Don't get me wrong. I enjoy having a cute boyfriend. There are many benefits to the arrangement, one being that it's fun to look at him.

There are downsides to the cuteness issue, however, one being that other girls enjoy to look at him, as well. That's not really a downside for HIM, per se, but it can, on occasion, increase my neurotic tendencies toward jealousy and loud shrieking, and then we have to Have a Talk About My Jealousy Issues, which is very tiresome for everyone.

Anyway, last night he and I joined a friend for drinks at Steak Jones, a lovely steakhouse, where we met a number of her friends, all female, and had a nice conversation. My friend Lorelei came by to pick me up for dinner, and I left, telling the Keelhauler I'd meet up with him later.

Lorelei and I had a very nice Italian dinner, and she delivered a passel of fabulous gifts, including the earrings I'm wearing right now... aren't they cool? And also a stellar copper satin beaded handbag that I can't wait to use, and a boatload of Burt's Bees products so I can improve myself. (Yay!)

Anyway, she dropped me off after dinner at the Lucky Kowloon, where the Keelhauler was having a drink. I asked him how he'd enjoyed his drinks with the girls. He said it'd been OK, and that one of them had said, "Oh, are you going to stay?" and when he affirmed, she said, "Then we should all move closer!" I think he was feeling a little rabbit-in-the-wolf-den, but he can take it. He's so butch.

In describing the rest of his time in the wolf den, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card, which he pushed across the bar to me. "What's that?" I asked, and read the name on it--one of the women we'd met at Steak Jones. "Why'd she give you that?" I asked, and he looked at me with a pointed expression. I started laughing. He explained that she had some loose connection to someone at his work, and invited him to call her sometime. "When did she give you the card?" I asked. "Right in front of everyone," he answered, then said, "but look! See? I gave it right to you!" It reminded me of the lessons that Officer Bill, or whoever, would teach us in first grade about what to do if you find a gun in the woods. "Turn it over to an adult!" "See?" he said, gesturing to the card, nodding and waiting for praise.

I took the card, and stuck it in my purse. "Let's throw it away," he said, but I disagreed. I'm adding it to my file of Known Girls Likely to Hit on the Keelhauler in my Absence. It's good to keep a file. That's what I tell myself, anyway.

Anyway, he was all proud of himself for turning over the card, and it made me laugh, and so you all can be proud of him for something non-frivolous, here's his latest article about sailing. Check it out!

P.S.

Just in case I was not clear: the Keelhauler turned over the card to rat her out and show that he wasn't interested in calling her, NOT to brag about the incident and feel psyched. Well, maybe a LITTLE psyched.

Star of the day. . .The Keelhauler! Yay! We all love the Keelhauler!