~Monday, March 11, 2013

Crash Into Me

The first time I met Abraham was in 1999. I had just graduated from high school and was working that summer as a lifeguard at a neighborhood pool. Abraham was a year out of college and living in the Florida panhandle. He drove his rickety 1988 Plymouth Horizon 270 miles North to attend the same concert as me. We were separated by 130,000 people.

The second, third, fourth and fifth times I met Abraham were at another handful of concerts of a local one-hit wonder. By that time we had both moved to the City. He was our favorite performer. We were separated by several hundred people.

The sixth time I met Abraham was in the summer of 2011. We were playing in the same kickball tournament, although our teams never played against each other. We we were separated by 100 people.

The seventh time I met Abraham was at a house-warming party of mutual friends. This time we were separated by 20 people.

Maybe that's how fate works. It starts with 130,000 people and narrows the circle of people until there are 2,000 and then 300 and then 90 and then 20 and then he's crashing into you during a kickball game.

Whenever our favorite artist is back in town—which isn't a frequent as he once was—we see him. At the last show he reunited with his original band on stage. I went crazy. I turned around breathlessly and looked at Abraham.

"Do you believe in fate?"

He shrugged.

"Because in this moment, I do."

Everything was so perfect and magical in that one moment. This band I had been seeing since 1998 was back together and on stage 14 years later. The people surrounding me had changed; the number had shrank until I got it right. I was now cheering with Abraham and his friends.

When was the earliest moment in time you and your significant other could be placed together?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know that Hubs and I ever met before we "met", however...

I was at a bar one night (underage) with some of his friends that I had recently met in college...and he walked in. As soon as I saw him, I whispered to my Best Friend that I was going to marry that guy.

Fast forward to our formal courtship and he invited me to meet one of his best friends who was going to a party that night. We picked his friend up and drove to someone's house an hour away. Turns out his friend had gone to camp with a bunch of girls a year ahead of me at Hebrew School. I knew more people at that party that Hubs.

Another year or so later, while still in college, Hubs and I went to a "hillel" dance. I recognized a girl I knew from a religious group from my home town. Turns out she and Hubs had been very dear friends through high school. [We still are very close with her and her family.}

Needless to say, I totally believe in fate. All of those things had to be strung together for us to be sure we were meant to be. It's like all the stars aligned.

I also believe that a higher power wanted us to be together. Hubs is the EXACT opposite of my father. Caring, warm, gentle, unconditional. All of those things my father talked about being, but never actually was.

Believe it in. Hold on to it.

Anonymous said...

Love this! I'm not sure when I actually met my now bf either but I've been able to identify previous meetings in prior relationships. Kinda wild. Kinda precious (even if they didn't last). I believe in fate. :)

DL White said...

This is CRAZY!!!

Krissie said...

I don't think we met previously at all, and I've actually said, because it's quite true that had we met earlier in life we would not have liked each other. He tends to be a rebellious pot-stirrer and I am a rule-following peacemaker, we've both mellowed and now balance each other beautifully, but I think before we both had a chance to live some life and mellow out of our two extremes, we would not have got along let alone been in a relationship together.

Carolyn said...

My husband and I were supposed to interview for the same job. About a half dozen people were set to interview for this summer internship program. The day before the interview, I found I had been accepted to a research program I had been dying to get across the country and cancelled my interview. My husband got the job. It's a good thing I didn't meet him, though, because at the time, I was dating someone else and who knows if my husband could have ever overcome being put in the "friend zone".

Bathwater said...

That is pretty incredible the way you put that all together.

pakb89 said...

Who.else thinks this blog has got.more infrequent and more boring since Abraham

Readyandfading said...

I love this post. I am such a believer in fate and all that jazz.....Before I met Crush, I would lay in bed wondering what my future husband was doing at that very moment.....now that I met him, I know that where as our paths didn't directly cross, we have so many similarities and unique coincidences that it was really meant to be!

mirgirl said...

I completely believe in fate when it comes to romance. My husband and I started dating in spring of 2007, but we first met in the fall of 2003. He was the roommate of a new law school friend (Finn) who decided to throw a party the first week of our first year. My story is that this kind of geeky guy introduced himself as the roommate and offered me chicken wings before I went to hang out with my friends. His story is that the heavens opened up and introduced him to this amazing girl (he still remembers what I was wearing) and then promptly introduced him to her very big and scary boyfriend. Turns out that, unbeknownst to me, my then boyfriend and now hubby fought with foam swords in the backyard. The boyfriend trounced the hubby so hubby took that as a sign to back off for now.

We met again in 2004 for a wedding and also in 2006 in a group for Dim Sum, but we were both with other people in 2004 and he did not know I was single in 2006.
Then in early 2007 Finn, the same friend, was giving me a hard time for being single. I said if he had such a problem with it he should set me up. I was surprised and a little panicked when I received a call from the now hubby asking me to sushi, but the rest is history. If you would have told me in 2003 that I would marry the chicken wings guy I would wonder what you were smoking. Good thing the universe got it right because I was clueless!

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I can't get past the graduating in 1999 - you were in elementary school when I first moved down here. I feel so old....but to answer your question - 2008 Charlie and I met at Ellen's house. She barely remembers it but I remember everything - her dog (who passed shoretly after that) the shirt she had on and necklace.

Carrie said...

My husband used to work for a lawn maintenance company on the other side of the state but they mowed 2 contracts in a bigger town near my home. (We met in South GA where we went to school...I'm from NEGA, he from NWGA). My dad sold parts for lawn mowers in his dealership and Hunter came in to buy parts there several times. Usually in the summer. Usually when I was working. Weird, huh?

But I can tell you exactly what he was wearing the day I met him. He still has the shirt and I sleep in it all the time. :)

Anonymous said...

1. What's with the delhi ads as the most recent comment (I really hope you don't get hacked!)

2. pakb89 is wrong.
3. you are an amazing writer, and I hope you do some writing publicly (with your name) so you can get all the credit you deserve! I am so in awe with your writing style, and your posting style. This story could have been told at any time but the way you allow stories to unfold is so wonderful! (and I realize I just said stories and this is your life, but it reads like stories). Just wanted to give you a little comment love and let you know how much I appreciate your blog. And thank you for sharing my comment last post, that was pretty cool too!

The Mad Inscriber said...

There was no time that we could have met before we did, which is a Good Thing, considering the ten year age difference!

Also, you have some cleaning to do; the bots have found you. (dumdumDUM)

 

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