All of My Exes

June 24, 2012

Dear Dad:

It is a little risky to write about ex-boyfriends but after meeting up with one today, I feel like it is incredibly timely and appropriate. To be honest I don’t even remember all of the guys I dated. There have been some wonderful ones and ones that latest an hour. But I would be lying if I did not believe that all exes had a purpose in my life…some had incredible impacts on me. Below is a tribute to the ones that I probably cannot ever forget and ones that had an impact on who I am today:

Jimmy C.: Let’s start with Jimmy. Even today when I see Jimmy I harass him for being the first person I ever went “steady with” even though it was only for a few weeks. We had both just turned 13 and all I can remember was his swim meets and him riding his bike all the way to my house and then having it stolen. To this day, he still asks for me to buy him a bike.

Michael R.: I am not sure if Michael and I ever really dated. We were always dating others when the other was not. It never worked out but he really should have been a boyfriend. He was a best friend for sure and someone who always made me smile.

Ryan M.: When Ryan asked me to be a friend on Facebook a few months ago, I have to admit I was a little shocked. I hadn’t seen or talked to him in years. He was my first serious, long-term boyfriend and even though it should have been outlawed, we shared so much cool stuff together. I loved our hours on the beach while he surfed, I loved our travels, and loved our love of music. He also really introduced me to the Windjammer since he lived across the street at the time, and I will cherish my times at the bar, especially flirting with the Dillon brothers and thinking I was hot enough to win a bikini bash!

The guy with snakes and a motorcycle: I hate to admit it, but I don’t remember this guy’s name and I am really glad for that. I am not sure what I was thinking, but it was the most adventure and danger I have ever had. Being on a motorcycle all summer in Melbourne almost killed me and produced many scars to serve as a constant reminder of the foolishness.

Joel: What a super, super sweet guy he was. I loved so much about him but really loved his Filipino parents and their meals. Joel’s mom never thought I ate, but I sure tried anything she cooked. It was probably the most amazing food I have ever had.

Josh C.: Josh reconnected me with my love for jam bands. Since moving to Florida, I didn’t get a lot of southern music in my mix. But Josh brought it back and it was awesome to jam for hours. I remember we both loved to quote Caddyshack…”danny, caddy scholarship!” He was so happy and brought so much joy in my world.

SAE: Ok so I did not date the fraternity but some days it felt like I did. After being selected as their “sweetheart” during my years at UCF, I spent most waking moments there either organizing parties, partaking in parties and having a lot of fun!

Bryan M.: I could say so much about Bryan. To this day I can say he was the first person I was truly in love with and was the first person to break my heart. He was so full of life. I loved how he did not do anything by the book. He was an entrepreneur, from a close night Irish Catholic family, loved his “dawgs”, and could spend every day he could out on the water. I will always owe Bryan my life. He saw how sad Florida had made me and how home sick I was. He helped me realize my need for family and helped move me back to Charleston. It was hard to let him go but he will always have a place in my heart.

There have been others but these guys really made a lasting impression, good, bad or indifferent.  I do want to thank every boyfriend who has cared for me in any way. You have made me who I am today.

Angel