Today is 11-11-11. The world has not ended, but it is still pretty early in the evening. I had lunch with my middle school boyfriend’s mother. When he and I went to high school our families stayed relatively close although he and I rarely spoke. The last time I saw him I was 16, unsure of myself but ready to get him back. Surprisingly, he had a girlfriend and told me how they met, and how great she makes him feel. I was not upset or hurt, I was jealous. I thought I wanted him so badly, badly enough to wish him unhappiness in his relationship with his new girlfriend, who I envied. At that moment, I felt I would never find anyone as good as him, no one as smart, handsome, or funny. With time, of course I found someone else, someone different, who made me feel wonderful for a long time. We experienced real love, not the middle school play ground puppy love that I thought I wanted to rekindle.
At lunch, his mom and I caught up on six years of my life, her life, her son’s life and it felt incredible. According to her, her son peaked in high school. He is still with the same girl, going to community college to get his AA, then moving to LA to pursue acting. His girlfriend is an “idiot” and they live with her mother who supports them both. To top it off, he is going bald at age 20. She said that over the years she would encourage him to dump his girlfriend and reconnect with me but he ignored her.His mom didn’t have too many good things to say about her oldest son, but she did say that he should “rue the day he hurt such a great girl like me.” That shit CRAY! I sat there and silently congratulated myself, I unintentionally dodged a bullet.
Over dessert and cappuccinos, she had an amazing idea: he and I meet up today. She called him and told him to meet her at her house because she had a surprise for him, and neglected to say that I was with her. I was a little hesitant because I could see him getting upset that she arranged all this. We arrived at the house and I wasn’t nervous. I wasn’t the 16 year old girl who had no self confidence, I wasn’t unsure of my feelings, I felt like a woman. He was completely shocked. He awkwardly hugged me, then looked at his mother and rolled his eyes. She insisted that he and I take a picture together, so we complied but he didn’t touch me. I was smiling and easy going the whole time because I knew the truth: he wasn’t the same person he was 6 years ago and neither was I. His mom told him my plans for grad school, where I work, and he tried his best to care. He nodded and glared at his mom. It was awkward just sitting in silence with him but it wasn’t uncomfortable. He knew me in a way no one else did, and in some ways, no one else ever will. We were each others first kiss, first relationship, first heart break. I think we will always be special to each other, even in the smallest way. After 10 agonizing minutes, he left. He didn’t hug me or even look at me, I said goodbye and he waved. His mom laughed then said he was probably pissed at her. She’s a funny lady, she’ll do anything for a good laugh. We chatted for a while then she walked me to my car. She said something that will stay with me forever, “Ben, he owns his feelings, forget him. You’re on the right path.” Six years ago, hell even 3 years ago, I would never imagine that I would be better off without him. Things really do happen for a reason, sometimes it takes years to understand it but it is true. Today reminded me that I may have a broken heart now, but my heart has healed before and will heal again. 11-11-11 proved to be a life changing day.
chicanery | n. | deception by trickery |
complaisant | adj. | willingly compliant or accepting of the status quo (n: complaisance) |
No comments:
Post a Comment