September 2009
I woke up on the morning of the 10th with a heavy heart and a few tears in my eyes. On this day last year, my girlfriend, Kiki, lost her courageous battle with leukemia. I took some time before getting out of bed to look at a photo of us, reread the last card that she had written me, and say a prayer for her and her family. I also reflected on how much I had learned about unconditional love from watching Kiki's husband sit by her bedside for 13 long and painful months.
The NFL season opener was taking place that night between the Steelers and the Titans. My friends and I didn't want Kiki's husband, a Titans fan, to be alone on the anniversary of her passing so we asked if he wanted to join us for the game. He had already made plans with his in-laws so I ended up buying a ticket to the DC Twestival.
(If you aren't familiar with Twestivals, they serve as a way to connect members of the Twitter community offline for a social event and fundraiser. All proceeds from DC's Twestival went to Miriam's Kitchen, a wonderful organization that also happens to be the first place I volunteered at when I moved to DC.)
I decided that I would go to the Twestival as City Girl, thereby choosing to out myself to people as a relationship and sex blogger for the first time. I thought I would build a little blog buzz, contribute money to a great cause, and make it home by the second half of the game. Little did I know as I showed up at Midtown Loft for the event that a date that brought me so much sorrow last year would bring me so much happiness this year!
When I arrived at the Twestival, I scanned the crowd in search of familiar faces. I saw a friend from law school and his girlfriend in one corner of the room. I saw a reporter I had befriended online near the DJ booth. And, then I saw him…Buckeyes Boy.
He was one of the Twestival organizers, and I had been following him on Twitter for the past couple of weeks. His online picture caught my eye because his smile could light up a room, but his headshot didn't do him justice!
Imagine 6'3", 245, with skin like café au lait and arms so big that I could only hope to get tickets to the gun show. (It was like I went into a lab and created the perfect guy for me, and *poof* there he was!) His pale pink shirt exuded confidence, but his smile and laugh revealed a friendly and genuine side.
Before I could head over and say hello to Buckeyes Boy, my friend from law school approached me. I caught up with him for a while and then met several new people. After about an hour on the one side of the lounge, I finally walked toward Buckeyes Boy.
"Hi," I said as I extended my hand to him, "I'm City Girl."
"Hi," he replied, "I'm Buckeyes Boy."
"I just wanted to congratulate you and the other organizers. It's great that this night is such a success and raised so much money for Miriam's Kitchen."
"Thanks," he responded. He smiled at me warmly, but I could tell from his expression that he was trying to place me.
"I have a blog, and we're Twitter friends, but I only have a picture of the back of my head on the site. I figured I would introduce you to the front of my head," I told him with a laugh.
His smile widened, as he registered who I was.
"I write about relationships and sex, but I'm also an attorney so I have to blog anonymously. Don't want to jeopardize my career," I explained, as I handed him a business card with my blog information on it.
We talked for a while about my blog, the Twestival and the football game (he's a Steelers fan) before he looked up and said,
"Your hair is beautiful! The way the light is shining on it…there's this glow around you. Did you just get it done?"
"Yeah, I did. Thanks," I replied, blushing.
I felt like I could spend the entire evening just talking to him, but a part of me thought that I should mingle a bit.
"Would you like to sit down?" Buckeyes Boy asked.
"I should probably go network a little more, but I'll be back," I informed him.
"I hope so."
I had started to walk away, but turned back to smile at him and say, "Oh, I'll be back. Definitely."