I once told Tanya she had the ideal life. She scoffed. Maybe I just wish I had my ducks as much in a row when I was her age. At 28 mine had ruffled feathers and a fear of getting their feet wet. Hers are marching in single file determination toward a golden pond, or a dirty puddle, or a loaf of bread, or whatever ducks want in life. That’s how it seems on the outside anyway. Over our drink she pointed out the cracks in her idillic (my words) facade. I guess it’s possible people don’t wear all their problems on their sleeves. Her sleeves this night incidentally were made of leather and attached to a great sweater gifted to her by her loving boyfriend for Christmas. See what I mean?

Tanya and I work together and sit about three feet apart. As what happens when you spend the majority of your waking hours with one person, our lives have synched. We frequently discuss and share memes of our current mutual TV show obsession, notify each other of secret samples sales and share cleanse friendly recipes. We also, as is the nature of working in daily media, mutually experience the unfolding of world events second by second. I am always interested in Tanya’s take as she is a smart young woman with deep understanding and thoughtful insights. See what I mean?

On this night, over dinner and drinks before attending surely the hottest Toronto party to take place the first thursday in January, we talked a lot about relationships and the institution of marriage. Is it necessary, a waste of money, romantic, parent pleasing? Again these are things I really don’t think I thought much about in my 20s and as it appears, I really should have more. I have this eternal view that marriage and children are things adults have and until I reach that point, I’ll keep gliding along - like ducks playing on the frozen lake instead of marching towards the future.

The night wasn’t all introspective navel gazing and we had a lot of laughs and saw some amazing art before saying goodbye until 9am the next morning.