As we all wait for the next installment of Hamlet’s wretched lovelife…
May I offer anyone a cocktail? Whore’s devours? A mint?
Dang! I hate waiting…it’s like a soap opera…tune in tomarrow for: As the Stomach Turns.
[takes up knitting]
we have to wait till monday??? egads
actually i would have to wait till the 26th, seeing as how i’m going on vacation.
this better be damn good >=)
Chicken wings for everyone!
[sub]Damn suspense…[/sub]
Unintelligble sounds of frustration
FINISH!
I picked her up about 6:00. I had made reservations at the local nice Italian place. From the minute I saw her coming down the stairs to the car, I knew something was up. She got into the car, said hello, and we were off on the most important date of my life.
It was miserable.
I was, of course, wound a little tight, but nothing compared to Lou. It was like we had never met before, instead of being the best friends we were. We talked about trivialities and classes. Nothing about life, or what our relationship. There were awkward pauses in the convesation for the first time since we met. She ate maybe 5 bites of her meal, and didn’t have a sip of the wine I had ordered. For the life of me, I could not figure out what had happened to the intelligent, well-spoken, fun woman I had grown to know and, maybe love. In her place was a tense, boring, and unenjoyable lump.
Like I said, miserable.
Finally, after the waiter wrapped up her meal, I asked her point blank what was wrong.
“I can’t do this.”
“What?”
“I 'm not ready for this. I like you, Hamlet. I really, really do. And the last thing I want to do is hurt you. But I can’t just jump from one serious relationship to the next. It wouldn’t be fair to you. I’m not ready. Do you understand?”
What do you say to that? Do you shout “No, I don’t understand! I know you love me too, even if you’re to daft to see it. This could be the greatest relationship for both of us?” Do you scream “I can’t do this anymore. Screw the friendship, if I can’t be romantic with you, I can’t be your best friend?” Do you smack the table and yell “But this isn’t fair!” I almost looked around the restaurant for the sitcom camera and the live studio audience going “Awwwwwww, poor Hamlet.”
“Yeah.”
That’s what I said: “Yeah.” All those expectations. All that pain. All my hopes. And I say “Yeah.”
“I’m glad you understand.” she smiled. “Can you pass me the wine?”
It took a few minutes, dessert, and a couple glasses of wine, but soon my best friend in the world re-emerged. We went to the movie, went out afterwards and ripped the movie to shreds, and I dropped her off at home. If you ignore the failed chance at a relationship, it was a great
night. I got home, grabbed a beer, and went to bed.
And I thought. Long and hard. I came up with this: I think I said “Yeah.” because everything she said was true. And if I didn’t say “Yeah,” it would really, really hurt her. And I didn’t want to hurt her, just as she didn’t want to hurt me. While we were so busy not hurting each other, we could throw away a potentially great relationship, but there you have it. Both of us not hurting the other.
I just saved this thread from the second page. I’d say it’s time for the next installment.
Haj
While I’m feeling it is being drawn out to an unusual length this is the first I’ve seen a thread of this style. The story in installments is quite interesting, although as we can see - there is a balance to be found for the length of the story and the distance between installments.
Hamlet, I can’t wait for the next segment. I’ve been in those shoes, in two ways in fact. One good friend who just broke up with her boy friend, I hopped in line only to receive the same reaction “I can’t do it… it’s too soon.”
And the waiting for your chance with the girl of your dreams… I’m still waiting. But I know how to wait, timing is one of the misunderstood beauties of the world.
Ronin
Finals came and went and Christmas break was upon us. I tried like hell to talk her out of it, but Cute Sweatshirt Wearing Girl decided to spend the break with her kinda-ex-boyfriend. It was a family event, and the ex-boyfirend, jerk that he was, never told his family that they had allegedly broken up. I suppose he still wanted it to work with her. I was none too surprised, and not too horribly disappointed, that she had an absolutely horrible time with him. If I were a lesser man, I would’ve told her “I told you so.” O.K., I admit it, I did, in fact, tell her “I told you so.” So sue me.
I heard all about her horrible time, when she got back from break. We kept on as usual, as best friends. Until, about 3 weeks after we got back, I made a move. I know, surprising isn’t it? A group of us were over at her apartment having some wine and watching movies. I agreed to stick around and help clean up, so after everyone else had left, we cleaned and had a couple more glasses of wine. We were watching some forgettable movie on television, and Lou was sitting on a couch. I was across a coffee table from her, sitting on another couch. We were both slightly intoxicated, and I had finally figured I’d grab the bull by the horns and make a move. And I did. I got up from my couch, walked over to her couch, sat down, and kissed her.
