Jim “Suldog” Sullivan’s post today about being groped by a woman (and then later, by a drunk man), it reminded me of a “groping” anecdote of my own, one that interestingly didn’t make it into the Love-Idiot book.
I went rollerskating with some friends, in particular, a girl I knew, who was a close friend. (This was before I met Margaret.) By this time in my life, even though I still sucked at rollerskating, I could at least avoid falling over. I was gently rolling along, counterclockwise around the rink, when suddenly I felt someone grab my butt. Shocked, I looked back to see my friend chuckling. She had given my butt such a good squeeze, she even got her fingers… well…
Even though I was very surprised—and the two of us never were anything other than good friends—it also made me feel pretty good, ego-wise. I grinned back at her and took the joke for what it was.
(I wonder whether she remembers this, and what she thinks about it.)
Funny thing: When I told Margaret about this story, she seemed a little shocked. But I smile at this memory, in a “Ooh! Dirty!” Lorelai Gilmore way.
The biggest block of time in my software-development career I spent working in an extraordinary job, a very special place to work, with a very special group of people, for 14 years. Throughout the dot-com boom, I stayed there, ignoring the promises of exciting work and increased salary.
Because my book-ordering process was delayed on my true-life, autobiographical love story, Love through the Eyes of an Idiot, the shipping was delayed, and I will be getting the first shipment of books on Monday, July 20. And because of this, I’ve extended the pre-order discount on personally autographed copies until 12:00 midnight EDT, the night of Monday, July 20.
P.S. Many people I’ve shown this book to have raved over it, anxiously awaiting their own copies. I’m frankly running out of books in this first shipment, and the shipment hasn’t even arrived yet! Claim your copy now, before someone else does first.
P.P.S. Preview Love through the Eyes of an Idiot at Google Books, where I’ve made the entire text available online. But only click on the link if you’re okay with getting hooked. (Otherwise, you’d better go read something else, preferably something assigned to you in high-school, because your teacher thought it would be a learning experience.)
I met Margaret in February 1992 at a Bible study. We talked. She looked young for her age; she was a little older than I had originally thought, but I didn’t see how that mattered, because we were still part of the same generation, spoke the same language. She was studying to become a physical therapist, renting a room in a friend’s house, and putting herself through school by working at UPS. Moreover, she seemed completely and undeniably normal, no debilitating past, no extreme neediness, no spiritual crises, no psychological disorders, no indication of any desire to “just be friends.†And her hair was dark, and her eyes were blue-grey, and her nose was flecked with tiny freckles, and her name began with M and R, all things I loved in a woman.
It all started after I developed a crush on this girl, a little young for me, but her mother liked me and trusted me. We sat and talked sometimes. She was small, cute, with dark hair framing a small, pale face dotted with freckles. She had her problems, including an absentee father, as I recall, but mostly she was normal, though sometimes sad. Continue reading “My Worst Date Ever”
I love it when a new proof comes in the mail. Here’s the opening of the proof of Love through the Eyes of an Idiot.
Note that there are only 5 more days (through Wednesday, July 15) to pre-order an autographed copy at reviewer discount prices. After that, the price goes up. See the Love through the Eyes of an Idiot website for more details.
As soon as the book is available for sale, it will also show up on Amazon, BarnesAndNoble.com, and other sites. I’ve also submitted it to books.google.com, but I don’t know how long Google’s team will take to process the submission.
An open letter to Delilah Rene, the (now) nationally syndicated radio DJ
Dear Delilah,
Last night, I had some extra time before I had to pick up Margaret from work, so I took the kids on a tour of Dedham. (It was on the way.)
I passed the house where you used to live, where we once cooked homemade scrambled eggs and hash browns for breakfast, where Continue reading “Dear Delilah…”
