#romco

Today while I tackle a bunch of house work, I stumbled upon a cable channel that has been playing back-to-back Romantic Comedies. 

As these things do, it has made me remember some of my own tv-and-movie-worthy "Rom-Com" moments, there's no way I have the energy to list them all but here are some of the best:

The Pandora's Box That moment as a college intern when a co-worker and I were wrapping up some projects on his last day before his week-long vacation, and he leaned over and kissed me goodbye saying, "I'll miss you." I remember feeling so completely stunned and speechless and immediately feeling terrible for his wife who was going to spend a week in a Hawaiian paradise with someone who just wouldn't be mentally there for her. 

The Gamble That moment when my "Sort-of" person I was seeing called me slightly inebriated after being the top boss at a head-to-head game of poker. He won and won big and I was his first call, and for some reason, him winning that game allowed him the ability to lock it down with me and that became a milestone along our weird journey together. 

The Mixer That moment when at a downtown Los Angeles bar, I sat down between two acquaintances at a mixer. The gentleman to my left (Lefty) commented on the intricate weaving of my stockings and touched my knee. The two of us had always gotten along, witty, jokey, swaggered drinkers that we were. Though it was an innocent touch he laid down on my knee, there was some sort of electricity in it. We started a flirty friendship that evening which led to a nearly year-long entanglement teaching me a lot about dating as an adult. It saw me through my break-up, my re-start-up and then our down dramatic break up. I'll never forget that the gentleman to my Right asked me later, "Did you guys ever date?" I said no. But less than 3 months later we WERE dating. Two years later, gentleman to my Right and I would breach our own friendship to date for 6 months then go our friendly separate ways. 

Ok...two more. I think I have the strength to tell 3 more.

The Ace I had cut him off before. Cut him off communications-wise and cut him out of my life before. We had been co-workers, close friends and then when my break up happened he was the first one, and through a strange turn of events which resulted in all my 3 best friends being out of town at the same time...he was the only one I could turn to. We got close...but we could never QUITE get close enough. We dated other people and resented each other for it. We couldn't let go of whatever bond we had and we couldn't move on. It was unhealthy, but we didn't care. This time, we were done for good. Except we weren't...he almost died. I got word from him...he pleaded to see me. I gave in. After a rock concert and several cocktails loosened our reins he gave the speech I'll never forget. Here are the highlights: "I was in the hospital for 5 months and all I could think about was you." "You're really the only person I could trust and I realize it now." "All you wanted to do was love me. I'm sorry I couldn't accept it at the time." "I realize now that I love you and I want us to be together." It was like a goddamn Lifetime Movie of the Week. That the one you had wanted FINALLY came to his senses, realized it and was standing in front of you wanting to be with you. This dramatic admission kicked off a firestorm of emotion...confusing especially because I was dating the "Gentleman to my Right." Now you see why that concluded. After not coming home several nights in succession it was clear where I really wanted to be whether it was good for me or not. This lasted in a dramatic fashion for about 2 months. I was free-spiriting my way away and he did it his way. Needless to say this Burner didn't belong in Beverly Hills, but the realization finally gave me a way to let him go for good. 

The North Star About two weeks later I answered a flirty missive from a long-distance acquaintance. We spend about a month and a half passionately learning all about each other via email, Facebook, Skype and phone. He invited me for a visit up North and east-coasty. I accepted. I was a nervous wreck the whole plane ride. I had never taken a chance like this ever before. To set your mind at ease, know that we did have mutual friends and I had pretty good proof he wasn't an ax murderer. The whole time I was walking off the plane and then queuing up in customs, I felt as if it was a scene from a movie. When I rounded the last barrier of the airport and spotted him in the waiting area, I was SURE this wasn't real. He righted himself up from leaning against a pillar. I remember thinking how dapper his black winter coat looked. I caught his gaze and looked away and concentrated on navigating my bags through the last barriers that separated us. He gently said our camp "code word" as a greeting and I said it back. We hugged. Then we went home. We would have our first kiss about 2 hours later. 

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