We had an enjoyable dinner, and Grace gently quizzed me about what had happened between Brook and me. I got the impression that she wanted to get my side of what had happened. From her comments, it sounded like Brook had told her the same thing. I got the feeling that Grace thought we were a good fit, which I knew to be true.
After our meal, we retired to her study, where a fire was burning in the fireplace. We grabbed two large comfy chairs next to it.
I looked around the room. Everything about it created a warm, cozy, reflective atmosphere that reeked of old money. This was a room that spoke of subtle, comfortable power. Somehow, it encouraged both relaxation and focus at the same time. I was more intrigued than ever to discover Grace’s reasons for inviting me into this place.
“Would you like some cognac?” Grace asked.
“I’m really not much of a drinker.”
“Have you ever had it?”
“No.”
“You should give it a try. I think you’ll like a glass. It’s a nice after-dinner drink.”
“I’ll try it,” I said.
As she poured the glasses, she gave me a lesson on how it should be enjoyed.
“Cognac comes from France and is a brandy distilled from a really terrible wine. Like wine, it gets better with age. This bottle is older than you are,” she shared.
She handed me a tulip-shaped glass and sat across from me.
“You hold it in your hand to warm it,” Grace shared as she demonstrated how to cup the glass. “The flavors and aromas will intensify as your body heat slowly warms the cognac. You normally wait at least ten minutes before you take your first sip.”
“Sort of how Scotch tastes better with a touch of water.”
“That’s a good comparison,” she said, and then gave me a lesson on color, aroma, and taste.
Grace was right; it did warm me up when I finally started enjoying it. I would have to get a bottle for special occasions.
I found I was totally relaxed at that moment. Until just now, I hadn’t realized how tense I’d been.
“This is nice,” I said.
“I need time like this to unwind.”
“You’ve fed me, plied me with liquor, gotten me to let all my guards down. Now would be a good time to tell me why you wanted to talk to me.”
“I hadn’t really thought of it that way, but I see a certain logic in it. I did want to talk with you and have us both feel comfortable doing it. What I really wanted to do is to get to know you better,” she explained.
Without much prodding, she got me talking about myself, my hopes, dreams, and fears. For some reason, I felt I could tell her anything. It felt good to open up and share with her.
When I finally wound down, I became quiet. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. It was more that we both were taking in what I’d just said and processing it. Finally, Grace spoke.
“Why does your celebrity bother you?”
“I don’t really worry about what the outside world thinks. I’m more worried about how it affects my friends and family. My worry is they’ll view me differently and, in turn, react to me differently than if I were a regular friend. I also want to just be normal, if that makes sense,” I confessed.
She nodded and considered what she was going to say.
“I applaud your efforts at trying to be normal. It shows you’re grounded and haven’t been caught up in all the attention your celebrity brings you. But, on the other hand, it’s naïve to believe that you’re ever going to have a normal life. You’re not average and never will be. Because of that, people will look to you for leadership,” Grace explained.
I stared into the fire and watched the flames dance as I became silent again. Grace gave me a moment before she offered more advice.
“I completely understand why you worry about your family and friends. You need people around you who will treat you like you’re just you. Not David, the movie star or football hero, but David, the guy they all knew before all this attention. I want you to stop worrying because if they weren’t truly in your corner, you would have sensed it, and they wouldn’t be close to you,” Grace said.
This sounded like my conversation with my uncle when we were in Canada, and he talked about circles of trust. An excellent example of someone I didn’t fully trust right now was my brother’s wife, Angie.
“Here’s what I’ve concluded,” Grace continued. “This weekend has reinforced my belief that you’re a leader in the best possible way. You’re someone an old lady like me wants to do things with because I see your potential. Younger people will gravitate to you precisely because of your leadership. Others see what I see, a chance to leave a legacy.
“Reflect for a moment on all the older people in your life and why they have mentored or attached themselves to you in some way. They all see a chance to leave their mark, to help create something that will live far beyond their own lives.
“That’s regardless of whether they are people you’re in business with, people in sports, entertainment, or even politics. You can be the catalyst for change, do big things, and they recognize that.”
