The Shrug

Good morning, my precious.

I think I'm going to pick up a book called "Atlas Shrugged". It's a modern (1950's) philosophical fiction based on society and the extinguishing of independent idea. I need a good book to read for the next couple weeks, so I might as well pick up something that is worthwhile.

I went to my aunt's playoff hockey game last night (she's in an amateur league, kickin' some ass). It was super fun. My aunt's team lost by one point, but for some reason I can actually watch them play and enjoy myself. It's probably because they don't needlessly beat each other up like "professional" hockey players. Afterwards I was frozen, so I asked my uncle if we could stop into Starbucks for a bit just to warm up and get something tasty, to which he agreed. Of course he did - who would turn down Starbucks?

Then, Fate dealt me an amazing card. I guess Fate owed me one. She has never given me such a high card before, but this... this was amazing. Something out of a television show or a dating movie.

I walk into the building, and who do you think I see? Let's all guess together now. The boy. He's sitting, back to me, laptop and books in front of him, working on his thesis. I stop dead in my tracks and think, fast. I ask my uncle to go order me something, I walk over to the table, and just stand there. He looks up. We chat for a little bit, inane chatter, but I make sure with my eyes and with the way I'm talking that he knows I am not a happy cookie. So I ask "SO, what happened to you last night?" and he says if he had called I would have bugged him to come out, or he would have caved and just came out anyway. I told him no, don't assume something like that, and he apologized. Exactly what I wanted. I deserved an explanation and an apology and, to my unbelievable surprise, received both in less than 24 hours from the party. Amazing. I told him to call me, went over with my uncle and cousin to drink my coffee, and tried not to think of it after.

It turns out I had ordered a cold drink because I was so flustered in seeing the boy. The cute Starbucks boy let me exchange it. Oh, my Starbucks boy.

Anyway, I went home, emailed him my number, and left it to him. To my second surprise of the day, he messaged me on MSN and we happily chatted for hours. When he went to bed, he said he'd call me later this week, so I let him go. When I went to bed hours later, I noticed my phone had this red light lit up. Of course, since I know nothing about my phone, I freak out, because red lights usually mean bad. He sent me a text message. My first text message ever on this phone says "Hey. Hugs. XO." That's so cute, I could seriously barf.

So, I may be setting myself up for my pain, but I see something in this guy that I haven't seen in a long time, so let's hope it shows itself, rather than his jerk qualities, yes?

--Jam Shrugged