Post by biggs on Jul 10, 2013 18:49:44 GMT -4
”It’s perfect! Just absolutely perfect!” Alice is just beaming as she shows off the Tardis bookshelf that I made for her for her birthday. She has the Tardis set up right next to her television. Alice already has it loaded up with books and knick-knacks, including her collection of Doctor Who porcelain dolls, one for each Doctor. ”Considering that all of these books and movies take me to different worlds to experience different stories, it feels just like a real Tardis, being able to go anywhere in time and space!”
”I’m glad that you like it, Alice. Again, I’m sorry that I couldn’t be here for your birthday. Had I known I would have been defeated in the first round, I would have skipped the pay per view to be here,” I say with a slight chuckle.
”No you wouldn’t. You love wrestling too much. But still, I understand. I’ve had to work on more friends’ birthdays than I would care to count. Still, it really is quite a lovely gift.”
”Well, it was either this or a gift card,” I joke.
”That wouldn’t have been nearly as fun. Or maybe, depends on where the gift card was for…”
”Burger King,” I respond, completely deadpan.
”That wouldn’t have gone over well, seeing as how I’m a vegetarian. Still, I guess the thought would have counted…”
”One would hope.”
”Still, it would take a lot of Burger King to equal this gift. If you don’t mind me asking, how the heck did you find it?”
”I didn’t find it anywhere. I built it myself. Well, Armando and Stan helped a little bit, but not too much.”
A look of surprise comes across her face. ”Wow….Wow. Nobody has ever made anything like this for me…”
She just stands there, in sort of a stunned silence. I really don’t know how to react. What is she thinking? Is she reading too much into things? Am I reading too much into things?
As I finally respond, I begin to speak matter-of-factly, avoiding eye contact out of nervousness, ”Well, I figured that since our friendship started based on Doctor Who, I figured that it would be prudent to give you a Doctor Who based gift. Also knowing how much you like to read, I figured something functional like a bookshelf would be smart.”
A smile comes across her face. ”You don’t need to explain yourself. It’s a great gift! I’m just surprised that somebody would take the time and effort to make me something like this.”
Suddenly, she embraces me, and holds on tight. I return the hug in kind. We just stand there, hugging one another for what at once seems like an eternity, but also a millisecond. She looks up into my eyes, and asks me a question, ”You love me, don’t you?”
”Who wouldn’t? You’re my friend, Alice, of course I love you.”
”No, not that kind of love. Something more.”
This is a conversation I’ve honestly been dreading. Between the constant teasing from Sr. Guapo and “Stunning” Stan, and the fact that Ellie left me less than a year ago, I know that I’m not ready for this conversation at all. Still, I cannot lie to Alice.
”Honestly?”
”Honestly.”
”Yes, I do…”
She interrupts me, ”Me too.”
”But…”
”There’s a but?” Alice breaks the hug at this point, and looks at me with a look that shows both puzzlement and sadness.
”But it’s just that after what I went through in my divorce, I don’t want to rush things. That’s how Ellie and I got into trouble, that’s how we ended up making a lot of rash decisions. We decided to get married on a whim, just thinking about how we could, rather than considering if we should.”
A look of clarity comes across her face, and although she does still appear to be a little saddened, she nods her head in agreement as she responds, ”I understand completely. Brian and I did the same thing. Still, it’s not like we just met at Sci-Fi Speed Dating. We’ve been friends for the better part of four months now. Who’s to say that we couldn’t give it a shot?”
”Don’t get me wrong, Alice, these last four months have been awesome. It’s been great getting to know you, becoming your friend, and watching Doctor Who together. I finally have a friend that understands my fandom of the show. And while I like you a lot, heck I love you, I don’t want to ruin our friendship by rushing headlong into a relationship that in my heart of hearts I know I’m not ready for. It wouldn’t be fair to me, it wouldn’t be fair to you. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a never, it’s just a not right now. I don’t want to make the same mistakes with you that I did with my ex-wife…”
”You just want to make brand new mistakes, don’t you? How can you give me a gift like that, tell me that you made it yourself, then tell me that you love me, but that you just want to be friends? What kind of signals do you think you’re sending?” There’s an obvious irritation in her voice, and in this case, I know it’s warranted. Even if it hasn’t been intentional, I guess I have been coming on pretty strong.
