Love,
Of all the lovers I've had, wanted, desired, or dismissed, the one I have is what I need. It is dictated and beaten into most girls what kind of man we should lust after. The man should be taller than you. He should be strong. He should be able to fix anything with his bare hands. But what I have discovered in my short few years of looking and lusting, the paper cutout man is only for the tv screen or mothers' daydreams for their daughters.
I have dated an assortment of men. I've dated some who were tall and handsome. They turned out to be very much into themselves or their mirrors possessed some power over them. I've dated men who are shorter and fatter than me. They were self conscious about it. I was self conscious about it. They wanted to over compensate and throw themselves into love with me, when I was not on the same level. I've dated guys who were jerks, assholes, or even sweet as can be. But each had their drawbacks and oddities that, to say the least, turned me off.
Then I met this love. This one was unsuspected. We grew up in the same town. He played on the same soccer team as my older brother. He was not someone I would have known to pursue. For the sake of his privacy, I'll call him MM. This is how we clumsily met:
I began going over to my brother's house on Friday evenings for what was affectionately titled "Thirsty Fridays". It had become a regular get together with his friends from high school who were still in town. MM was one of them. To describe the crew who attended this, you would have to be very patient. We live in a small, tolerant town in Ohio. It is heavily influenced by the college that put it on the map, the corn crops surrounding it and the hippies who inhabit it. MM stood out as being on of the few who left for college and graduated with a bachelors degree. He was on the smaller stature end of the crew, measuring in at five foot eight and one hundred forty five pounds. He had a quick and biting sense of humor that most likely served as a means to protect himself when he was smaller and younger. But I never paid much attention to him.
On one particular Thirsty Friday, my brother did not accompany me to the bar. You should note that none of his friends would initialize a conversation with me when my brother was within earshot. But this Friday there was no blockade.
Upon arriving at the local bar, another one of my brother's friends immediately hunkered down beside me and began hitting on me. And I do mean hitting on me. He assaulted me with obnoxious flirtations and come ons that did nothing but creep me out. One that I recall was "You smell good." as he took a big whiff next to my ear. I did not want to be rude and cause a scene so I would gently move a seat away. He would slime his way closer until I left and went with other Thirsters to the other bar across the street. He insisted I take his number because he was flying out the next day. I obliged in hopes that he would depart. He must have had plenty of experience in creeping out girls because he caught me by surprise with a kiss on the lips after saying something obscene in my ear and I turned quickly to respond. Then my phone was in his hand and his number was saved without my permission. I again attempted to leave the bar but he followed me outside and again reminded me of his departure as if I would take pity on him for his looming five hour flight and copulate that evening. Just as my blood pressure was spiking and my buzz was blown, MM swooped in between us, grabbed my arm and asked plainly, "Wanna get a martini?"
It was like someone changed the channel and a new favorite show was one. I perked up immediately! He hooked my arm and off we went. I did not look back to see if the previous suitor was confused. I just felt saved. Here we were almost skipping down the street to another location for another drink, just the two of us.
We walked in, went to the outside patio where a few stoners were sitting and talking too loudly. He ordered a gin martini, shaken, with olives. I ordered a blueberry pomegranate martini and he teased me for ordering something so fruity. I shot back that he was too stuck up and ordered something he would not finish because it was gross. I lowered my head, coyly. I smiled. He said, "Don't look at me like that." I softly asked, "Why?" He leaned in and kissed me right there. He then pulled back slowly and gestured I change chairs to sit closer and fold in under his arm. I did. We listened purposefully to the intoxicated conversation that was going on at the other table. Laughing, intentionally loudly at their observations and exchanges until they left. It was 2:30 am. I asked, "Is this over?" He said no and said it would be a good idea to go for a walk and we did. We walked into the forest on the edge of town. Both of our cell phones were dying so there was no light to actually navigate the pathways. So we stopped when it was too dark. He meandered off the path to urinate and fell over a log. We laughed.
We found our way back out of the woods deciding we should probably head back to his place. And we stayed up talking until 7:30 am when he drove me home in an electric car he was selling for his father.
MM and HW
We have been dating two years since. I ask him sometimes how he knew to interrupt. He just shrugs and says, "That's just what I do."
