I had only been separated for about a month? I think. And I had been married for 6 & 1/2 years. This was exciting and new, and he was the strangest specimen one could find. I didn't mind the fact that his truck wasn't running, no problem for me. I drove to see him, I wanted the drive, I wanted to feel the night air on my face. And I did. About an hour later I was there. But lost. In his town, but lost. As usual. Of course I was lost.
So I pull over and find myself at a public park. I just sat there for a minute and looked at the directions on my paper. Somehow I got all turned around, and it was dark, and now I had no clue where I was. I looked up and saw some women walking with some kids. I got out of the car, and asked them, "hey, can ya'll help me? Can you tell me where this is?" They took the sheet of paper and read it, shook their heads no, then gave it back to me. I said, "It's a country place, like, sort of by itself, it's a trailer..." They just stared at me. I didn't know that I was in a place where that was a common thing. Sort of like asking someone you meet that's from a different country if they know such-and-such and getting that look from them that reminds you how idiotic it is to ask such a thing. I know, because I've done it.
Completely confused, I turn around and go back down the main road and pulled into a convenience store to use the pay phone. While I was putting the quarters in, I see lights flashing and hear a truck pull up right behind me. I turned around, and there he was. He was laughing at me. Still relative strangers and he's already laughing at me. I asked him how he found me, and he said, "it's sort of hard to get lost around here...you gotta try really hard to do it. There's only one main street..." So what. That means nothing to me. Then he said, "I had a hunch you were lost, and I also was pretty sure I'd find you here." That wasn't the last time he found me. It happened several more times until it turned into a thing.
I think that night we all went to a bar with his friends. It was a country place. I was in a daze. What was I doing here? I had margarita after margarita and just sat there. Not much fun. I still hadn't cut loose.
He & I went to the lake, walked around, until we came to a huge old oak tree. One look at it and I knew my fate. Like a kid in junior high, I knew I was about to be kissed. And I was. The tree just drew us in under it's branches, and just like that, with no warning, it happened. The kickoff. That's when it started. That one kiss.
It sealed us together and started us on a chaotic journey. We became addicted to each other. That night, we went back to his place. The usual, small talk, a few more kisses, showed me his cd's, met the cat. Then I had to go. It was late. We stood on the front deck and kissed goodnight. Next thing you know, we're in bed. Totally. All the way. Nothing in between. Just like that. We went from a kiss on the porch to ...well, you know... it all happened so fast. And I am to blame more than him. I was like a little creature that had been caged for years, finally set free. Or at least that's how I felt.
So that's how our first date went.
It had been so long since I had felt what it was like to be held, all night long. He did. He held me. No, we were not in love yet, and sometimes I wonder if we ever were. Who knows. But we slept together like two lost hungry souls. It satisfied me.
I was woken up the next morning by the sound of a loud truck. He was still asleep. I leaned over and peeked out the blinds. There was a tow truck backing up and the guy was hooking it up to his truck! I sat up and woke him and told him. You know what he said? Without even opening his eyes, he goes, "Good, finally, it's about time they get it over with..."
I just sat there, with the sheet wrapped around me. I watched him as he fell back asleep. I took another look at what was happening outside. And another look at him.
Fell even harder for him, at that moment.