Things are changing in the world, and fast. I’m still not sure what to call my Czech friend. For some reason I still stumble on the word “boyfriend.” I guess it’s been less than 2 months since I met him so there is no real rush to assign labels. I just find it hard to introduce him to people since they expect a relationship prefix - this is my “fill in the blank.” Apparently we look far more couple-y than I realized since several times in the past couple of weeks things have happened where people just assume we are together. Don’t get me wrong. I’m THRILLED that the world has changed so quickly and so dramatically that two men shopping for furniture together can be assumed to actually be TOGETHER. It has just been an odd experience for me. It’s been so long since I felt like I was part of a couple that I have a hard time reclassifying myself and can barely imagine why other people would think we’re a couple. Several times I’ve just been standing with him, not being gay or anything and total strangers have picked up on the fact that we are in a relationship of some sort and they almost always assume we’ve been together far longer than we have.
For example… I was at my “fill in the blank’s” house this weekend. He bought a house that needs a lot of cosmetic work done to it. The yard hasn’t really been touched in years and I offered to help him with since I don’t have a yard of my own and I need an outlet for my domestic tendencies. So, there we were in the front yard. He was chopping away at some dead hedges and I was raking leaves and the next door neighbor came over to introduce himself to me. Not to my “fill in the blank” who actually owns the house since he had already met him, but to me. He told me his name asked mine, asked where I worked and then told me about living in the neighborhood and apologized for the beat up truck parked in front of the house and assured me it wasn’t his. Somehow just by seeing the two of us doing yard work together he assumed we were together and that I would be moving in with him. I guess this isn’t SO far from the truth. We are together in some way and I will be spending quite a bit of time there and I suppose some day in the future if things go really well I might live in that house… but… I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that he simply saw two men doing yard work and instantly thought “hey, I have gay neighbors… Awesome!” and then marched over to say hello. It’s amazing. Not only that but the next day when I wasn’t even there the neighbors brought over two pieces of pie for us. How sweet is that?!
I feel exceptionally lucky to have met this guy and I’m so glad that I didn’t dismiss him since our first coffee didn’t go very well. We both have some baggage and we’re both kind of bad at dating so naturally it took some time to let our walls down. Don’t get me wrong… I still have walls but I’m working on them.
He does little things like open doors for me. And when he drops me off at my house he kisses me goodnight and then waits until I am safe inside before he drives off. Last night he bought me an ice cream cone. I had money and it was only $3 but it was really sweet of him. He just picks up on things that I like and dislike and then remembers and acts on them. It’s kind of amazing to me actually. Anyway, I’m blathering.
In addition to having a potentially great “fill in the blank.” We have also made a new friend. He he… “we.” I like “we.” A guy just moved here from Seattle via Boston. He’s going to be teaching in the fall but in the mean time he is just getting accustomed to life here. We’ve hung out with him a few times in the last week including a trip to the next town down for sushi last night. YUM!
I feel like I’m starting a new phase of my life. I’m not used to having the option to see someone I’m “seeing” at any given point. I’m not used to being treated like a prince. (Not to say that past boyfriends haven’t treated me well – it’s just been a while.) I’m not used to having mature “grown up” friends and having long conversations about the artistic merit of songs from the 80’s. Incidentally… Queen is compositionally brilliant. Seriously! I’m not used to having something to look forward to and feeling like I can finally allow myself to have roots. Anyway… this is all very new and sudden but great. It’s spring and I feel like I’m stepping into a new world.
No comments:
Post a Comment