Face Book Guy

This morning I got a "friend" request from a guy I knew in Jr High and High School. We were in lots of classes together,lived in the same general neighborhood, and got along well but he was never part of my "inner circle" of close friends. Nevertheless, I've thought of him through the years mostly because of an insight he sparked in me which I ignored for years--to my detriment.

One day in 8th grade, my school bus was pulling into the long drive that led from the main road to our school. Future Facebook Guy was at the corner, leaning against a telephone pole. I thought to my thirteen year old self: "You know--he's pretty cute and a really nice guy. Why have I never considered him "crush" material??" And in a flash I realized that I had ridiculous preconditions in my head where boys were concerned: They had to be super-intellectual, artistic/musical/poetic, with sophisticated senses of humor. I mistrusted serious athletes, thinking that anyone who would rather play football or run track than read great literature must be a loser. It occurred to me "Someone like Future Facebook Guy would probably be a lot better for me than Tortured Genius I'm Currently Agonizing Over."

But the bus pulled up to the school. The day began and I shook it off. For nearly two decades--though from time to time when my romantic life was going badly the image of Future Facebook Guy standing at the corner by our old school would drift through my mind.

Finally, years and years later I met and married a guy who, to hear him describe his youth, was a great deal like FFBG during his high school years.

Sometimes it takes us a long time to learn what we need to learn.