Story of Us - Part 1

(Photo by Jarvis Photography)

I don't have "our story" anywhere except memory so I wanted to get it down.....

I was a divorced single mom and I was happy! And I really mean that. I was happy. I was resigned to the fact that I would be single. Enter Casey, Mark and their delirious happiness. She was so happy and thought I needed someone to share my life with. She met Mark online. He made her laugh. To be fair, he is the yin to her yang, the peanut butter to her jelly, the lamb to her tuna fish. Mark lived in Michigan and took a picture of himself with an onion ring. That's how she knew he was the one! She loves onion rings. He moved here, they got married and are currently living happily ever after. I was so happy for her! Seeing her and Mark get married made me so happy. My sister is a good person who deserves every happiness and she got it! But you know how happy, married people are, they think everyone around them should also be happy, married people. She insisted I try to find someone too. Really? Do I have to? I resisted. I think a part of me was a little afraid of rejection as well. I was divorced. Although I left him, actions leading up to that point did feel a little like rejection. Well, if there is one thing I am it is a people pleaser so to make peace I decided I would go online. I would try and communicate with someone BUT I would only "communicate". It wouldn't go any further than that and to be sure my diabolical plan would work I would find the FARTHEST person from me. Wait, here's one. He's in ENGLAND! There is NO WAY anything could ever come of this! I did have a Method to my madness: Find someone far far away while making sure they spoke English so we could understand each other. Yup, this guy in England fits the bill for that! So I found a guy and sent him a message. There was no picture attached to his profile or anything, cause you know, the ones with pictures are really serious about finding someone. The ones without a picture are just there to people watch. Much to my surprise (or maybe not cause let's face it, I'm fabulous!) he responded to my message. We started chatting online on November 30, 2004. Turns out he was really funny. We would spend hours laughing. Most of the time laughing AT each other. We had a funny little conversation I wish I could remember word for word but we got on the subject of babies, walks, grocery stores, you know, all the crazy stuff and it went a little something like this....

Him: (something about a stroller)

Me: A stroller is what you take a baby for a walk in

Him: No, you take a baby out in a buggy.

Me: No, a buggy is what you put your groceries in at the store.

Him: No, that's a trolley

Me: No, a trolley is something in San Francisco that takes people around the city.

(for the record, his sister still can't believe we have bread in a can..lol)

I found myself spending all hours of the night at my office because we were chatting and I didn't want to do anything but talk to him. I don't remember the exact date but only a day or two later he asked for my phone number so he could call me. I gladly gave it to him because I was DYING to hear his accent. I could not have prepared myself for the insanity that ensued! That first phone call was 20 minutes long and went a little something like this.....

Me: Hello

Him: Something I couldn't understand

Me: What?

Him: Something I couldn't understand

Me: I can't really hear you

Him: Something I COULD understand

Me: Finally answering to his conversation

Him: What?

Me: Something he couldn't understand

Him: What?

You get the point! We spent an entire 2o minutes trying to understand each other's accents and over the phone it is surprisingly difficult the first time. We quickly got the hang of it! We spent the next few days exchanging emails, IM chats and phone calls. On December 7th he sent a text telling me he just had to meet me (well, duh!...lol) and asked if I would be interested in meeting. I was speechless but managed to say of course! He bought the ticket that day. He was set to arrive December 27th and would stay until January 2nd. Just in time to still be here around Christmas and spend New Years Eve together. We then spent the next 20 days emailing, chatting online and doing more talking on the phone. I got home one day and my phone had been turned off because the phone company thought someone hacked my line and made a bunch of unauthorized calls to England. They said if I didn't make the calls they would take them off my bill. Man, it was really hard to be honest on that one. Especially since I was facing a $200 long distance bill. During the 20 days we really got to know one another. I knew he liked spicy food. He was funny and bright. Someone I could hold a conversation with and not get bored. I was already in love with his accent. Finally the big day was here. December 27th. I decided on my outfit: flowered skirt, pinkish sweater/shirt combo, brown shoes with a small heal; my hair: straight and soft. I cleaned out my car. I even had it washed. I'm sure he realizes now what a big deal that was because I NEVER wash my car! I left on time and should have arrived just as his plane arrived. I mean, I wasn't too worried - he still had customs to go through. Little did I know this would be the day that the State of Florida decided a new traffic pattern was going into effect on 95 between St. Augustine and Daytona. URGH! Now I was racing! Needless to say I was late! I was so late, in fact, he thought I wasn't coming. Poor guy thought I had a serious change of heart. He couldn't have been more wrong. I finally got to the airport. I parked my green Honda Civic on the 3rd floor of the parking garage and was practically running to get inside. I forgot what a stinkin maze the Orlando airport really is. Once I finally was in the airport I came off the escalator, turned to the left towards baggage claim and I saw him. He was walking towards me. Yes, that was him............