FALLING IN LOVE WITH STRANGERS

I have a really bad habit of falling in love with strangers. These affairs are brief and ( as far as I know ) one sided. They usually last no longer than the commute to work or the wait on line in Safeway, but they are real and they are bittersweet... and they happen a lot. Enough, in fact, that I have vowed to only fall in love with one stranger a day.

Maybe it's the fact that I am single and hopelessly unable to connect with people on an intimate level these days that leads to these crushes. I am desperate for some sort of something from another person. A smile, a "hello".... anything. I wander the streets of this city and feel totally disconnected to the world. I jocky a cash register all night and people seem to look through me..... until last night.

He was tall and skinny with blond hair cropped close. He wore a blue and red ski jacket with a matching backpack. I'd been standing there, making the most of my time at Borders by spacing out on the news ticker and almost didn't notice him come up to me.

With a hint of disinterest I said my obligatory "How are you?" without really looking up. He responded in a soft, sweet voice that he was fine. I took the book he was buying and looked at the cover before even bothering to look at him.

"ME" by Katherine Hepburn.

When I looked up at him I was almost knocked to my ass by a smile that could make the sun rise at midnight. I returned the smile and we held eye contact for a moment. I tried to think of something - anything - to say and a voice in the back of my head told me not to spoil the moment.

I gave him his change, the whole time smiling while basking in his smile.... I told him to have a good night and then, with a nod and that smile (GOD THAT SMILE!!!!) he walked out the door.

It's been over 12 hours and that smile is still flashing on the movie screen in my mind. I find myself wondering if I'll ever see him again.... I keep wondering if it was all in my head or if he felt the same flash of attraction ( OK, a coworker who witnessed the whole thing assured me that he was crushing on me ) . I'm tempted to Missed Connection him on Craigs List ...... but that just seems wrong in this case.

Bottom line..... that smile made me melt and fall in love with a stranger. Sure, it's going to fade - It always does.

But thank God for those moments.

">
(<$BlogItemCommentCount$>) comments