Once upon a time, when Dr. Crazy really was 15 years old, she met her First Love. Her First Love was really darling in many ways, except for when there was that whole interlude in college when he cheated on her, but at any rate, Dr. Crazy and FL were not meant to be. That said, Dr. Crazy forced FL to stay friends with her, for he knew all of her things and he got all of the things about her childhood and things, and so since he was powerless to resist her (although he tried), they remain friends to this very day.
And so FL called her this evening, and knowing how Crazy loves the baseball, FL invited her to come to Chicago with him to see a game at Wrigley Field in a box seat this summer. How great is FL?
Of course, Dr. Crazy is no longer infatuated with FL. A lot has happened since 1990. And FL has a pseudo-girlfriend now, and Dr. Crazy knows that they will never be together because she knows that she wants things that FL will never have to give her. Still, talking to him tonight brought home to her ever more clearly the... amazingness (and yes, she knows that isn't a real word) of any infatuation. The thing about infatuation is that it is born of people being in sympathy with one another. It's not about having a crush, and it's not about being in love or anything like that - it's about an inexplicable "getting" of another person, even if that "getting" can only happen for a short while. It's something special, in itself, in whatever form it takes. And it has the potential to last, even if only as friendship and not as anything other than that, precisely because of that specialness.
All of that said, I admonished FL on the phone tonight that he'd have to consult with his pseudo-girlfriend about her feelings on this prospective trip before I'd agree to it. Jesus, he's just so dumb about girls. What girl in her right mind wouldn't have a care in the world about Dr. Crazy having 3 or 4 days in Chicago with her boyfriend? Especially if she knows all about Dr. Crazy and knows that Dr. Crazy is probably one of only two girls he's loved in his whole entire life? Again, he is so, so dumb.
12 years ago
10 comments:
Boys, generally, are quite dumb, as you well know. But your points about the exquisite and surprisingly un-fragile beauty of infatuation are well taken. And, at least you're not off to see the BoSox or the Yankees in your posh box seats.
Oh, I'll go anywhere for baseball. It's one of only two ways I know for a person to get around my natural sense of foreboding about boy-related travel. Not that FL is REALLY a boy anymore to me, but apparently the foreboding about travel related to him still persists as if he counted in that way.
That said, as he well knows, baseball is like the cryptonite of Crazy, and it makes her lose all of her senses. I'd probably even go to Tampa Bay if baseball was on the table.
You are the cutest professor I know (I know I don't know you know you, and that I only know you over the internet, but you know...).
And yes, on these things boys can be very, very dumb.
eesh, yes he is amazingly dumb. good for you making him check in with her before he makes a mess of things.
On opening day (of classes) I include the following in both my syllabus and my initial comments to the class: No one will be permitted to wear any item of clothing in class outwardly bearing the NY Yankee logo.
This is a non-negotiable rule.
Then I get all soft and warm as I (briefly) recall to them the best 4 day stretch of my life -- Oct. 17-21, 2004.
Go Sox!
Oh, he's going to make a mess of things in spite of my advice. As I said, he is my dear, dear friend, but those things he'd never be able to give me that mean there will be no "high school sweethearts reunite in love connection"? Yeah, those are things like piece of mind, affection, courtesy, etc. As a friend, he's all "let me whisk you away to Chicago" but as a boyfriend, this is a guy who will take his ex-girlfriend to Chicago without asking you, and he'd probably even try to sleep with her if he thought she'd be into it.
And Kate, you're so funny! We do feel like we know the people whose blogs we read - you're totally not alone in that :)
And SL, you know, that 4-day stretch? The only things in my life that top it were 4-day stretches in Ireland and Italy. Those really were the best four days ever to happen in regular life.
I agree with Kate...cutest professor ever.
Also, I sosososo love your discussion of infatuation. Yes! I think I have this right now. It summed it up perfectly.
"It's one of only two ways I know for a person to get around my natural sense of foreboding about boy-related travel."
What's the other?
What's the other? I don't think I'm telling you that. It's good to maintain at least a teensy sense of mystery, no?
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