Saturday, April 26, 2014

The Daily Prompt and The Short Story – My Dream Man (When I Had Given Up On Dreaming...... IV)

I met my dear husband IV in 2000, in the fall.

I was exploring the option of attending graduate school, and he was one of the graduate students chosen to lead me around.

He must have liked me too (I hope) because after the full day of scheduled activities he came back to my hotel room and picked me up like a gentleman (he's from Texas, after all.)

He brought me to a bar in the downtown area where he and some of his friends (pretty much male in my memory) all liked to drink.  Ha, ha.... if you know any chemists at all, either they drink after work or they don't drink at all.  There is no middle ground.  LOL

Anyway, this particular bar was actually a lawyer type bar.... meant not for graduate students (but they were humored because they were polite and paid for their drinks.)

So, since I was a very cheap date (always have been, actually) I had one drink.... I believe I let him choose, when I did drink, I didn't much care what.  As an undergraduate I would drink one vodka & cranberry all night and the nice bartenders would add soda to it for me.  I always left a good tip at the end of the night.

What I remember most about that night is that all the other guys (and they were IV's good friends) were having a grand time flirting with a new girl.  I, however, was not very comfortable.  IV, himself being shy, somehow recognized that I was shy and saved me from them.... and walked me back to my hotel early in the night.

And, he stayed up, very appropriately with me in the lobby into the very early hours of the morning.... talking and drinking coffee which I much preferred.  Now, the next day I had a very important interview with the professor I would go on to work for (my PhD mentor) with whom I still maintain a professional and personal relationship.

But, in my heart, I knew- this was it.  I fell.

I went home SO sad.  Because IV?  I was sure, he didn't know that I had fallen for him but I had.  For me since that evening there has never been another man in my life to take his place.

That is the meaning to me of love- and soul mates- and also, I had given up at that point in my life on looking for that.  I was all of 21.

Jennie

This was inspired by http://jitterygt.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/the-lonely-dream-maker/ Thank you, Jittery Goat for reminding me of why I love IV and why I love to write. :)

Enjoy the photo of IV and I below at a St. Valentine's dinner and dance at our Church that I helped plan and organize.... so I was quite tired, and I believe instrumental in building the arch we are standing under.  We also renewed our vows there.


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