Some of you asked me to post the update to Rich.
Well, as things go, a year after we broke up he married a friend of a mutual friend. I thought she was a bitch and she hated me. On the other side, Rich thought Terry wasn't good enough and went out of his way to get in Terry's face. I remember being out to dinner with Terry and Rich going at it with him...I thought they were going to lay punches and get us kicked out of the restaurant. They ended with the usual "asshole" exchange.
When Rich and I were together I had three close, wonderful college friends. They were Elisabeth, Kathryn, and Alex. Alex was a professional model and the dearest thing. I always told Rich I wanted to name my daughter Alexandra, after Alex. He said the adult version was better...lol.
Rich ultimately married and had a baby girl. I always related to the scene in "When Harry Met Sally" where Meg Ryan calls Billy Crystal over because Joe is engaged. Her line was "I wasn't his Mrs. Right, I was his Miss Maybe". On the day he got married I cried my eyes out. My stepfather took me to a bar. He offered me whiskey because it cures 'everything'...all it did was make me have one hell of a hangover to go with my golf ball puffy eyes.
Flash forward to ATG days when KB and I were walking and brousing the Thursday night market. I turn, there's Rich at the kid area. He sees me and walks over. I thought I was going to pass out. He points to this beautiful little girl and says, "That's my daughter Alex Kathryn", and grins. "I heard you had a boy" he continues. "Yes, his name is Brian Alexander...” my voice trails as I realize the names. KB helps me regroup and I walk away. He named his daughter after us...odd.
Fast-forward again to two years ago when my brother calls me and tells me Rich is going to call me, "He's divorced". My brotherwas more excited than I was, but this was his friend and he remembers when we would all hang out. My brother always liked Rich the best. Well, hell my whole family did. My own mother cried when I left him. I pause on the phone Whhhhhhaaaaat .... divorced ... Rich? Sure enough, Rich calls a week later. I guess even 45 year old men still think they have to play it cool. Whatever.
When he finally does call, we talk for two hours. He is still an executive with UPS, although he wishes he had done something else. He was selling his home and moving to Walnut Creek...my favorite town. He adores his daughter, but I notice how the phone call is all about him. He wanted to tell me of his BMW, his new home in Walnut Creek, the country club life and all that. Then I remember.... everything was always about him. When we went anywhere it was his choice; he insisted that I wear designer clothes, drive a label sports car, designer shoes, and purses; to my choice of the 'right' friends; to where we were 'seen together'. It struck me that he was still the same.
Now, I do understand that he was trying to impress me, but I am the bargain girl. Labels do not mean anything to me. I never pay full price for my purchases. He did not understand this, and never understood that I did not care what other people think. We did laugh about many things...mostly our ex.’s...and how much we each hated the other's.
It was a nice call and it gave me closure. He invited me to come see him in Walnut Creek, but I never bothered. I would like to leave things as they are. I don't want his kind of life...imagine what our ex's would be like to deal with...?...oiy.
And besides, he wasn't my soul mate.
C
http://journals.aol.com/rapieress/Aweekinthelife/
