I Saw Her Standing There

We didn't kiss at the end of our first date. We didn't kiss at the end of our second date, although by then anyone could have cut the tension between us with a knife.  It wasn't until the beginning of our third date that we finally sealed the deal. I sealed the deal.

Sawyer was happy to see Abbey again. His tail was wagging on overdrive as we pulled into a parking spot at Fort McArthur. When we got out of the car he bounded off toward Abbey and didn't care to look back to see if I was coming. I paused for a moment before joining the duo and looked at how happy Sawyer was. I noticed what felt more important to me was to see that Abbey was happy. When she smiled, I smiled. When she laughed, I laughed. When she wanted to tackle the challenges of the world, I wanted to be standing next to her. I locked my car and walked over to Sawyer who had managed to wiggle his way into her lap. Abbey stood up and without thinking I pulled her body close to mine.

“Hey, baby. What’s up?” Abbey asked? 

"I'd really like to kiss you right now." I said as I pulled her face close and felt her soft lips graze mine.

Sawyer started scratching at my leg before too long. I stepped back and watched with excitement and suspense as Abbey opened her eyes and gave me a look of passion and intensity I'd never forget. We may not have said "I love you" until a month later, but in that moment, I was absolutely certain I was falling for her.

I hooked Sawyer's leash to his collar and we all took off down the sandy path. I walked with Sawyer's leash in my left hand and Abbey's hand in my right. My heart still flutters when she grabs hold and tugs at my fingers. We received our share of dirty looks from strangers on the street, but we apologized to no one. It's hard to imagine a time when seeing a gay or lesbian couple holding hands as they walk down the street wasn't acceptable. It's even harder to believe how regressed society has become under the National Front. I think we take for granted things like gay marriage and visibility when the advocates before us had such a hard, uphill battle to fight. Seven years ago in this city people were still arguing over the definition of marriage. It feels like a lifetime ago when Proposition 8 reared it's ugly head, but it really wasn't.


 After President Obama's administration, Democrats were right to be scared the Republicans would gain control of the White House. With the everlasting war in the Middle East, threats of nuclear terror looming from North Korea and genocide in Africa,  I don't think anyone saw Centralist Sen. Rachel Turner coming out ahead in the elections. It took even more of the world by surprise when she and Vice President Tower were assassinated. 

Abbey and I kicked off our shoes as we got closer to the beach with the sand squishing between our toes. We didn't have a care in the world and it felt as if we were the last two people on the planet. We talked endlessly about music and movies, art, religion, traveling and anything else that came to mind. I could see our lives slowly merging into one. People often wonder if there is such thing as love at first sight. I used to think there couldn’t possibly be such a thing. The French call it “le flashe.” Luce from, Imagine Me and You, says it best and Abbey, since seeing the film, often times likes to quote her, much to my amusement. “I think you know immediately. As soon as your eyes... Then everything that happens from then on just proves that you have been right in that first moment. When you suddenly realize that you were incomplete and now you are whole...”