kestrel

kestrel
2018-12-11 01:38:51 (UTC)

Prompt 007: Ten Years Gone

7. After nearly a decade of no contact, an important person from your past has come back into your life. What questions do you have for them? Would you welcome this person with open arms? Why or why not?

///
This is a partially-true story. Names and locations have been changed to protect the innocent.

So I have an account on a dating site. I don't usually prioritize going out to bars or whatever to meet new people so it's not often that I meet new people, particularly women I'd like to date. So every so often (that is, in-between serious relationships) I fire up the 'ol Match account and see who there is to see.

Lately I've been disappointed in the women I end up "matched" with on there. I suppose it's because I'm picky. I feel like my last few relationships set the bar high and most women in my age bracket don't measure up. A number of them are saddled with kids at this point in their lives, and that's not for me. This rules out quite a broad swath of women who have their priorities in an area to which I don't relate (and don't have an urge to).

This past weekend, someone out of the blue showed up in my "who's viewed me" list. It was an unmistakable resemblance to someone from the past. Not to mention that she was based in our old home town of Burbank. I read through her description, scanned her other photos, and realized that yeah, this really is Rita. She and her twin sister Samantha lived in the same neighbourhood as my family and me when we were growing up. This was all confirmed after the various comments in her profile about how she was a "tomboy" growing up, and I remembered her wearing her softball and field hockey uniform back in the day. So this is where she is now. Damn, she works out a lot...!

I imagine it was a bit awkward, seeing someone from your past on a dating website. It reminds me of when I moved back to Cheswolde. My girlfriend at the time was adamant I have an STD test, and I didn't have health insurance at the time so I went to a no-cost health clinic downtown. One of the nurses was this lesbian I totally had a crush on when I was in my younger days, when I was in a band. She was all thick, a roller-derby lady. Kicked ass and had a heart of gold. We walked past one another in the clinic, our eyes met accidentally, and then never did again. Had to come back to the clinic the next day or whatever to learn of my results, and she was conspicuously absent (or maybe I was just wondering to the point of mild obsession if I was gonna run into her again). But I don't think she and I will ever forget we met again in such a place, for the rest of our lives. It was just that unremarkable and unusual, all at once.

So I decided to write her a message, just for the heck of it. What did I have to lose? It's not like we can deny noticing one another on this walled garden. It was too much of a coincidence, and besides I wanted to be nice. The message went a little like this.

***

Hi there, Rita (or Samantha)--

This is Isaac Reinhardt. I admit it seems kind of weird to have crossed paths with you here, particularly when we were at best only passing familiar. But I'm pretty sure you were a classmate of my sister's, Tiffany. I thought I recognized you, then saw the mention of Burbank, and saw the mention of a twin sister, and finally put it together...

Just wanted to say hello! It's unfortunate to hear that things hadn't worked out between you and your ex, but you're looking happy and healthy. Your kids all look adorable too, which I'm certain will always brighten your day. :)

In any case, best of success to you on your search! Take it easy.

--Isaac

PS: Tiff and Alan Saarsgard just became engaged. Their wedding is scheduled for this April. Small world, eh? :)

***

I dashed it off, and thought nothing of it. But the next morning I open my email and saw she wrote back. Her message was abrupt:

"motherfucker alan is my ex"

I felt it best I not write her back.




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