We hung out in high school. We met in Psychology class and bonded. Neither of us fit in with the majority of the kids in our community. We spent a lot of time talking, laughing, just being friends. He was cute and I had a crush on him, but I didn't let on. I saw how he flirted with some of the girls in our group and he treated me differently. We were just buddies. He was two years older than me and he graduated and left town and life went on.

I thought about him three weeks ago and did the very 21st century thing of Facebooking him. I couldn't find him and I went right back to being buried in taxes and accounting and school. I came up for air last Sunday and checked a little used email account that is attached to Classmates. I was informed that someone had "signed my guestbook" and I went to see who it was....It was Jeff! What a coincidence and he had been on my Classmates page the same week I looked for him on FB. So I dropped him a line and told him how great it was to see him on Classmates and I would love to hear from him. I gave him my email address and figured one day he would contact me. Yep, in ONE day he did. So a volley of emails revealed we live about 15 minutes from each other and that yes, he was interested in meeting for a drink.

He called me the next day and we played a quick game of catch up. Him: divorced twice, two kids, writer, musician, handyman to support the first two habits, taught in Kenya for a year, still smart, funny, snarky. Me: divorced once, run own business, and yes--single. He wanted to meet up that night, but I had plans already. We decided we would meet the next day, but I would call when I was done and perhaps we would meet up afterall.

I was out with a couple of friends that evening and was relaying the story. My friend Shay declared that he must have been crushing on me back in high school that he answered so quickly. I pffft'd that idea. As I was telling her about him now, she stopped me and asked me his last name. I told her and she declared, "O M G! I know him!" She informed me he was still sweet, funny, one of the nicest guys every. She and Sid also said I needed to not be quick to meet up with him cause he was very interested in me and I needed to make him wait. Again, I was like pfffft.

We end up at my favorite place--Metro! and I text Jeff to let him know I wouldn't be able to meet with him because I was still out with my friends and we were having a drink. He hinted he wanted to join and after consulting the Date Advisory Board I was with, I issued the green light (Shay was giggling at the thought of him seeing both of us together). He didn't respond to text/invite, so 10 minutes later I text again and ask if he is coming...his response was "I am there." He walked in the door and made a beeline to me. A few minutes before he got there, the Date Advisory Board once again declared he had been crushing on me in high school and even if he hadn't (doubtful they declared) he would definitely be crushing on me before he left the bar that night. Shay decided we needed a bet was on that very subject.

After Jeff and I hugged, he sat down and almost immediately told me he had a crush on me in high school. He asked, "didn't you ever wonder why I was always hanging around your work?" I shrugged and pointed out that we were buddies. I laughed and told him that I had a crush on him too. He told me he had found me so fascinating in school, but that I had been a very young (and naive) 16 year old. Since he was 18, he said he just couldn't decide what to do about me and then he went off to college and the situation took care of itself. We had a drink, caught up some more and Shay sat to my right smirking and sending me text messages about how she and Sid won the bet on both counts. One funny thing that came out of true confession time: he had given me a party invitation with a hand drawn map to his house. I was telling him I still had the invite. He told me, "yeah, um, Sassy, about that party...no one showed up...you were the only one invited."

We finally called it and Sid & Shay left us alone a few minutes while they got the car. Jeff turned around as we walked out and said, "You know, I always thought your eyes were brown. I have carried the image of you with brown hair, brown eyes and very red lipstick. I see I was mistaken about your eyes...they are green." I explained to him that my eyes change colors and that they are brown on occasion, and green...and blue. He walked me to the car and we agreed we would see each other the following day.

I was home, ensconced on my couch a half hour later when Jeff text me to ask what I was up to. We text a couple of times and then he called me. We were on the phone for about an hour when he asked if he could come over to finish our discussion in person. I looked at the time and decided by the time he got there it was going to be way too late for me. Then he informed that he was in my parking lot and he would go home if that is what I wanted. I let him come up.

We talked for a long time and then he looked me in the eyes and asked if we could "make out." I fell out in laughter and asked if he was trying to relive our teen moments. He said he was there to be with the woman, not the girl. We had been kissing for a while, when he pulled back and looked into my eyes and declared, "I can't believe this, but your eyes are blue...what does that mean?" I smirked and said that it meant I was very very happy. He decided he really liked the fact that I have "mood ring" eyes and that he can tell what I am feeling by the color of them. He also told me that he was even more fascinated with the woman I had become and that I was very very sexy. He could barely keep his hands or lips off me so I think he meant it ;-)

Mr. Jeff has text and called since that night. We postponed our date the following day because I had the big meeting with the movie producer to concentrate on and I only got a couple hours sleep because of him. We have a date on Saturday night to watch a movie with his kids.

Isn't that just like ooey gooey sweet? It has left me with a goofy smile and bounce in my step. It is just delightful to reconnect with him and find out the crush was mutual all those years ago!

Labels: Classmates, crushes, Facebook, Sweet