Chapter 23
Now I've mentioned before just how profound Miss Donna's wisdom is. In fact, Elizabeth jokingly refers to her as The Villa's resident Confucius. But all joking aside it does seem a lot of folks go to Miss Donna for advice, and when they do it seems like they are usually in a pickle. I mean who really goes seeking advice when things are going easy for them. We probably should seek advice on easy things, 'cause then we might not even find ourselves in tough things; but we don't. It's probably just not human nature. Hmm?
Well David's situation with Jennifer and Amy is just such a pickle. Miss Donna is used to these sorts of things, even though David is not fully aware that. He's just aware that something tells him Miss Donna can provide some good advice; good life advice. That's why he decided to pick her brain.
David thought about calling first, but then figured Miss Donna wouldn't mind if he just dropped by. So, David stepped out his front door and made the short trek to Miss Donna's apartment. As he approached he thought he smelled biscuits in the air ? and bacon. His first thought was I'll bet there's almost always an aroma of some sort coming from Miss Donna's kitchen.
As David knocked on the door he heard a soft bark from Dash and was surprised at how fast Miss Donna opened the door. He laughing thought, she must have "Dashed" to the door. There they were the whole fam damly; Miss Donna, Dash and Cosmo all there to greet their visitor. Dash wagged and sniffed and Cosmo did the figure eight around David's legs; Miss Donna just smiled and said, "Well hi David, come on in I'm just cookin' up some biscuits. You want some now don't ya?" She seemed genuinely happy to have a visitor. So did the rest of the family.
"Well thanks Miss Donna, biscuits sounds fine." Now David doesn't normally eat so heavy, you know buttery biscuits with bacon and such, but they were hard to pass up coming from such a polite hostess; along with the great aroma. A little indulgence won't kill me, he thought.
They made their way into the kitchen and sat at the table. Of course, Miss Donna was up and down every couple of minutes doing her thing in the kitchen, remarkably the same as her Grandmother did many years ago. David found her demeanor very affable and enjoyed the company; the company of all three really.
The biscuits were perfect. Just the right amount of butter, some strawberry jam and stuffed with bacon. Something special that's for sure. David felt he was trying to still be good when he declined a glass of whole milk for ice water instead. He thought, this is kind of like ordering a double cheeseburger with extra cheese, large fries, a hot apple pie and a diet coke. Yah, I'm on a diet see ? I ordered a diet coke. He nearly laughed out loud at the thought.
After several minutes of that small talk Miss Donna just loves, David got a serious look on his face and said, "Miss Donna ? can I talk to you about something?".
"Why sure hun, what's on your mind," Miss Donna could tell what was on his mind was something fairly heavy.
"Well I've gotten myself into a kind of predicament, Miss Donna." David paused trying to find the right words to express his thoughts. Miss Donna just sat politely listening and not rushing him in the slightest.
"I've got a girl problem." He didn't think he chose his words well, but figured Miss Donna would still get his point.
"I'll tell you what, those girls sure can cause problems," Miss Donna smiled and giggled like a school girl just trying to lighten David's mood.
David appreciated the levity and replied with, "Indeed they do," in a British accent; he's not sure why, other than that it sounded funny.
David started off by explaining the Amy situation in moderate detail, of course leaving out the bedroom and other naughty bits. As he got deeper and deeper into the Amy side of the predicament he could see a look of concern march its way across Miss Donna's pretty face. She obviously understood David's problem here; and she seemed to even feel it as well.
Miss Donna sensed that David had a lot to say on the subject so as he wrapped up the Amy side of the issue she chose to remain perfectly silent as he moved on to other points. She did get up once to gather a few more biscuits for David, but she kept eye contact as she did and nodded her head to acknowledge her attention throughout. David ate while he talked, but in a fairly civilized manner.
While David was a little choppy, and even quick, in his explanation of the Amy part of the issue, he slowed to a steady crawl when describing Jennifer. Miss Donna could tell he had a healthy fancy for her. He took quite some time to fully explain about Jennifer and had a gleam in his eyes as he did so. Smitten, was the word Miss Donna was thinking.
As he explained, in Technicolor detail, about Jennifer, Cosmo managed several figure eights around David's legs under the table, and Dash lie on the floor with her head on her front paws as if in a cute little doggie prayer. Everyone seemed to be enjoying David's company, but none more so than Miss Donna. While some folks see people telling them their problems as a burden, Miss Donna takes it as the utmost compliment. She sees it like this: if someone is willing to tell me their personal problems then they must respect my opinion and trust me with their ? well their secrets really. Miss Donna did not take such things lightly and enjoyed the position she held in the world. The position she seemed to hold as a confidant or a Grandmother to the world; she smiled inside as she thought this.
As David completed his detailed explanation of the Jennifer side of his predicament he ended with, "Miss Donna ? I'm just confused about what to do. I know I don't want to be with Amy. I want to be with Jennifer, but a fear I've messed that up somehow. What do you think?"
Miss Donna turned her eyes from David and took a soft breath. She reached down and gave Dash a small pat on the head and said, "I'll tell you what let me think while I freshen up our drinks, would you like a few more biscuits?"
"That sounds great, thank you." David had already eaten six biscuits with bacon and jam but didn't seem to mind taking on a few more.
As Miss Donna reached the kitchen counter and started preparing the next round of biscuits she said, "You know ? now I know it's hard; but sometimes to keep things together you've got to leave them alone." She finished off the plate of biscuits and added two slices of bacon on the side this time; like a country garnish. It's the little things that matter right?
"You know what I'm getting' at don't ya?" Miss Donna returned to the table and placed the plate in front of David. As she slowly sat down she smiled at him.
"I think you're saying I should give Jennifer time and space?" This was not exactly what David wanted to hear, as he's feeling impatient about the whole problem, but he knows she's right.
"I'm afraid so hun. Not only should you give her time and space ? but you must. Girls are like that you know. Ya know how two guys can argue, about some stupid thing, have a fist fight or wrestling match, and then just forget the whole thing and be friends? Well girls aren't like that. They're not as quick to forgive and forget. Whether Jennifer saw you and Amy by the pool or you moved too fast on your first date or whatever, she's obviously decided to think things through deliberately. If you want to get your best chance with Jennifer, and I can tell you do, you'll need to be patient and let her work out things on her own first."
Miss Donna reached out and touched David's elbow with a smile and said, "David ? you'll do fine ? Jennifer will be able to tell you're a good person ? she seems like the kind of girl that appreciates such things. You'll do fine." David knew she was right.
David and Miss Donna continued to chat for some time, just about everyday things. They enjoyed each other's company and when David got up from the kitchen table to leave there wasn't a biscuit or a slice of bacon left. He thought as he walked with Miss Donna (and of course Dash and Cosmo) to her front door: I didn't want anything to go to waste. He was full, very full; fuller than he'd been in a long time. It was a good feeling; a feeling deserving of a good nap. With the positive feeling Miss Donna had left him he was sure he could rest both body and mind. They said their polite goodb
yes and off he went into a more positive world.