Do guitar teachers count?
Hello everyone! Being the major fan of may/december romance that I am, I've been reading this comm off and on for a while now. Now I have my own story to tell--sort of.
Gosh, where to start? I guess I'll start with a few random facts. 1.) I started working at a local Family Dollar store around Thanksgiving of this past year. 2.) I've been writing a story about a girl that falls in love with the older man next door. 3.) I just turned 20 this past December 28th. I'm not sure if that's relevant... 4.) I live on 26th St. That will be relevant.
I vaguely remember the first time I saw him. It wasn't too long after I started, but it was long enough that I'd started comparing customers to my mental image of the main character in my story, Jack. Needless to say he'd also fallen victim to this comparison, but his hair was curly and his composure was different and he walked with a limp. I remember thinking Jack was supposed to be kind of gruff, a hard-working loner type. And this guy rather seemed like a bum. ;x
But I definitely remember the first time I heard him. My head was down when he walked up and immediately my focus went to his items so I could scan them--I didn't look up once. It's customary for me to say, "hello! How are you?" when a customer comes up to my register and this was no exception. The next thing I heard was the most amazing, smooth, thick deep voice I think I've ever heard. My head just popped up. I don't even remember what he said, just his voice... ah man. I remember thinking, "god damn, just keep talking..." hahaha. I kept him talking right out the door. LOL
He'd come in a couple times after that, but I don't really remember him buying anything. He always nodded my way though, but I'm pretty sure it's because I was staring. ;x Well a few wednesdays ago it was really, really nice out and I was working daylight and he came in. He shopped around for a little while and came up with a few things and we chit chatted. I remember the conversation consisted something of me saying how nice it was out and he agreed; I said I was glad I got off early today, he asked when I get off and I said at 5; something he said alluded to him having plans at five and I asked what, he mentioned something about "doing a gig" at a library in Pittsburgh, which I said was awesome and asked what he plays, he said guitar; I said that too was awesome and asked, kind of playfully, "you don't do lessons do you?" and he said something to the degree of, "yeah actually I do!" and asked why I want to know; I said because I'm looking for lessons and he wrote his name and number on a piece of paper I spun out of the receipt printer. Thus it began.
I was so nervous to call that I kept putting it off and putting it off, and the more I thought about it the more I fantasised about it both at home and work. A few days passed, me telling myself every day "okay, I probably should call... but ______." This day my "but" was "but I have to go to work." So I walked around working thinking, "wouldn't it be awesome if he lived in Christy Park (the small neighborhood I live)... that would be so crazy, but I doubt that. He probably lives in Pittsburgh." and "That'd be nuts if he came in today," and was almost kind of looking for him. Next thing I know I'm up at the counter waiting on a long line of people and in he walks. During the time between him walking in and him coming back up to the front it seemed like my line wouldn't end, and I'm thinking, "Omigod he usually doesn't buy anything and I can't get through this line and I want to talk to him," so I'm rushing and all these people are coming up and I'm getting gradually more frustrated. LOL
Well turns out he did decide to buy something, a green area rug, and he finally came up and long story short, we smoothed out the details of me taking lessons from him. I asked where we we'd have to go for the lessons and he said either this music place that I don't remember or his home. I asked him where he lives and he said, "oh about a mile down the road, in Christy Park."
'OMIGOD!!!!'
"What street?"
"27th."
"TWENTY-SIXTH!"
"Oh wow, that's wild."
"Yeah I know!!"
etc...
So I had to call him that saturday to set up a time to take lessons with him Sunday. Unfortunately he had a concert to do Sunday and couldn't fit me in, so for the past couple days we've been calling back and forth trying to catch one another and couldn't until around 9:30 tonight. Had a brief conversation, he told me where on 27th he lives and I told him where I live and turns out we live almost right by each other. LOL. He asked if I live with my parents and I told him I live with my mom.
"Oh it's just the two of you, huh?"
"Yep?"
"Well where's your dad?" Pause. "If you don't mind me asking."
"Oh, well... no I don't mind. *laugh* I only met him on labor day the year before last."
"Oh, well that's... so how's the dollar store? They treatin' ya all right?"
"Yeah, I really like working there."
"Well that's good! Well, I'll see you this friday. Around 2?"
"Around 2."
"Okay, see you in a minute."
"Um, what was that? *laugh*"
"Oh uh, that's how I sign off all my calls, whether it's in a couple days or a week. In a minute."
"Oh... okay. *laughs* Well I'll see you friday."
"Yep! See you in a bit."
"Okay, bye bye."
So I guess I'll see what happens friday. I don't really want to get my hopes up for this person, I know I have a tendency to. I don't even know him. I know a lot of times I'll really like somebody until I get to know them, and they turn out to be completely different than what I thought. Or the dynamic of our relationship could change, he could wind up being more of a father figure than a romantic interest. Or he could be married or attached. Or gay. Or I could just not be his type, lord knows that's happened before. Haha. Gosh I hate this. >.<