Perfect glimpse of a stranger

I was sitting with my legs perfectly elevated on the black leather couch at Albina Press, occupied only by myself. I had been reading the required 100 pages of text for my family book club and was determined to finish it no matter how long it took.

I had sat on that couch solo for several hours, shifting and turning, watching people come and go, changing every few half hour increments. I had finally got comfortable and had put in well over 2 hours of reading when he sat down across from me.

Of course I couldn't look up from my book directly to see who had sat down on the couch across from me. He seemed fit. I tried to feel him out, feel out his presence physically before I glanced up.

Wait for it.. wait for it...quick glance.

Salt and pepper, 5 o'clock shadow, beanie - hot. :)

Suddenly I was very aware of my body. The double chin the position of my head was creating, the dryness of my lips, my legs however, were beyond comfy propped up and crossed at he ankle in my Ugg boots.

Suddenly he and I were sitting across from each other in our own home. He consumed in the newspaper, me reading my book. I was comfortable and I felt more of a connection with this perfect glimpse of a stranger than I felt in a while.

I let myself imagine him and I embracing and laughing together from some inside joke; me leaning on him affectionately sharing space and time.

And I thought it really could happen.

I checked my watch to see if perhaps he would come back this time some other day.

Years previous to my 27th, I would start a conversation and purse because, why not? I was in charge of my own destiny. But I realized that maybe it was because I was more insecure that perhaps no one would actually come up to me. But I've grown up. I'm 27. I know a little bit more about how it works and I'm ready for something real. I'm ready to believe I'm worth it and that someday the right person will see me and then a courtship will begin. My first. Maybe when I'm 27, why not?