…PART ONE…

June 9, 2010 – I have always been of the mindset that all human beings are inherently good. Yes, the tenets of the idealists do hold firm with me, even if only in a Utopian world. In Utopia, people love one another for who they are, flaws and all. In Utopia, friendships are made easily, and enmity is rare. In Utopia…only in Utopia.

Living in the city all my life has made me a robust and fast-paced individual. This allows me to make friends easily. At a party I’m the girl who’s mingling and talking with everyone.

Because of the many friends, no, acquaintances that I have made, I’ve always been invited to parties or events that require that ultimate party girl because that is who I was. I’m not that person anymore. But wait, I get ahead of myself.

It was the month of June two or three years ago when I met him. Tall and willowy, boasting a crew cut that would put a soldier’s to shame. I met him quite by accident at a party. Ideally we would never have talked, but the fact that he was standing all alone near the radio sipping his drink caught my attention.

“Hi,” I said to him.

“Hi,” he replied.

“Forgive me for being so direct but what is a fine brother like you doing standing all alone in a room full of beautiful, mostly single women?”

He laughed out loud. Let me take a moment to describe his laugh. It was a hearty one; one of those that come from the bowels of the stomach. And he had really white teeth one could almost think that he had them professionally cleaned. He also had a dimple on his right cheek that made him seem really young.

He said, “Well this is not my kind of scene. I’m only here because my cousin dragged me out because she said I’m too much of a recluse.”

“Hold that thought. Let me get a refill of my drink. Would you like one?”

“Yeah sure, please I’d like a Coke.”

“Just a Coke?”

“Yes please. I don’t drink.”

If his shyness had caught my attention, his apparent lack of interest in women and the fact that he did not drink definitely captivated me.

“So far, so good. You are interesting,” I said when I returned, a Coke in one hand, a beer in the other. “So what is your kind of scene?”

“Definitely not this one,” he replied, a slight smile playing on his lips.

“Evasive, aren’t we?” I shot back.

“No, I’m not being evasive. I just think you’d probably find it a bit strange.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“What’s your first impression of me?”

“Well… You are definitely outgoing and you seem like someone who loves fun.”

I giggled. “Well that’s very true. But on the flip side, I’m introverted in some ways.”

He snickered. “Yeah right. How?”

“I love having alone time. Many times I just like to sit and listen to music and write or read a book.”

“That sounds cool, but how often do you do it?”

“Four out of every five opportunities I have to go out,” I replied, smiling slightly.

He looked taken aback. “Wow,” he began, and took a sip of his Coke. “I would never have figured. I mean, I know we’ve just met, but really, I wouldn’t have imagined that.”

“Well, there you are. So what is your kind of scene?”

“I like the arts. I’m into plays and cultural things and I like to go for such events.”

“Really? That’s so cool! I love plays as well! My favorite theater group is Festival of Creative Arts. What’s yours?”

“I love FCA as well. I think they are awesome and really funny. But I also like Phoenix and Heartstrings as well.”

“I love this! I rarely have someone who I can talk to about that aspect of my life.”

“I won’t lie, right now I’m impressed. I would never have figured you for an arts person.”

“Ha, I’ve even subscribed to an arts news letter that tells me what’s happening every week in the arts world.”

“That’s really cool.”

“Again, forgive the boldness, but may I have your number?”

Shyly smiling, he said, “Sure thing. You really are forthright.”

I smiled back. “Not all the time. But I like you. I definitely will look you up sometime.”

“Yeah, that would be lovely. Maybe we could go for a play or something.”

“I would love that.”