Part 7 (1/2)
Recognizing the large nuh theentleht to myself”That settles uy o yearsthat he was previously involved in a few long-term relationshi+ps, so the prior relationshi+ps concern was also satisfied After divulging his non farther, I determined that Tom's response was creatively personal, like no other that I had ever received before
Subj: WOW-What a Profile Date: 11/02/2003 10:00:40 PM Eastern Daylight Tiel Hi, Your usernaht s are your best feature, but I couldn't get a clear view in the photos, so I wanted to tell you that you have a beautiful face with incredible blue eyes
I read your profile WOW, you sound like an absolutely a woman with an incredible appetite for travel and culture There isn't anything on the list that I wouldn't enjoy doingthe first 11 years of rained in an traveling extensively through Europe Now Ia new corner of the continent I've been to so Zermatt, Venice, Pisa (one of your photos), and Tuscany
In fact this past summer, I rented a convertible and toured the wine country of Umbria and Tuscany for a week and then went to the Island of Sardinia for a week long biking trip with some close friends and fareat relationshi+p with my immediate family and all of my relatives I see my father, who lives 10 h et out there twice a year In fact I'll be there over Thanksgiving
What type of photography do you do? I alanted to get into soe, but never took the tiital caood eye for coround I earned a Bachelors in Architecture fronificance of your username? Are you or your relatives from Scandinavia? I would love to hear back fro to several exotic locales that I had listed in my ad, I sensed a connection That took care ofhis fondness for his family, I sensed his paternal instinct loud and clear Toeton the cake, I thought to myself as I downloaded his photo attach half of the available shots, that half was enough Although on the thin side, he was not only trim, but also fit His attractiveness enthralled otaardly or rigidly like most men did in their online photos That did it! That satisfied number three Noat his photos and rereading his eood way
I noticed that Tom had sent the e-mail days before Since I ay for the weekend and did not have Internet access, I hadn't responded earlier Ihi out my phone number was always a nono, Iin this keeper
With a co a good night's rest and anticipating the eek along with his call In an effort to defray any unnecessary late chitchat with my friend Charlene, I shut)
As fate would have it, I slept like a log Eight hours went by like eight minutes I can't remember the last time I slept that soundly! Normally I am up at least one or two times for a variety of reasons Since the sun hadn't come up yet (because November in New York is the second darkest s time), I triple-checked my clock radio toBefore I knew it, I was inan old Police song, ”Message in a Bottle” Over and over again I sang the words, ”Sending out an SOS” By the third tih the tunnel, the cell screen displayed ”No Service” ”daht to myself”Who the hell could that be at this early hour in the ht phone call, and it's the evil twin-the early ed on the Long Island City side of the tunnel, I calmed myself and becaht mind would call me at this time of the day, or would he?
I nervously attached s in the event that the caller would try again Before Sting could get the second chorus of ”Roxanne” out, the phone rang ”It's hily But it wasn't It was justto infor if I could help the sub find her eency plans
”No problem,” I answered ”Do you have bus duty today? In that case, I'll call you at 3:30 Feel better,” I added
”Phew,” I thought to myself ”Thank God, it wasn't Tom I don't knohat I would have done if it were”
The day went by without a hitch Charlene's succinct plans were in the top drawer of her desk, where she feared they weren't The sub needed no assistance Just as well, I thought to ht, where on earth did they dig up this old fossil? She had to be at least eighty-two years old! Just like the night's sleep, the day went smoothly I was in the car headed home when I turned on es! I, at first I couldn't identify the voice, but then he said his name was Tom He asked me to call him back on his cell or his work nuot home to make the call To this day I even re him before he left work
The conversation ell and we spoke for over an hour I know that I reco the first phone conversation short; however, in this case I made an exception because our conversation felt so natural I used the opportunity to learn more about Tom For instance, he lived on his own and was a ho at home with their parents I also found out that To, Gerht accent He was certainly scoring points in my book! As we chatted, as crazy as this sounds, I couldn't think of anything other than the possibility of hi my future husband I know I have said this before, but this time I actually felt it As we spoke, I looked at his picture, and I could sense an i everything fro Tuesday
Due to some poorly prepared Indian cuisine that I had insisted on having the night before, I awoke to terrible sto to have to cancel what ht be the most important date in the last six years” I called Tom from work to ask for a rain check I sensed some disappointment in his voice To provide so, I told him that we could talk on the phone after he left work With a little help from some antacids, I endured a full day at school What a difference a day makes The day before couldn't have runday wasworse than little children buzzing around my desk when I had the ever-present fear of diarrhea, and to ned a teacher's assistant to relievethat the trip back to the city would be too precarious, I called ht I pro as a toilet was nearby They agreed, as long as I stayed in the upstairs bedroom
As luck would have it, To three ti better than the last tiain, our conversation just flowed naturally After the battery in my cell phone died, I switched to my parents' home phone I didn't realize how late it was until my mother picked up the phone to make a call and rudely interrupted me with ”Trish, are you still on the phone? Reet some sleep to let your body recover” I was quite eized to Tom He told me not to worry and that it eet that reed toSaturday
Saturday came and he called to infor I broke out in a cold sweat from nerves as Iand caught a gli next to his car with flowers in hand He was even more handsoreeting each other, he handed me the flowers As he opened the door, I sensed ht to ood manners,” while I thanked him and told him that I had to run back up to ht, ”This could buy me so an involuntary odd dance, Ralph smiled at me and said, ”Trish, does this one have potential?”
