Interventions

I go to bed late lately, but there are always a handful of lit-up windows in the neighboring apartments to keep me company. Occasionally I'll see the shadow of an arm, a pant leg, or an actual arm, a leg, a hand. More often I see the silhouettes of people sitting on their beds behind their curtains in my imagination.

I wonder what 10-U is doing. I wish he didn't live right across the hall from Bashed-in-the-Mouth Guy and his wife.

A little background: I met BITM Guy on the elevator after he'd recently fallen off a roof, broken some ribs and bashed his mouth in. He and his wife are South African and in their mid-20s.

BITM Guy told me I'd make an adorable couple with his friend, who works as an underwear model. I laughed when he told me, so BITM Guy invited me over to his apartment and showed me said friend's modeling portfolio. Pictures of an iconic blonde man were pressed beneath the plastic sleeves of a large photo album. BITM Guy's wife, a cordial and curly-haired girl, invited me to come swimming with them in Central Park the next day. BITM Guy told me to stop by later on that evening to meet said friend.

I said I'd come by after I took a nap, feeling like I'd need a shower and six makeovers to climb up to said friend's level of attractiveness. Luckily, I napped late and missed the meeting entirely.

I've seen BITM Guy and his wife only one time since. I think dating an underwear model would make me a wreck. I'd spend all my time wishing I were dating a scruffy, gawky guy with black plastic glasses.

Still, I can't very well borrow pasta sauce from 10-U with BITM Guy and his wife --- and possibly said friend --- right across the hall. The one time I knocked I kept peeking out of my shoulder, expecting the other door to open. (No one was home.)

From this weekend's New York Times:

FLORIDA: COURT WON'T REVISIT FEEDING TUBE CASE The State Supreme Court denied Gov. Jeb Bush's request to reconsider its ruling that struck down a state law intended to keep alive Terri Schiavo, who is severely brain damaged. Last month, the court unanimously ruled that the law letting Mr. Bush order Ms. Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted violated the separation of powers guaranteed by the Constitution. Ms. Schiavo's husband, Michael, saying he was following her wishes, does not want to keep Mrs. Schiavo alive artificially, and lower courts have ruled that he could have the tube removed. Ms. Schiavo, 40, left no written instructions before suffering brain damage 14 years ago.

Is there anyone left out there who thinks Republicanism is synonymous with small government?