Soap Opera Sunday - College Five

To read this story from the beginning, start here. Then go here, here and here.

I was at the college fair with my children's theater group, trying to recruit enthusiastic freshmen to our unglamorous world of performing at children's hospitals and preschools. All we really wanted to recruit was another guy or two, it was very difficult for Lewis to do every guy's part and keep up with his engineering studies. Anyway, while chatting with the approximately twenty (female) freshmen who stopped by our table, I kept trying to watch John. He seemed to be manning a table.

Finally I dragged Lewis to get a drink with me so that we could walk past John's table. He gave me a big hug and told me that he was the new freshmen sailing coach. I congratulated him without asking why the heck he hadn't called me. I had my pride, if not any knowledge.

He called a few days later and we chatted. He talked about how busy he had been and how so many things were unsettled in his life. I pretended to be breezy and cool while secretly hoping he would say something about missing me or wanting to date again. But all that happened was he promised to call again.

He did a few weeks later. Again all was smiles and friendliness. . . . .and no dates. Meanwhile I had developed a thing for a guy in my creative writing class. Who also called - except when creative writing guy called, we talked for eight hours AND he asked me out on a date. Creative writing guy and I fell in love the way only college kids can - ignorantly and passionately. By the time John called to ask me out again (finally!), I was secretly engaged to creative writing guy. Or not so secretly - I blurted it out when John asked me out.

It was the last time I talked to John for six years.

I called him a few months after I separated from creative writing guy (who, honestly, wasn't that much of a writer).

Please check out the wonderful CanadianFlake for more soapy stories,  and check out founders Brillig and Kate.