His Name Is Double Yellow

I've said it before and I'll say it again...what makes life so great and interesting are the little surprises that are always around the corner...completely unplanned and absolutely unexpected. For all of the planning and preparing that we do in life, somehow it seems the most memorable moments, the best days, the unforgettable experiences, are the ones that just happen to us...completely unscripted...the ones we couldn't have orchestrated so perfectly even if we'd tried.
Sometimes, the wheels of those unforgettable moments are set in motion far in advance, completely unbeknownst to us. You might find yourself drunk in a bar among family and friends one night, intoxicatedly harrassing a virtual stranger...and years later, through twists and turns of fate that are perhaps being orchestrated by hands that do their work above and beyond us...that virtual stranger, who had through the course of time become only just a bit more than that to you, will unexpectedly drive hours upon hours only to walk through the door one night and completely take your breath away. For me, that night was December 31, 2009...undoubtedly my most memorable New Years to date.
When we first meet someone, we don't know who they will be to us, how they will effect us...we don't know what role they will play in our lives, what kind of connection we will make with them, or how they will touch our hearts.
His name is Double Yellow. I named him that the night I met him...about two years ago, I guess...I was drunk in a bar among family and friends and began intoxicatedly harrassing a virtual stranger. He was wearing a bright yellow long sleeve shirt under his softball uniform, so the name seemed appropriate...and he's been Double Yellow to me ever since. Somewhere between my nicknaming him and his subsequently telling me to "put the brakes on", we must have made a connection...I guess there was something there...an underlying attraction...or maybe it was all the beer he'd drank and all the wine I'd sucked down. In any case, the seed was planted. We were supposed to dance that night in the bar...but it never happened. We didn't have our dance until more than a year later...at my sister's wedding. It was fun, it was exciting, it was magical...it was Disney, after all...we exchanged numbers that weekend and began a...friendship, of sorts...the modern way...through texting and IMs throughout the summer. And then he left for the Army.
I thought about him, but we had no communication...apparently they frown upon calling, texting, IMing, Facebooking, etc. during Boot Camp. I went along with my life, as usual. When I knew he was home for Christmas, I texted him, asked if he'd be in Orlando for NYE, and invited him to a party at my sister's house...hoping he'd make it. He said he'd try, but made no promises. On the morning of the 31st he told me he wasn't going to make it after all, due to car issues. I wished him a happy and safe new year...and figured we'd text again...whenever we texted again. A few hours later...he texted again. Saying he was going to make it after all. I was so happy. Really excited to see him. At his request, I kept his attendance a secret...so all of his buddies, who were also at my sister's house, would get a big surprise. But the one who got the biggest surprise was me.
When I saw his shaved head and blue eyes walk through the door my heart skipped a beat from his handsome adorableness. I became nervous. Shy. Enamored. In awe. But this is Double Yellow! He looked gorgeous, and I was immediately in love...which is exactly how I fall in love- immediately, passionately, drastically and, usually, tragically. He had a lot of friends to greet and catch up with, but I didn't want to share him. I wanted him all to myself...to hug and kiss and love. I had no idea this was going to happen. Okay, maybe I had a slight inkling. But I didn't expect to feel the rush of...passion, lust, heat, desire that came upon me. When did we develop THIS dynamic? Was the feeling mutual? Of course it was mutual...did he really drive all that way to hang out with the boyz? Possibly. But I did look like a sexy bitch that night! Next thing I knew the clock was striking 12...he fed me a chocolate covered strawberry, we kissed. We kissed a lot, apparently. Some moments are fuzzy for me. He was a great kisser...almost as good as me. Time was moving too fast. I didn't want the night to end. I wanted to live in that moment forever.
With people passed out all over the house, there was no comfortable spot for us to sleep. Our only option was a twin size air mattress in the middle of the kitchen floor, with bodies strewn just yards away. But, with him beside me, I couldn't imagine anywhere else I would rather have been. Except maybe in a nice hotel room with a king size bed, jacuzzi tub and room service. Or in my apartment with my king size bed, small tub and take-out. But those weren't options at that moment. Sometimes you just have to make due. And make due we did. As we lay atop that twin blow up mattress on the cold tile of the kitchen floor, all I had to keep me warm was the comfort of being enveloped in Double Yellow's arms... and as the rain poured down outside and we snuggled closely, I suddenly realized that being there with him felt so much better than the highest thread count sheets money could ever buy.