For another hour or so that counter over to the right will say “one more sleep”. If I’m still up I’ll want to believe the lie when it flicks over to zero.
Seven weeks ago we realized being apart was going to suck. Six weeks ago we decided not to put up with it for long. And now I’m going to Charlotte to get her and bring her home with me for keeps.
Her family has been overwhelmingly supportive. My family is excited to meet her. My friends are already her friends and they can’t wait to welcome her home. I can’t talk about it without grinning like a loon. Yes, me.
It’s a strange sign of the times when you tell people about it and while they’re legitimately happy for you so many of them get a far away look in their eye and say, “if it can happen for you it can happen for me too.”
Maybe that’s not a sign of the times. Maybe it’s always been that way. I guess if anything it’s more acceptable and believable to be single and happy these days than it was even a decade ago. I was essentially single for more than two years and perfectly content getting to know me. Learning who I am. Becoming a whole and independent entity with no need for a partner so long as I had friends I could count on.
About a year ago my mindset switched from single and content to single, content, and ready to share. For the first time in my life I felt mature enough for a real relationship (rather than hearing me try to convince myself). If that makes sense.
Right now I’m re-reading these words and I can’t help but be reminded of a million other hopeful stories that started at the ending, with adamant declarations that “this is it” and “this is the one” and “I know it’s only been two weeks but it’s so perfect we’ve already picked our wedding invitations”. You know: when people jump in blindfolded with what seems suspiciously like desperation.
There are obvious differences. I got to know Maigen years ago as Tokitikki, a young and impetuous lass from Americatown with a flair for writing. Neither of us thought for a moment it would lead anywhere. That made it very easy to be honest about a lot of the things people avoid when dating. We became friends. We saw each other at our worst (I say that with a grain of salt because it is, after all, the interweb, and we are who we want to be online).
Nevertheless. With no delineated border, no life-altering moment, no climactic revelation, we began to suspect we had something worth paying attention to. It sorta snuck up on us.
And still we went on with our separate lives. Americatown is a long way away… in lots of ways.
We actually went two years without talking. That’s just the way it had to be for a while. I even went so far as to think I’d heard the last from her. And that was fine because life was complicated enough for your favorite dj, as you may have read.
And yet.
You see, the Universe is a whimsical lady. She may let you plod along your deliberate road for years without a question or quandary to give you a moment’s pause. But then she’ll flick a little pebble of possibility across your path. Maybe you’ll miss it. Maybe you’ll dodge it. Maybe she’ll even let it go at at that and you’ll go back to your clockwork course. The thing about the Universe, though, is that she Will Not Be Denied. Far better to indulge her and let that pebble trip you up, because if the first pebble doesn’t get you she may try something a little less subtle and no one likes getting hit by a bus.
So you start paying attention to the signs. You begin to wonder at what point things pass beyond the realm of coincidence and become portents, divinations, omens. When you aren’t trying to resist the Universe she can be quite accomodating, and things just slide into place. Tetris on a prophetic scale.
The 21st century pessimist in both of us has been cautious, looking over our shoulder for the wolf. We keep waiting for the jaws to snap shut. Not that we let it hold us up. Hell no. You don’t dick around when the Universe is dangling a neon donut in front of you. When the whole puzzle comes together almost straight out of the box you can sit around bitching about the lack of pitfalls and trials in your life or you can go smell a few roses.
So tomorrow morning I’m going to go down to Americatown, meet the whole fam damily, and kidnap their brightest star for my very own. Sounds awfully covetous, doesn’t it? Kinda selfish of me to yoink the lightbulb just when it really starts to shine. I’m completely unapologetic though. I think I’ve been wandering around in the dark for far too long.
Go get ’em tiger! (And have a safe trip)
(And, don’t eat airport food)… (especially hung over).
:)
-G
Sap. I’m still bitter and single, so I reserve the right to plant a leatherman on you while patting your back on the way to the airplane.
