neared the end of the line he introduced himself and when I said it was nice meeting him he said it was really nice meeting me. He chatted with me several more times as we waited for our food and even later when JoJo and I were sitting in the car finishing our lunch (we didn't want the dogs to be alone, and they couldn't come in the restaurant) he came by again and chatted a bit. After he left, JoJo teased me that he liiiiiked me uh-huh uh-huh and I thought.... my very first chulo. I'm not sure what that means but I'm pretty sure I am now a bad ass, or at least could have been, had our exchange progressed to an invitation to go out.
We pulled out of the parking lot and headed south on the PCH, slowly winding our way back to LA and I fantasized that the Harleys coming up behind us were Fidel and his friends, maybe to say hello and smile one more time before heading back down to the LBC (that's Long Beach for all my fellow non-urban types). Ahh, the first day of summer, this Memorial Day. I shall remember it for all the possibility it contained, from licked toes to attractive chulos. Some days are too perfect to repeat.
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