Wednesday, February 27, 2008

The Long and Winding and Ridickerous Road

Ok you guys. I really have to wrap this story up. Because I am getting bored with this story and although you are being really nice to me about it and I appreciate that, I know you are too. You know how, in movies, there are montages that show scenes that are happening to denote the passage of time? I can almost promise you that this post will have a montage. Settle in, because I am pushing through this sucker, right now.

Last we talked, I had told you that I had the Best Time Evah with Nordic Boy, but then janky old ex-boyfriend Poop Nugget shows back up and I took him back like a stupid cud-chewing cow. Regurgitating my bad boyfriend right back up.

Yikes, that was really gross imagery there. Sorry about that.

The following day, I walked back into work, and Nordic Boy smiled at me. And I thought I was going to melt from happiness. And cry because of Poop Nugget. And pee my pants at having to be an ass to Nordic Boy. All the liquid feelings, they were upon me all at once.

Again with the grossness! Sorry 'bout that.

Nordic Boy and I had made a plan to have lunch together that day. I went up to him in the morning and told him about Poop Nugget. You know what he said?

Nordic Boy: Oh. Ok. I get it. Where do you want to eat lunch?

Here's where I have to explain something. And anyone who knows Nordic Boy but at all would back me up on this, because these qualities about him kind of smack you right in the face.
1. Nordic Boy is not possessive.
2. Nordic Boy is consistent.
3. Nordic Boy does not freak out.
4. Nordic Boy is unconditional.

Now, being the immature 19-year-old that I was, and being in a relationship with Poop Nugget who was very possessive, and very inconsistent, and freaked out lots, and was very conditional (I mean come on, don't assy cheaters have to have standards??), I SO DID NOT UNDERSTAND THIS.

I totally didn't get this reaction. It would be fair to say that I thought Nordic Boy was maybe hard of hearing. Although he did look kind of disappointed, he was not being sarcastic, or condescending, or mad, or embarrassed at being sort of dumped.

I thought he was just trying to save face. So we went to lunch, and had another great time, and at the end of that lunch, I gave him the old "I hope we can still be friends" line. And I was so sad, because I wished that we could really be friends, because I liked him so much. So much it kind of hurt me in my gut.

And you know what happened? He totally WAS still my friend. He did not let things get weird, at all. He still joked it up with me, he still gave me rides home, he still asked me to lunch, he still watched movies with me, he just...acted NORMAL.

Remember how I said that I wasn't used to maturity? I also was not used to people acting so friggin' normal. Who DOES that?

So, from that day forward, Nordic Boy was the best friend I ever had. We were the type of friends where we never got sick of each other, or mad at each other, and we always laughed our heads off together, and we saw each other every day, and we always secretly had a crush on each other that just about killed us but we didn't talk about it. It was the only thing in the world we didn't talk about. We hung out just the same, we did everything just the same. Just minus the smooching. But we were always, unbeknownst to each other, ALMOST smooching.

I remember there was this one time? We were watching a movie in my apartment and Poop Nugget called. The purpose of his call was to pick a fight with me all the way from another state. And I sat there and had this fight with him over the phone, while Nordic Boy sat there with the movie on "pause." And after I got off the phone, drying my pathetic eyes and trying to pull myself together, Nordic Boy had me doubled over in laughter within 5 minutes. Because no matter what, Nordic Boy can make me laugh. You know how, when you are watching a scary movie and the stupid girl in the movie is about to go into the serial killer's abandoned cabin because she is just that brain dead? And how you yell at the screen, going all "NO! Don't go in there! The hockey mask pyscho is behind that door! STOP!" That's a similar feeling that I get when I think about nights like the night Poop Nugget called to pick a fight with me with Nordic Boy right in the room. I look at my young self and I think about Nordic Boy and I go "NO! The guy you should be with! IS RIGHT THERE! HE'S RIGHT THERE!!! IDIOT! Don't you see him? GAWD you are dense."

But I didn't see it. Or actually, it would be more accurate to say that I did see it, but for some reason, for once in my life, my ballsiness had run out. I couldn't let myself go there. I can't explain this.

This is where you all get to psychoanalyze me about how I obviously didn't think I deserved a good dude and that I had self esteem issues and that I must have thought that I needed drama in my life and blah blah blah. Go ahead, you know you're thinking it.

Well, that sort of explains it in the Poop Nugget era. But that era didn't last for very long. We broke up soon after. And then I dated some other dudes along the way, and they weren't bad dudes. They were nice. But I don't know why I didn't jump on the Nordic Boy train (does that sound dirty? I didn't mean it dirty. Well, not entirely) earlier than I did. Maybe I thought that I would lose him as a friend. But that doesn't make sense either, because every time I was single, Nordic Boy and I would hook up. And then when we weren't hooked up, it still wasn't weird. Still best friends, like always.

And to be totally honest with you, I was always in love with Nordic Boy. Like, CONSCIOUSLY. I knew I was. What's more, I knew he felt the same way. I knew it! And I knew that he knew it! And he knew that I knew. I knew that too. BLAH! I don't know what the hell was going on.

(Here's where you can insert a time-passing type montage. Nordic Boy and I, having zany adventures, sit-com style. Theme song from "Friends" playing in the background...)

Are you guys still awake?

Ok, let's cut to the chase. I started dating this other guy. He was significant, in that our relationship lasted about a year. I don't have a handy nickname for him so we'll skip that. He was a good guy, really. Just completely clueless about who he was. (I know, I know, from this story so far, who am I to talk? But truly, over the time that had passed, I think I started to know who I was a lot more. Just trust me on that). And when that relationship ended, I was exhausted. Not just from him, but from my life in general. I had been a stuggling artist-type for a long ass time, and I was POOR. Like, sometimes I didn't have enough to eat poor. Add to that some other Super Serious Drama in other parts of my life, and I was THROUGH.

