Thursday, February 14, 2008

My Favorite Valentines Day...

Some will say... I'm bitter. Some will say... I'm wise. Either way, it doesn't change the fact I don't like Valentines Day. I'm not a big fan of forced affection, or tokens of love that are done out of obligation. And in Jr. High, and High School Valentines day was awful... a reminder of the fact that I was the object of no-ones affection.

Mr. Man has gotten me flowers the last three Valentines Days more because he knows it annoys me, and I think he finds that funny. Or it might be...I'm getting more moody in my old age and he has no idea what I'm thinking, so he might be covering his bases to avoid my wrath.

Anywho, this brings me to my favorite Valentines Day of all time. This is my friend TK, we met when I worked for Deloitte . We were at a client in a small town.They were a lumber yard, and we worked in a conference room that overlooked the warehouse. It was a man's workplace. Lots of men, lots of fart jokes, and lots of cavemen-like behavior. I have brothers, so does TK, so we were unphased.


It was in the small conference room in the middle of a small town, that I knew I got to know TK, and realize that I wanted to be her friend until the end of time. She cracked me up, and we talked, swapped stories and got our work done. She is a riot, so smart, and one of the nicest people you will ever meet.

There was one guy at this lumber yard, who probably didn't get out much. He drove a forklift and every time I came down the stairs from the confrerence room he was right there, and usually escorted me to wherever I was going. Most of the time he didn't get off his forklift, so it was him... driving along side of me, awkwardly trying to go at my pace.

He always asked me one question and would stumble trying to think of a follow up. Our conversations went like this.

FLG: (short for Forklift Guy) "Oh hi. Uh. Um. Do you like dogs or cats?"
Moi: Hmm.. Both
FLG: Oh wow! Me too! uh....
*awkward silence
FLG: I can't have a dog, my landlord won't let me.
Moi: That's too bad.

Then I'd reach the office and go in to get make a copy or something. He'd be there when I got back.

So Valentine's Day, arrives, and TK & I are still together, working away at the lumberyard. I descend from the conference room and FLG is about 800 yards away. He sees me, starts gunning the Forklift as fast as it can go to try and catch up to me. He finally catches up to me and acts like he wasn't racing over to come and talk to me. He tries to act like Mr. Casual... and fails miserably.

FLG: So, it's Valentines Day....
Moi: Yes, it is. Happy Valentines Day.

*akward silence*

Moi: Well, I gotta go speak to JimBobJoe, so I'll catch up with you later
FLG: Yeah, I'll be right here.


Oh, FLG was so sweet, and so awkward. He made me laugh, it was nice to be doted on. No one likes the nerdy accountant girls, especially when you are there to audit their company. Anyway.... my favorite Valentines Day was hanging out with one of my favorite people TK and being doted on by a guy who never got off his forklift. I'm simple like that.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That story plucks my heartstrings! Please know that you are officially "the one that got away" and he probably still talks about you.

Jamie said...

Awwww, poor FLG. He had good taste. ;o)

I feel the same way about VDay as you do!