Decandence or Decante?

Aren't they the same thing? Not quite.

I'm in Barnes and Noble today. I'm trying to look at the fiber artist books, that would be knitting and crocheting primarily for me. And to the right coming from the floor I hear "excuse me do you know what decadence means?" I look to my right and down. There sprawled on the floor is a man probably in his early 30s on his stomach prompted up on his elbows looking at a book in front of his face.

Okay first I'm amazed that the no sitting on the floor Barnes and Noble Nazis aren't all over this man. Hell I've been busted for squatting. Squatting for God's sake. Sorry ma'am there is no sitting on the floor we have chairs if you would like to sit down. I'm not sitting on the blasted floor this is a squat. It has been my experience that Barnes and Noble will not tolerate squatters.

So, here is this man sprawled full body on the floor! I swear two minutes earlier I heard an employee telling someone they couldn't sit on the floor. Maybe it's no sitting, no squatting but, a full body sprawl is okay.

But, I digress, "Yes, decadence means, well...." I'm now looking at grown man sprawled on floor and assessing how much of a definition to give. And yes, judging and profiling and trying to be fair but give a general definition that won't have him still wondering what the word means because that could be awkward. For everyone. "well...have you ever had a really rich chocolate dessert?"

"Yeah" he replies.

"Well, that's decadence. The whole experience."

He frowns, looks back at the book and says "I don't think that's what it means."

So help me, I wonder over to look. "Let me see how it is being used.". He shows me. I see the word decante. I don't know what the word means but, it's an astrology book he is looking at and I know it's an astrology term of some sort.

"Oh decante, that is an astrology term." I say.

"Does that mean I'm not compatible with this person?" he asks rather hopeful and with a tinge of desperation.

"Yes, yes it does." I reply.

"So that's why it's not going to work out with us. Ever. Huh?."

"I'm afraid so. That is what it means. So sorry."

"Yeah, darn guess that's why it's not working out with her."

"Yep, that would be why."

And no I don't feel bad. Dude needed some reason why it wasn't working out. Seems like decante is as good of a reason as any. At least it was very apparent it was the reason he was willing to accept.

By the way every sign is subdivided into 3 decans or decantes of 10°, each of which is associated with 3 signs of the same element. And I still don't know what it means except that it's an astrology term. I like not compatible better.

And I still want to know how he was getting away with sprawling on the floor!