You want to know about my life? You want to know every scrappy detail about it? You desire nothing more than to see every last bit and piece of my story, of my mind, of my heart, of myself?
What is wrong with you?
Fine. I’ll concede. I’ll give you the moments of my life that stick out in my mind right now.
On January 16, 1984, I was born in Long Beach, California–it was the rainest day of that year in the southern California area. My dad kept the newspaper delivered on that day. He did the same thing for my older sister, who is now 21 years old and married, and my younger brother, currently 15 years old and learning how to drive.
My best friend’s name was Jason Kacura and when you say his last name really fast, it sounds like a sneeze, pronounced “Kuh-chur-uh.” When I was six years old, I told him I was going marry him and he told me likewise. The last time I saw Jason was two years ago in May when I flew to my hometown for my cousin’s bridal shower. I had arrived to California in a state of sickness. I had a consistent fever between 102 and 104 degrees the entire time I was there. Despite how miserable my body felt, I went to Jason’s doorstep, unannounced and completely “out of the blue.” The look on his face when he saw me (the first time in six years) is permanently etched in my mind. Priceless. During the four days of my visit, I saw him at least once each day and usually several hours at a time. We went to see the Disney movie, “Dinosaur,” together, which neither of us found any more impressive than “Little Foot” and his reptillious companions. Among the things we did: went to the park and had a picnic, took long walks around my old neighborhood, and went to the beach. And although I was pitifully sick, I was desperate to go to the beach, not having been since I moved away in 1993. Jason never knew how sick I was, so when I proposed we go to see Seal Beach, he didn’t protest. When we arrived the weather turned strangely cold and grey clouds drew across a beautiful blue sky. The ocean lost its friendliness and was less than 50 degrees. We jumped in. Actually, I jumped in and when Jason didn’t, I pulled him in with me. That was a really fun time.
I graduated from high school last year on June 12th. That night I wore a really cute white skirt with a blue strappy-tank-top. It was was the first time Ryan had ever seen me dress in anything girlish or fancy. He had a crush on me for that one night. Good thing it didn’t last. He was really nice to me when we were hanging out, too. I was the only girl and treated me like one. He gave me his sweater to wear when I got cold and I thought that was a very gentlemanly thing to do.