I try to lighten the mood by reciting the Man’s Prayer from the Red Green Show, ”I’m a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess!”
Big mistake! This only makes her more upset. ”Do you think this is a joke? I’m baring my soul to you, and all you can do is joke?”
”I’m sorry. It’s just that when I get nervous or upset, I use humor as a defense mechanism. It was wrong of me. I’m really sorry…”
By this point, I see tears beginning to well up in Alice’s eyes. I attempt to give her a hug to try and comfort her, but she just puts up her arm, holding me back. ”Could you please just leave. We’ll talk about this later, but right now, I just need you to please leave…”
My heart sinks, as does my head. I stare down at my feet as I shuffle to the front door. In my head, I imagine the Charlie Brown music playing, just like on “Arrested Development.” ”I’m really sorry.” is all that I can say as I head out the door. Man, I’ve really messed things up this time….
(OOC: Just having one of those off weeks. Maybe I'm too stressed about my upcoming vacation, but I do apologize for a lackluster product...)
”I’m glad that you like it, Alice. Again, I’m sorry that I couldn’t be here for your birthday. Had I known I would have been defeated in the first round, I would have skipped the pay per view to be here,” I say with a slight chuckle.
”No you wouldn’t. You love wrestling too much. But still, I understand. I’ve had to work on more friends’ birthdays than I would care to count. Still, it really is quite a lovely gift.”
”Well, it was either this or a gift card,” I joke.
”That wouldn’t have been nearly as fun. Or maybe, depends on where the gift card was for…”
”Burger King,” I respond, completely deadpan.
”That wouldn’t have gone over well, seeing as how I’m a vegetarian. Still, I guess the thought would have counted…”
”One would hope.”
”Still, it would take a lot of Burger King to equal this gift. If you don’t mind me asking, how the heck did you find it?”
”I didn’t find it anywhere. I built it myself. Well, Armando and Stan helped a little bit, but not too much.”
A look of surprise comes across her face. ”Wow….Wow. Nobody has ever made anything like this for me…”
She just stands there, in sort of a stunned silence. I really don’t know how to react. What is she thinking? Is she reading too much into things? Am I reading too much into things?
As I finally respond, I begin to speak matter-of-factly, avoiding eye contact out of nervousness, ”Well, I figured that since our friendship started based on Doctor Who, I figured that it would be prudent to give you a Doctor Who based gift. Also knowing how much you like to read, I figured something functional like a bookshelf would be smart.”
A smile comes across her face. ”You don’t need to explain yourself. It’s a great gift! I’m just surprised that somebody would take the time and effort to make me something like this.”
Suddenly, she embraces me, and holds on tight. I return the hug in kind. We just stand there, hugging one another for what at once seems like an eternity, but also a millisecond. She looks up into my eyes, and asks me a question, ”You love me, don’t you?”
”Who wouldn’t? You’re my friend, Alice, of course I love you.”
”No, not that kind of love. Something more.”
This is a conversation I’ve honestly been dreading. Between the constant teasing from Sr. Guapo and “Stunning” Stan, and the fact that Ellie left me less than a year ago, I know that I’m not ready for this conversation at all. Still, I cannot lie to Alice.
”Honestly?”
”Honestly.”
”Yes, I do…”
She interrupts me, ”Me too.”
”But…”
”There’s a but?” Alice breaks the hug at this point, and looks at me with a look that shows both puzzlement and sadness.
”But it’s just that after what I went through in my divorce, I don’t want to rush things. That’s how Ellie and I got into trouble, that’s how we ended up making a lot of rash decisions. We decided to get married on a whim, just thinking about how we could, rather than considering if we should.”
