It all started...

15 years ago.  

Me and "the boys"  (Eric, Todd, Ron and Chris) headed south for New Years Eve 1996.  We were going to visit yet another guy friend in D.C., Mike . Yes, I was short on girlfriends but  I always felt well protected with these guys and we always had lots of laughs.  

We arrive around 11:00 am.  Things are slow moving.  We decide on a game of touch football.  Mike's girlfriend at the time,Kristen(now his wife), and her friends join us.

Apparently "touch" was not in Eric's vocabulary. More like a hard hit to my left shoulder.  Ouch!  I am out of the game and need to head back to the house to rest. Eric feels terrible and comes with me to make sure I am going to be all right.  A hot shower helps some.  I head to the couch.  No movement. Lots of pain.  

One shoulder is lower than the other. I'm out of balance and everyone convinces me to go to the emergency room. On New years Eve?   A complete nightmare.

Eric and Ron keep me company for the six hours we are there. Eric gets asked to leave. He is not being so polite. I begin to freak out in the exam room.  Can I really have spent the entire evening here doing absolutely nothing!!!!  

When all is said and done I have a separated shoulder and am given some pain meds.  We arrive back at Mike's at 11:45.  Everyone is asleep.  This is so unreal.  However, it doesn't take long before people are up and moving. The party gets going. 

Eric and I spend 2 hours deep in conversation.  It was easy. Safe. Normal. Confession time.  He has had a crush on me for several weeks.  And me, thinking we're just friends.  

He asks me out on a real date.  No gang. Just me, him and dinner.
Let's just have fun we said.  Nothing serious as I was moving for a job in a few weeks. 

Can't help the fact that I fell head over heals in love with him.  We're still friends- best friends- always and forever.


And, well, we're still having fun...... 




p.s. the shoulder healed nicely