Memorial Day weekend is an important anniversary for me. I completely & totally lost part of me — and I’m so blessed because of that– to Hubby. But let me fill in some background for my readers who may not know the origins of our little life together.
I was living in the Minneapolis area circa 2001. I was working, playing & generally pretty ok with living the single life. My girls & I hung out, partied and just generally enjoyed life. I wasn’t searching too hard for Mr. Right & we all had fun chatting with tons of people around the world on our computers. Well one day I was in a chat room on Yahoo & met Hubby. We chatted, exchanged pics and chatted some more. In fact we talked quite a lot & decided after a few days that we should meet IRL (in real life). So I gave him my phone number & address (a big no-no) and he picked me up (he opened the doors for me–including at the car, waited ’til I was in & then closed it before getting in himself–I swooned a bit) then we went downtown to the Rock Bottom Brewery. After our first “date” which ended with a polite good night nod we saw each other on a very casual & not at all romantic basis. (Ok so I was totally freaked out that Abe “liked me like that” while I felt more on the order of spending time with one of my brothers’ friends.)
A few months passed (Jan-May) with various meals, movies, hanging out with friends and other fairly regular activities. I really enjoyed hanging out with Abe all the while wondering if he was interested in me or if the whole “does he, doesn’t he” was in my imagnination.
Then along came Memorial Day weekend. I spent the bulk of the weekend with a girl friend. We watched movies, played video games & who knows what else (there may have been drinking involved). Monday afternoon rolled around & I was not ready to let my weekend come to a close so I did the natural thing: called Abe to see if he was busy. As fate would have it he was not busy & so I headed across the metro area to where he was living. We discussed various things but decided a movie was in order. Specifically a drive-in movie….(Yes I know some of you readers are nodding knowingly to yourselves, certain of where this will lead. You sit there all smug thinking I’m either a fool or so painfully naive that you want to chuckle. Well go ahead…finished? Good…now let ME tell the story & save your knowing looks for another time.) which neither of us had been to in many years.
We saw “A Knight’s Tale” & “The Mummy Returns” both of which we enjoyed. It was very late as we drove back to Abe’s house & I had a terrible time staying awake. We tried to talk but I’d nod off in the middle of a word–it was like having a terrible case of narcolepsy. By the time we got to Abe’s house it was obvious I was not going to be able to make the 45 minute drive back to my apartment. With much reluctance I agreed to sleep at his house. Laying there with my back to Abe, tense as a coiled spring & wearing 2 layers of clothes I was petrified & now wide awake. My mind was racing & I had decided that if he was ever going to make a move it would have to be now. Of course I could feel him lying tensely just a few feet away…and I could almost hear him debating whether or not he should touch me.
Finally he did make a move & tapped me on the shoulder. After I jumped (I think I had to peel myself off the ceiling) I turned toward him to answer. I think we may have talked for a few seconds but I can’t be absolutely sure….that was the first time Abe erased portions of my memory with a simple kiss.