”Like no one else, Ralph,” I exclaimed as I pressed the elevator button to uy has some class!” Ralph proclai behind me, I loudly blurted, ”I think we have found the one Ralph!” Once in ht be going on es one's life forever I thought Immediately I felt the onset of an anxiety attack It didn'tit made me panic-stricken Apparently, I had spent the last six years in an unreal world This adult dose of reality drove me to fear
”Are you nervous?” I asked as I entered Tom's car
”Of course, aren't you?” he said
”Yes, so am I,” I answered
What was I afraid of? What was he nervous about? What rong with us? We both laughed and immediately were at ease Miraculously, by New York City standards, we ht in front of the restaurant After several lines of le here or there, we si It was at that point we realized we had to step up to the plate No ame was on!
After ere seated, our conversation flowed so well that we sent the waiter away three tiuess that sehter did the trick This situation called for concentration Although ere hungry, food was not the main objective that afternoon It took us thirty minutes before we ever even opened the menu, and, due to our mutual attraction, to this day neither one of us can remember e ate
”I can't remember the last time I was this comfortable with so carefully before I answered and probably taking tooso long It was just the touch of his hand that guaranteed me the sincerity and kindness that I had never experienced before I finally felt at home, exactly where I was supposed to be Ironically a tear appeared on my left cheek I say ironic because it was he that discovered it, not I
”What's wrong? A too fast? Take as much time as you need,” he concluded
I was lip-locked I couldn't speak if I had to A knot appeared in h my veil of tears just to see a horrified To to have a stroke
”Please, Trisha, say soo away or even shut up!”
It was at this an to lose my self-security I don't remember if I excused myself or not, but I bolted to the ladies' rooer, I locked u: ”What the hell is thelike this? This feeling is exactly what you've wanted to feel all your life You'll be da where you left hiet off this toilet”
It was at that time I heard the door open and saw the appearance of two black sneakers
”Excuse me, Miss, your date wants to know if you're OK” an apparent waitress inquired
”Thank you so ot cold feet and I don't knohy,” I blurted
”It's OK, happens to best of us”
As she led me out of the bathrooht Although I was looking at myself in the mirror, Elvira the va back at me
”You have some?” she asked as she pointed to her own eye makeup It was at that point I felt most comfortable, but looked horrible I deood luck and asked if there was anything she could do for me I was so choked with eood-bye Her warood place in more ways than one I rapidly repaired with Revlon and exited the restroom
As fate would have it, Dean Martin's ”A a couple of waiters and at least one cook to stare I couldn't help but recall , which was vulgar, yet hysterical I couldn't stop laughing all the way to the table
The look on To all right? We can leave,” he said
”No, I just needed a moment I was overwhelmed with the level of comfort that you offered I know it sounds like a cliche, but I feel like ere meant to row silent Suddenly I returned the favor and without hesitation I reached over and grabbed his hand Seconds later Tom leaned over and kissed my cheek as he whispered in my ear, ”Thank God, you feel the saates He talked incessantly for a least fortyfrom modern architecture, to Munich, Germany, to the New York Mets, to pistachio ice crea stories He confided in me about his last relationshi+p and how it felt e not for someone he could live with, but for soh I nor the date after a brief encounter, I followedbecause we had already spent countless hours on the phone, and he see every test All oftravel stories, alked a few blocks and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon strolling through Central Park He asked if I had ever taken one of the buggy rides at Christmastime I sensed soet through Thanksgiving first I lied and said no and asked had he
”No, I alanted to go with soh connection with anyone,” Toree These roht person,” I remarked
”Do you have plans for December?” Tonant pause After a few seconds I said, ”With you, of course”