Last Wednesday, I met a young man for lunch.
His smile lit up the restaurant. His eyes beamed with anticipation and hope. He was standing at the beginning of a new chapter, trying to build a life in a new state, find his footing, and connect with his tribe.
We cussed and discussed for hours.
The conversation was deep, flirty, and friendly. We skipped past the usual small talk and landed somewhere much more interesting. By the end of lunch, we both agreed we would like to hang out again soon.
As it turns out, “soon” meant a few days later.
We ended up spending all of Saturday together and had a blast at the diner, the art museum, and the leather store. We laughed, wandered, talked, shared stories, and enjoyed each other’s company in a way that felt refreshingly natural. Somewhere along the way, I developed quite the crush on him.
It happens.
Not often, mind you, but often enough to remind me that connection still matters.
What struck me most wasn’t his good looks, though he certainly had those. It was his open heart and mind. It was his willingness to be honest about where he was in life and the challenges he was facing. Calmly and sincerely. Despite carrying more than his fair share of worries, he approached the world with hope, kindness, and curiosity. My new friend’s light is very bright.
In my book, those qualities make someone a winner. And I’m cheering him on!
Then…life did what life sometimes does:
My new friend decided that Southern California wasn't where he needed to be right now. The decision may seem sudden, but it wasn't made lightly. I'm leaving a lot out to respect his privacy. But after much soul-searching, he realized that what he needed more than anything was the comfort of familiar faces, trusted friends, and a support system. So he chose to return home and regroup.
And yesterday morning, I had the privilege of driving him to the airport.
It was a bittersweet goodbye to our short-but-sweet bromance.
On one hand, I know it’s the right decision for him. Starting over is hard. Southern California can be wonderful, but it can also be expensive, overwhelming, lonely, and unforgiving. Not everyone finds their footing here right away. SoCal isn’t for everyone.
Truth be told, if I hadn’t been welcomed by so many wonderful people when I first arrived, I’m not sure I would have stayed. There were plenty of moments when packing up and heading back to Dallas seemed like the easier, more logical option. I thought about leaving for years….
But somewhere along the way, Southern California stopped feeling like a place I lived and started feeling like home. These days, Los Angeles is my adopted hometown. Well, Pasadena, technically. But still. 😁
On the other hand, I was having so much fun getting to know my new friend.
There’s something beautiful about meeting someone who arrives in your life so unexpectedly and leaves such a meaningful impression in a remarkably short amount of time. Our friendship lasted only days in person, yet somehow felt more genuine than many connections I’ve spent years cultivating.
Maybe that’s the thing about some people.
They don’t need much time to matter.
Whether this turns out to be a friendship for a season, a reason, or a lifetime remains to be seen. My hope is that our story doesn’t end at the departure gate. I hope we continue cheering each other on from afar. I hope we stay in touch. I hope life brings our paths together again someday.
Only time will tell.
For now, I’m grateful. Grateful for the conversations. Grateful for the laughter. Grateful for the reminder that meaningful connections can appear when you least expect them.
Sometimes people enter our lives for only a moment.
And sometimes a moment is enough to leave a lasting mark. For good.
Keep calm and defy gravity!
Clint 🌈✌️
COLLIDE PRESS is a reader-supported publication.
Please consider becoming a Paid Subscriber or Patron.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
BORN THIS WAY ON THIS DAY
06-22 = Bob the Drag Queen (1986- ) = American drag queen and comedian 🌈
06-22 = Gwen John (1876-1939) = Welsh artist 🌈
06-22 = Jai Rodriguez (1979- ) = American actor and tv host 🌈
06-22 = Jennifer Finney Boylan (1958- ) = American author and educator 🌈
06-22 = Jimmy Somerville (1961- ) = Scottish singer-songwriter 🌈
06-22 = Peter Pears (1910-1986) = English tenor 🌈
06-22 = Václav Fischer (1954- ) = Czech-German businessman and politician 🌈
MAN CRUSH OF THE DAY
“I believe now that love is letting people in. Love is bigger than all of us.”
Jimmy Somerville
I'm too lazy at the moment to look it up (besides, I have three cats snoozing atop me as well), but one of my favourite Christopher Isherwood quotes goes something like 'what the heterosexual world doesn't understand is that some of the greatest loves one can have aren't those that last for eternity, or the rest of your lives, or what have you. Many of the most intense relationships can last mere months, weeks - even hours, and its end is obvious and acknowledged'.
I'm sure I totally mangled the quote, and I know you're writing more of an intense friendship rather than romance, but that's what you post conjured up in my (oft-annoyingly-)free-associative mind.
I hope you and this wonderful-sounding fellow stay in touch.
🌈✴️