No hard feelings, but I need to keep my employees on their toes. How else will you ever smuggle me a nice canadian lass in exchange for allowing you to leave the country with toki? ;)
go.
awesome
Don’t listen to grant -> Always eat the airport food!
(but do listen to the part about travelling safe).
werd
dave
Life is grand, ain’t it?
Have a safe trip – and enjoy the 19th – I think we both will…in a strangely synchronous sort of way….
there is so much I could say right now, and I’ve said quite a bit of it several (hundred) times. I really do feel like the luckiest girl in the world – and I know I always will.
Not just because I’ve met and fallen in love with a fantastic, wonderful, supportive and – quite perf (for me) – man, but also because karma seems to be smiling at me and nodding me the ‘go ahead’ in my journeys.
At times I can be quite the pessimist, but those moments are few and far between, because I’ve learned to accept and appreciate all that happens and LEARN from each happening. Somehow, someway, it all fits in the big picture, and I can’t presume to know what that big picture is supposed to look like just yet.
It isn’t given to us to know what lies ahead, and I’ve finally come to terms with that. So, I set aside (most of) my worrywart tendencies, and I forged ahead with the plan. We’re in it together, we’ll work it out together.
And it’s worked out. I’m on my way. I’m happy — no, I’m ecstatic. The countdown is, indeed, over, and I’ll be coming home soon.
I miss you all, and thank you, THANK YOU, for all of your warm thoughts and supportive wishes. And as for the dangling neon donut – they’re there. Sometimes you’ll miss them, and sometimes they’ll hit you in the head with the force of a crash landing. But I think everything works out well in the end. I have hope and I have faith.
…with the subtlety of that pebble powered bus. *nods to all three of you*
~continues conversing with the breeze…~
WOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Well hawt diggity!
We’re waiting (bouncily~!) for your arrival, Maigen…
All the best to ya both.
well,we will all miss her here. Most of all me.We have been best friends for over 10 years now,and we have been through alot of stuff. She means more to me than anyone in the world(except my husband)we have seen each other go through men and get our hearts broke.I will have to say ,this is the happiest i’ve seen her in a long time.So while everyone is all happy and overjoyed to see and meet her,she’s leaving some very sad (and happy for her) people most of all me and my husband..
aw, pam. (((pam hug)) :(
i don’t know what to say, b/c i’d be a big weepy mess if tams left to the states for the man she loved. best grrlfriends are tough to find.
i think you’re really cool for being able to be happy for her. that’s being a true friend, if you ask me.
all of us in canada (yes, all 33 million of us) will take good care of her ’til you get here to visit.
:)
lola
thank you lola. I was doing some major weeping when i wrote that this morning,then called her and told her adrian was fast aleep.I will meet him in the morning.. Did you read my post that was linked to hers?…
The things i do…….
friends don’t let friends wax their own hootenannies.
;)
Greetings from Americatown. I’ve met half of everybody and it’s all been high quality good times so far. I may or may not have gained ten pounds. Oh the stories I have to share. Not a lot of pictures though. Been distracted by… whatever there is down here to get distracted by. I forget what.
=p
We’re hauling anchor Saturday afternoon. Two days in DC. Then Seattle for a night Monday. And then we’re positively local as of Tuesday. See you soon, with my honey ‘longside.
Hahaha! “Longside”…
BIG UPS! REEEE SPECT! BLOD CLOT!
I’m excited for Tuesday. ;)
Ummm.. I’m worried about you Jason. Are you even going to make it to Tuesday??
Remember, breathing is key. In….and out… and in…and out… :)
wow! Nicely written. I am very happy for you. Good Luck in Van.
COMMENT:
aw, dj. that made me feel kinda teary. (in a good way)
and no sleeps left!! today is the day!!! i think i will just speak for all of us (since i’m the first one awake and posting this morning) and say have a wonderful trip. love is grand. there’s nothing like it.
see you both soon – travel safe. hurry home.
xox
lols