It wasn’t one of the top five passionate kisses since the invention of the kiss, as hinted at in the “Princess Bride,” but it would’ve made the top ten. After the initial shock of my kissing her, her lips softened and she kissed me back. My hands trembled, but my heart sang. It was wonderous… But then…
I’ve had numerous reactions to my kisses. Once, I got slapped (and deservedly so), other times my kisses have gone over extremely well with the kissee. However, Cute Sweatshirt Wearing Girl’s reaction was one I had never experienced, nor expected. About twenty seconds after the kiss started, I opened my eyes and saw tears running down her face. From the way she had invested herself in the kiss, I hoped they were tears of joy. They, of course, weren’t.
“Why did you do that?” she asked.
I took a deep breath. “I’ve wanted to do that for a year and a half.”
“But I told you I can’t …”
I pulled a move that is successful in so many of those romantic comedies you see. I tried to hush her objections by kissing her again. There’s a reason those romantic comedies are considered “fiction.” Lou put her hand on my chest and pushed me gently away before I could even get my lips close.
“We can’t…” she said.
“We can.” I replied.
Further discussion of our cans were brought to a halt by Lou’s shoulders starting to shake and the tears starting again. I put my arms around her, and she slowly melted into them. I held her then, warmly and caringly, and didn’t try to kiss her again. When she was done, she explained how she was still upset about her prior relationship–he had been her best friend before they became romantic–and didn’t want to… No, she said, she couldn’t, get that deeply involved this soon.
I looked into her eyes and told her something that I meant with all my soul:
I’ll wait for you.
Cheezy Teenaged Girl Sigh
Hey, it’s February, not that far after Valentine’s Day…I suggest this thread be made sticky. I feel it’s a well-needed antidote to the recent coarseness in the Pit.
Can there be a better compliment to the author of a thread than the number of lurkers that Hamlet has pulled from obscurity into posting in this thread?
Yeah, I wouldn’t think so. He even got what must have been the High Lurker™ not too far back!
With every post, I’m waiting to hear that Hamlet has been successful in getting CSWG totally stumblebum drunk, and then slamming her like a Kansas screen door in a tornado.
Keeping my fingers crossed for ya’ little buddy!
LMAO at danceswithcats
As for the “I’ll wait for you,” I’d say Hamlet and I share a story though his is much better told than I can manage. Hamlet, if you ever cross into Atlanta let me know and I’ll buy you a drink (non-alcoholic for 2 more years) and we can trade stories.
I hope this ends well. It sounds like a more successful version of my love life of late.
Go Hamlet!
Tenebras
Pleasepleaseplease be a happy ending
sorry, I thought email notification would be nice, since I can never find threads again later. Tee-hee!
I waited two whole weeks. Hey, whattaya want from me? I had already waited a year and a half. And just so you know, those 14 days seemed like forever.
She had come over to hang out with me and my roommate. My roommate went to bed early because she was not feeling well, and I once again hopped onto her couch and began kissing her. And, once again, she softly and sensually responded in kind. This kiss lasted a bit longer, but, once again, she broke it off. This time, she wasn’t crying.
“Get over there” she said, pointing at the other couch I had vacated.
I tried my best “What did I do?” face, shrugged my shoulders, and went back to my couch. We continued watching whatever we were watching.
About fifteen minutes later, I snuck up behind her and began nibbling on her neck. I eventually got to her lips and had our longest, most intimate kiss we had. And, at the end, she, once again, pointed over to my couch.
“Get over there, and STAY over there.” she said.
With a slightly devilish smile, I did as she asked. I tried to go back to watching the movie, but I couldn’t pay it any attention. That little part of me that I had been trying to keep quiet for a year and a half was singing Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus at the top of it’s lungs, with a Full 180 piece orchestra, the USC marching band, and Led Zepplin playing along. We kissed one more time that night, when she left to go home. I had trouble sleeping that night too, but this time I didn’t mind a bit.
I called her the next night and invited myself over to read and study.
“You’ll have to stay on your couch.” she said.
“Who? Innocent ole’ me?” I laughed.
“I mean it, Hamlet. You stay on your couch.” she said emphatically.
We kissed all night.
Ah, this is more like it! 
Keep going, I’m loving this thread. Rock on!
Nice.
Was her name Ophelia?
Ophelia Balls?