Another day, I know they say that all the world's a stage; I'll play the fool, but as a rule I'd rather act my age

Patience is not often a virtue in which I indulge. I should have done so just one more day.

The Otter has written. He has just had a chance to check mail today for the first time since last week due to his machine being a viral victim.

Of course, in his usual Otterish way, the message was polite, nice, friendly, short...and vague as to what is going on in his head. I would like to think that something is. Mrs. Mouse and another friend reminded me today of something that I should really keep in mind. The Otter, unlike most men I find myself associating with on a carnal level, is an adult with real responsibilities that need to take precedence. He just moved back into his own house after his ex-wife fully moved out. He has joint custody of his son. He is taking classes in order to get a better job that would facilitate available week-ends for travel. He is teaching a class himself. And, he's working. I should cut him major slack for many reasons. Outside of a busy schedule, he is putting his life together and in order after a pretty major series of changes. Also, as Mrs. Mouse pointed out, he may be in a position too where he is thinking seriously about what the heck, if anything, is going on between us and if he wants something to be going on or not with all of the things he's dealing with in life right now and the issues a distance thing could cause for him. I don't know.

I've learned how to deal with the boys who never want to grow up. I proved to myself that I mastered that skill at Pennsic with the puppy. I was able to win over that one with a bit of well-placed banter and sporadic dazzling lip action. Add in disappearing at moments that were most irritating for him, creating a bit of an element of a chase/hunt to pique interest and BAM! Instant devotion from a young pup.

Now, I'm dealing with a very different creature: a fully-grown adult male. I know that he has those moments of just wanting to be a kid, but they are so few and far between it seems. It completely blows me away, actually. And that, in itself, intrigues me.

I don't know what is going on. But, I must learn patience. And, well, I can hope that the Otter takes my note to use my phone number liberally seriously and maybe we can actually talk.