Andy Smallman

So yesterday I told you about my attic apartment in the city of Renton, the place I was living when Melinda and I first dated. I also mentioned that last Saturday I drove through Renton on my way to Ikea. Since I was by myself, I took the long way to Ikea by driving in and around my old neighborhood.

This drive took me to the Renton Holiday Inn, where, for a reason I don’t recall, Melinda had parked her car one early time she came to see me. I drove her back there that night and, inside my 1988 Mercury Tracer, leaned over and kissed her good night.

Our first kiss. In the parking lot. Of the Renton Holiday Inn.

How romantic!

So much so, I went home and immediately wrote a poem about it. Being the sap that I am, a couple of nights later I read that poem to Melinda. It’s hard to believe I didn’t scare her away!

Back in 1989 I moved in to the attic of this house in Renton, a city on the southern tip of Lake Washington, not far from Seattle. Renton’s longstanding claim to fame was it being the home of Boeing. I was always drawn to it because of its close proximity to Longacres, the racetrack in Seattle that I grew up with.

Last Saturday I drove through Renton on my way to Ikea (to buy something for PSCS). I made it a point to drive past my old attic and I took a couple of photos, including this one.

I loved that place. It was cozy and old and all mine. It was inexpensive ($240/mo) and I lived there the year I completed my teacher training program.

It’s also the place I lived when Melinda and I first began going out, so it’s special in that way, too. Nowadays, it’s a bit of a joke. When Melinda and I first started dating, I lived in a dumpy attic in Renton. She lived in a loft in the Pike Place Market. And in many ways, perhaps that sums up why we go so well together.

We complement each other.

Go ahead, try to make sense of this title. Concocktailtion. The big clue is finding the word cocktail. Find that, and then think concoction, and you’ll have it.

I concocted a cocktail on this lovely summer Saturday night for Melinda and me. It involved coconut vodka, which is saying something, something new. I told Melinda we needed to take a picture to send to our friends in France. And we both liked the picture enough to post it here.

Here’s to sunny, summer Saturday nights!