A look of clarity comes across her face, and although she does still appear to be a little saddened, she nods her head in agreement as she responds, ”I understand completely. Brian and I did the same thing. Still, it’s not like we just met at Sci-Fi Speed Dating. We’ve been friends for the better part of four months now. Who’s to say that we couldn’t give it a shot?”
”Don’t get me wrong, Alice, these last four months have been awesome. It’s been great getting to know you, becoming your friend, and watching Doctor Who together. I finally have a friend that understands my fandom of the show. And while I like you a lot, heck I love you, I don’t want to ruin our friendship by rushing headlong into a relationship that in my heart of hearts I know I’m not ready for. It wouldn’t be fair to me, it wouldn’t be fair to you. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a never, it’s just a not right now. I don’t want to make the same mistakes with you that I did with my ex-wife…”
”You just want to make brand new mistakes, don’t you? How can you give me a gift like that, tell me that you made it yourself, then tell me that you love me, but that you just want to be friends? What kind of signals do you think you’re sending?” There’s an obvious irritation in her voice, and in this case, I know it’s warranted. Even if it hasn’t been intentional, I guess I have been coming on pretty strong.
I try to lighten the mood by reciting the Man’s Prayer from the Red Green Show, ”I’m a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess!”
Big mistake! This only makes her more upset. ”Do you think this is a joke? I’m baring my soul to you, and all you can do is joke?”
”I’m sorry. It’s just that when I get nervous or upset, I use humor as a defense mechanism. It was wrong of me. I’m really sorry…”
By this point, I see tears beginning to well up in Alice’s eyes. I attempt to give her a hug to try and comfort her, but she just puts up her arm, holding me back. ”Could you please just leave. We’ll talk about this later, but right now, I just need you to please leave…”
My heart sinks, as does my head. I stare down at my feet as I shuffle to the front door. In my head, I imagine the Charlie Brown music playing, just like on “Arrested Development.” ”I’m really sorry.” is all that I can say as I head out the door. Man, I’ve really messed things up this time….
***
”Michael Jennings, I’m going to get right to business this week, dispensing of all the normal formalities and such, because quite frankly, I’m in a bad mood. It’s not over the fact that I flamed out in the first round of Test for the Best. Heck, it’s not over the fact that I have to face you this week. Truth be told, ever since you showed up in APW, I’ve been wanting to fight you.”
“The bottom line is that I messed up in my personal life, and so now, it’s going to affect my professional life.”
“That’s not to say that I’m going to be all mopey or depressed. It certainly doesn’t mean that I’m going to just roll over for you tomorrow night. On the contrary, I’m going to focus all of my frustration, all of my rage, into beating the ever loving snot out of you! There’s not much else I have to say other than I’m ready for a fight, I’m ready to just trade blows. I rightly don’t care who wins or loses, I just want to fight! See you in the ring tomorrow night…”
”Michael Jennings, I’m going to get right to business this week, dispensing of all the normal formalities and such, because quite frankly, I’m in a bad mood. It’s not over the fact that I flamed out in the first round of Test for the Best. Heck, it’s not over the fact that I have to face you this week. Truth be told, ever since you showed up in APW, I’ve been wanting to fight you.”
“The bottom line is that I messed up in my personal life, and so now, it’s going to affect my professional life.”
“That’s not to say that I’m going to be all mopey or depressed. It certainly doesn’t mean that I’m going to just roll over for you tomorrow night. On the contrary, I’m going to focus all of my frustration, all of my rage, into beating the ever loving snot out of you! There’s not much else I have to say other than I’m ready for a fight, I’m ready to just trade blows. I rightly don’t care who wins or loses, I just want to fight! See you in the ring tomorrow night…”
(OOC: Just having one of those off weeks. Maybe I'm too stressed about my upcoming vacation, but I do apologize for a lackluster product...)
