Topic 111 - When in your life did you know you were not alone?
I think I’ve been a loner most all my life. As kids, Pop pitted me and Stephen against each other, forcing us to be that way; as an adult, I’ve not been much different. I don’t have a lot of close friends, just a lot of people I know and that’s different. Funny, I used to tell myself that I liked it that way, even believed it for a while. Until he came along. Blair.
I always found opening up to people tough unless it was for work. Hell, I’d rather face a crazed drug lord than talk about my feelings, but lately…well. Let’s just say Sandburg manages to get me to do things that I never thought I’d do, at least not willingly. He’s so damn smart - it’s really kinda scary how dead on he is about things most of the time. Take Laura. I knew it was too easy, too breathtaking to be good and Blair tried to tell me but I didn’t listen - not at first at least. I let her in and pushed him away - told him to mind his own business instead of mine. Boy, I’d learned another lesson in the end and once they took her away; there was Blair again, all warm support and kindness.
I take a break from my musings and get myself another beer, taking an idle sip as I walk back to the balcony to check on dinner. I’m grilling steaks and if luck holds out, they’ll be done just before the game starts.
Looking back, I seek the source of the odd noise and realize it’s Sandburg’s humming as he makes the salad. Strange how he just fits. Fits in my kitchen, my house, my life. Strange to realize that your alone ended and you didn’t even notice it til it was done. Stranger still to realize how happy I am about it. Guess that’s just one more thing that Sandburg was right about.
Jim Ellison
The Sentinel
Word Count: 326
Episode 9: Attraction