I saw this on Postsecret

I saw this postcard on PostSecret and it reminded me of  a recurring conversation I've had with J. He's such a distinctive looking and handsome man that I feel that if I'd encountered him in public, I would definitely have noticed him. Then I found out that he used to work at the local Borders during the time I was a regular there. How is it possible that I saw him  without noticing him?! I've always been impressed with the variety of folks that Borders hires, including the tattooed, the pierced, young, old, etc...but I don't remember seeing him there!  Then I found out that he was at a mutual friend's house when they were having a local artist showcase party that I attended. How could I possibly have missed him?! Irregardless, I'm glad that our paths crossed again. It's been more than two years ago that I was at Hyde Bros. on my Friday off, to trade some books I'd read for new ones. I'd just finished reading the Alphabet Vs. the Goddess by Leonard Shlain and I was trading Sex, Time, and Power: How Women's Sexuality Shaped Human Evolution which I found to be disappointingly redundant. When J saw that title with my trade-ins, he sought me out to ask about it. He was taking a women's studies class and wanted to know if the book  was worth his time. I was sorry to have to tell him that I hadn't even finished it since it covered the same material as the Alphabet Vs. the Goddess which was fascinating. I can still remember how hard my heart was beating, that this cool looking dark eyed guy with the lovely man hips had noticed and then talked to me. I was so nervous that I was afraid I sounded like a goof, but he just smiled and went back to his work. Then I watched him the rest of the time I was there. When he talked to people, he looked directly into their eyes, and listened intently. There was none of the brusque, "Next!" attitude as he waited on customers and I remember thinking that his eyes looked infinitely kind. Coincidentally, the next night I was out at my favorite watering hole pounding down some Butter Crowns. Normally one or two drinks are my limit, but on this particular evening I'd already had 4 or 5 and was feeling pretty loopy. Then Julia walked in with her husband. Julia's worked at Hyde Bros. for just about as long as I've been going there, and I've always been a little afraid of her, she's wickedly intelligent and somewhat stern. I remember consciously telling myself that I needed to present myself as being much less intoxicated than I was. I introduced myself as a Hyde's customer and asked her about  the good looking new employee with the distinctive dark eyes. She said, "Oh! You must be talking about J!" Then she asked me my age,  which I thought was an odd question. When I told her, and then casually dropped into the conversation that I was on my bike and needed to head home, she said, "You're a biker too?! Oh! J is going to love you!" She seemed pleased to be playing matchmaker, but I really didn't hold much hope of anything coming of it. I gave her my phone number to pass along to J and then tried to walk out in a straight line while I still had my dignity. 


He called me two days later and we planned to meet at Henry's for our first date, which almost didn't happen because of the horrendous ice storm that paralyzed Fort Wayne for days.  That was more than two years ago and I am so in love with that man. I don't know if we'll be together forever, but I'm just happy for the NOW!