SAILING THE SITUATIONSHIP

 Less than a relationship, but more than a casual encounter or booty call, a situationship refers to a romantic relationship that is, and remains, undefined. "A situationship is that space between a committed relationship and something that is more than a friendship," explains psychotherapist and author Jonathan Alpert.

     It's an interesting term. I first heard it yesterday on the radio. I think all my so-called "relationships" have actually been "situationships." I like it when a definition explicitly includes the word "undefined." How is that a definition? Situationships seem to allow for much wiggle room and subjectivity.. Also the word "romantic" can be difficult to define. What I consider romantic one day may depend on the situation the next. All I know is that when I couldn't find my blue butcher knife Shewho got me the exact same knife for Xmas. Is that a situationship? Naw. That's a fucking beautiful relationship. 

    Today when Bird and Savage came over to put on drives Bird had the blue knife in his hand. Huh? Wha? Where? "I found it on the picnic table." he said. The snow had melted enough to expose the blue blade. I'd lost it the night of the snowstorm when I drug the doe in the porch. It had been entombed in a block of ice until today. The situation had changed.

     The drive behind the house put out one coyote to Savage. No deer. No shots. The cemetery was accessible to the 4 wheel drive truck. Savage got in the ladder stand and Bird and I drove. As I neared the open woods between the road and the cut I heard a shot. I saw a body running back towards Bird, but he never saw the deer. When we walked up on Savage's big doe we noticed the penny sized spots on "his" head. This is one of the problems with a late muzzleloader season. This buck had already dropped his antlers. Another Sullivan County buck taken out of the herd. No fault of the hunter. Just the situation. Tomorrow we try again. The romantic life of the hunter.