Through with what, you ask?

America.

That's right, people. I was so over everything, that I was all BUMP THAT NOIZE and I LEFT THE COUNTRY. For serious.

I was going back to the homeland in the South Pacific, to sit on some white sandy beaches and let my relatives stuff me with curry and coconut milk. Did I mention that I made this decision to leave literally overnight? One day I was living (by this time I was in Madison, WI) and working and having an apartment and things to do, and the next morning my bags were packed and I had closed out my meager bank account and I was OUT. Ileft the few possessions I had in my apartment and left with one suitcase.

I told Nordic Boy I was leaving. And I said that I didn't know if I was coming back. Like, ever. And as usual, Nordic Boy was (a) not possessive, and (b) consistent, and (c) did not freak out, and (d) unconditional.

Then I left. For months and months.

Months and months- kind of like this story, huh?

So I went back to Fiji, and I got some sun. With just family around me. No friends, no dudes, no job, no car, no tv. I didn't even have a phone to call anyone. I was completely unplugged.

Nordic Boy wrote me every week. And I wrote him back. And it would be true to say that I didn't miss anything about America (well maybe Cool Ranch Doritos) but I did miss him. And eventually, I wanted to come back.

So I said something like "hey you wanna be my dude or something?" and he said "GODDAMMIT YES, LADY" and that was that. I got on a plane, crossed an ocean and it was a done deal.

See why I never told the story before????

I'm out,
Librarian Girl

25 comments:

Becky said...

did he really say "GODDAMMIT YES, LADY"? because I now want to answer all questions like that. and I especially want a dude who will say that, with exasperation, to the non-denominational spritualist officiator of our private, no frills, but very beautiful beach wedding that we will surely have if we ever can actually meet, when she asks him the "do you take this woman" question in the ceremony.

unfinished-story said...

Lol becky - that would be awesome!

And that story I think is more "tiring" to live than to read about, cause at the end, the reader's like ah the world righted itself in the end, and elephants are back to being pink and purple. :)

Course you must feel like that, too :)

Barb said...

I loved that story. See nice guys do finish first sometimes! Thanks ~ and hug Nordic Boy ~ for me, for you, for all those "nice" people out there!

WDL said...

awwww.

now tell a dirty story.

xo,
WDL

Melinda said...

Sniff. Can you make the story longer?

Maven said...

This is a GREAT story. It's like, romcom good. Especially the part where you left the country!! One question: how old were you kids when you finally got together for reals?

Anonymous said...

I knew it the whole time. You don't get another chance with a man who will patiently explain who the electrician is if he wasn't like that the whole time. I too liked the part where you went to live in Fiji suddenly, because that's (a) not just something anyone can suddenly decide to do, and (b) a novel aspect the usual steps these type of stories take.

Then there's always that "why do girls always go for the jerks when they say they want a nice guy?" Nice guys like that get worried, but Nordic Boy doesn't worry. He doesn't even know how old he is. I really liked the whole story. Thanks.

Desperate Housewife said...

Oh my God! I teared up a teeny bit. What a sweet story!
It's hard to believe that a story with the term "poop nugget" could be so sweet, but there you go.

Anonymous said...

That was the bestest story in the whole world.

Rachel said...

Next time I want a boy to be my boyfriend I'm going to say, "So, you wanna be my dude or something?" because that's probably the best question I've ever heard.

Sorry Madison was the place where you decided you needed to vamoose out of the Merica. Was it during winter? If so, I completely understand.

The Kelly Green Rogue said...

you do realize this would totally make a great movie right? all the suspense and yelling at the screen - that's the dude for you! right there! hello! Whilst you parade a string of not-right-dudes across the screen, then sandy beaches, THEN happy ending! Call Hollywood seriously! You could get Matthew Mcconaughey to play Nordic Boy! I'd see it!

Unknown said...

Best getting together story evah.

Zinta said...

Thanks!!

Sauntering Soul said...

This is about a billion times better than my story....telling people I met Hot Brazilian on the internet.

a real librarian said...

Love it!!! Thanks for sharing your story!!

p.s. I'm with wdl - tell a dirty one next!

librarianista said...

AWW. That made me just get a little bit teary.

cadiz12 said...

excellent story, librarian girl.

on top of those rare qualities you enumerated, nordic boy must be some kind of special to get you to leave Fiji. it's a good thing you had the balls to ask.

Anonymous said...

I love this story. I'm so glad you came to your senses. I mean, WHO LIVES IN FIJI WHICH IS NOT AMERICA?

But seriously. Nordic Boy is the best of the best. And I imagine that a life in Fiji would have left your hunger for pop culture rather... unsated.

Hooray for love!

Leslie said...

Nordic Boy sounds like my husband! I love unconditional people who don't freak out.

Thanks for the awesome story. :)

Rachel said...

not to toilet-clog your blog or anything, but I just found a new blog today and it reminded me of you.

www.mermaidpark.com

Anonymous said...

Love that damn story. And you did have the biggest ballllzzzzz ever!

Chris Cactus said...

I don't know why you haven't told that before. Because it's an awesome story. Thanks for sharing it.

Anonymous said...

Most excellent love story!

Katie Kiekhaefer said...

I read all the stories at once (none of this delayed gratification for me, no sir!) and I agree with Melinda, I would have read 10 more entries about you and Nordic Boy. I've been feeling a bit down (a bit?) on relationships lately but you and Nordic Boy have restored my faith in humanity! :) Thanks for sharing your story.

Anonymous said...

I love this story so much! Love can be so freaky groovy when it works ... Even though it took years. And being poor. And going to library school. Such a smart Chica!