Have you ever seen a couple in love? Has that couple ever been two handsome men with trapezoidal bone structure in moisture-wicking active gear? Have you ever seen that couple hold hands to run across the street even though no cars were in sight and they are in their 30s and there was no need to run except to exhilarate each other? Have you ever followed that couple into a public park, a park to which they’ve brought not yoga mats, not free weights, but a set of wooden gymnastic rings? Have you ever seen that couple toss those rings over a branch? Have you ever decided you must watch them? Have you ever decided nothing else matters? Have you ever seen them take turns on those wooden rings, inverting their flexed bodies with precision, like drawbridges? Have you watched one man glide up and down, counting pull ups, as the other man sprang into a handstand, then walked (walked?) 20 feet in that handstand, then did push ups in that handstand? Have you seen him nearly scrape his nose against the ground before he vaulted himself right-side-up again? Have you seen them show off for each other? Have you seen them kiss deep, movie-magic kisses between sets? Have you ever finally understood the definition of the word swoon? Have you watched them carry on like this for who knows how long, unaware of you, unaware of anything? Have you ever realized that you never trusted “love at first sight” and thought everyone who did was lying or lonely or hadn’t taken a gender theory class, but if these two told you that they’d met yesterday, you’d bless the marriage yourself? That you’d buy them a slow cooker as a wedding gift? That you’d stop nodding when people your age say they don’t “believe” in marriage or monogamy because when alone with your private self, you know that you’re traditional? Have you ever realized, after watching strangers, that maybe it could be done? On wooden gymnastic rings? I have.
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A bonus: here are a few photos I took on my walk this morning. What I like best about living in D.C. right now is that there’s evidence everywhere of people trying to take care of each other.
Always say no to the police state, and wash your hands.
Well done!