Monday, September 7, 2009

All Tied Up

In order to finish the Chris W Labor Day Marathon I'll have to skip over some pretty significant events in my life, but fast forward to 1991. I was 27 years old, divorced from David, looking good and feeling good about myself for the first time in a long time.

Our ten year high school reunion had just passed, and while Chris did not attend I had managed to get his phone number. One day I decided to call him. Neither of us was dating anyone at the time and we decided to meet so we could catch up.

After my divorce I had moved back in with my parents so it was decided I would meet him at his apartment. I must admit I was a nervous wreck when I got out of the car. I walked in the building, up the stairs, and down the hallway. Just as I knocked, the door flew open and there he was. After all these years and all the questions I was once again face to face with Chris W. We stood there for a brief second looking at each other and then we hugged for awhile.

Chris looked fantastic. He was in the best shape of his life. His hair was short and had some grey in it. His blue eyes and his grin were the same. He'd had an excellent education during his four years in the Marines and had travelled the world. He'd had a long time girlfriend but never married or had children. He had a good job travelling about repairing high tech machinery. He told me how there was no way he could tell his mother we were together because after all these years she still had the senior class picture we'd had made together sitting in the living room. He laughed and said that every girl he'd ever dated hated me because of that.

It was wonderful but strange to interact with Chris in this way. We were no longer kids in my parents' basement, we were adults with jobs, responsibilities, and life experience. I had just bought a small house and was preparing to move. Chris came over that weekend and helped move me in. I couldn't help but wonder if fate had finally brought us together. I couldn't help but wonder what might happen. Suddenly we were talking again and dating again. It was just like old times, only BETTER!

Then, just like the flick of a switch he seemed to vanish. He stopped calling. He wouldn't return my calls. If he did answer the phone he'd say he was in the middle of something and would call me back...but he didn't. After a week or so of this I called one day and he answered. He said he had to go and he would call me back. I said "NO". I told him to tell me what was going on. He told me that the moment he saw me get out of the car, everything he ever felt for me came back. He said he couldn't risk being hurt by me again and he knew that with me being recently divorced that was a strong possibility.

A few weeks later I saw him at an outdoor concert. We were talking for a moment and I could tell he was very uneasy. A girl in a black leather jacket appeared from the ladies' room and walked up as we were talking. Something told me it may have been the aforementioned long time girlfriend who had been out of the picture for awhile. I said goodbye and walked away, and just like that Chris W was out of my life again. This time by his doing.

Awhile back I saw an aging Malcolm and Angus Young from AC/DC on a show explaining how the band's name came from something their sister Margaret saw on the back of an appliance. According to Angus Young, "It had something to do with electricity, so it seemed to fit". It didn't stand for "Anti Christ/Devil Child" after all. Funny that when you get to know the facts about something or someone, things aren't always as they seem. Misunderstood.....just like Chris W.

I've learned a lot about myself by writing this series. I've had some tears, some smiles, and just like when I wrote about Mike Brown, a little bit of an awakening about why these old memories might mean so much today.

While I've not seen him anymore, I've heard reports that Chris W lives in a nice house right down the road from me. Still gainfully employed and never married. The score is 1-1. I guess we're even now.

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