One Year Later
Monday, May 28th, 2007 at 12:00 amIn January 2006, I met with this guy who I didn’t really hit if off with. It was awkward and my sixth sense/gut/intuition was saying, “Stay away!”. I try to listen to those feelings because they are right as it was with this case. He had just moved to Denver, had broken up with his boyfriend after their first three days here and was about to be thrown out on his ear. I pushed him from my mind.
Flash forward to a few months later. An extremely attractive guy started to come into the video store on a regular basis and we would chat, but never really do any of that over-the-top, obvious flirting almost as if — on my part — I knew already I didn’t have to charm him with my rapier wit. A few weeks into our weekly 5-minute talks about movies, he asked me if I had remembered back in January meeting someone. It all came rushing back. We hadn’t even recognized each other until then. I had a full-grown beard (I think) and he had lost 40 pounds.
This was the end of May. I asked him if he wanted to go out with me and my friends to see X-Men 3. Not only did he charm me, but my friends fell in love with him instantly. Cameron has this incredibly relaxed way of getting people comfortable around them. He can talk about anything. It’s a fun juxtaposition to my aiming and firing off jokes to make people laugh to attempt to make them comfortable. The other great things about him — and the reason why I think we’ve lasted so long — are his independence and his sarcasm. He gives back as much as I dish out plus he completely understands the need for alone time. The other thing I love about him is that he realizes that not every moment needs to be filled with words. Just being together is enough even if we are doing completely separate things.
Yes, exactly what I’ve been looking for in a boyfriend.
Flash back eleven years. I was at a birthday party of my then boyfriend, Bryce. I had recently moved back to Denver. One of the guests was a psychic. Now say what you want about them. Personally, I believe that if you believe strongly enough you can make any prophecy come true. She told me that I was an old-soul, that I have never been lucky in love in any of my past lives and that I wouldn’t meet someone who would want a mutual long-term thing for another 10 years and that I would meet them in an uncommon way — at school or at my job.
That was January 1996. Personally, I think I believed so strongly that she was right that I didn’t open myself up for 10 years. I created my own reality with her words. That’s in the past now.
Today is Cameron’s and my one-year anniversary. Happy Anniversary, Sweetie. Thank you for being around, for your patience at my multiple jobs to get by, for your support of my improv habit and for throwing my shit right back at me. But mostly, thanks for sitting through two hours of Famke Janssen standing around with the wind blowing around her looking like her customer designer was Stevie Nicks.
I love you, Cameron.
Listening to: “Wordy Rappinghood” - Tom Tom Club
May 28th, 2007 at 1:58 am
Happy Anniversary!
Way to go at getting a first chance, the second time around.
May 28th, 2007 at 6:14 am
What a sweet post…
Happy anniversary, Howard! I’m glad the 10 years is behind you and your life with Cameron is ahead of you. Enjoy.
May 28th, 2007 at 6:16 am
You had me at “One Year Later.”
May 28th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Ah, you ould romantic you.
May 28th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Aw!! Happy Anniversary you two. So glad you found each other - what a great post!
May 28th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Congratulations! You both deserve much happiness!
May 28th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Oh sweet. I didn’t miss it! Happy One-Year anniversary to you both.. and many, many more! You’re right, alone-time is so important. Wait, does that include doing the nasty by yourself!? ehehe! Oh sorry, inappropriate!
May 28th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
the only reason i went to the movies was because i thought it was stevie nicks. this past year has been a nice by-product …. thanks for everything. love you too, c.
May 28th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
I’ve re-read this story 5 times today. Gives the cynic in me hope that happy endings in Denver might be possible.
May 28th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Awww. Happy anniversary guys. You deserve each other. And I mean that. In a good way. The best way.
May 28th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Happy Anniversary, gentlemen. It couldn’t happen in a better, more romantic way, to two sweet guys… Best wishes for the future!
May 29th, 2007 at 1:09 am
A big congrats to you both! I’ve seen you both grow so much this last year. I’m very glad to have both of you in my life.
May 29th, 2007 at 7:43 am
This was just the pick-me-up I needed today. I wish you both every happiness and blessing. Here’s to the future as well as the past! x
May 29th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Happy Anny, guys! With my own psychic (or was that psychotic?) abilities, I predict many, many more.
May 29th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Congrats - you both deserve it.
May 29th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
Aww, Happy Anniversary!
To many more happy years together!
Lot’s of flashes in this post ;)
May 29th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
Sorry I’m late for this..but awwwww. Happy anniversary to you both. And thank YOU for bringing Cameron into my life too :) I love you both dearly.
May 30th, 2007 at 5:43 am
Congratulations! Your anniversary is in the same month as mine, mine being Cinco de Mayo. By borrowing another holiday for the date and a “date specific” one at that, I’m sure never to forget it!!!
May 30th, 2007 at 8:03 am
Congratulations! Long may it continue. Mr A and I celebrate our 1st anniversary on the 3rd, after spending the last 20 years or so living in the same places at the same time and hanging around the same places, and never meeting, we too finally got it together!
May 31st, 2007 at 2:54 am
@ Khlari@ I’m thinking of a movie title for you both… How about, ‘When Goths Collide’? :-)
May 31st, 2007 at 5:29 pm
I wish I could come up with something more imaginative that “congrats”. Especially since this is the 20th response. How about:
“You are so good looking”
Alright - congrats and may you have many more.