Unified by Love@LiveJournal.com
What proceeds this line of text is pert-near a miracle. The greatest day in my entire life, this is how it happened...
The year was 2002; I just had started my education at ITT Technical Institute, and was forming slight bonds with a few of the people I attended the school with. Now as much of a geek as I may have been back then I wasn't at the top of my game, so the 'cool nerds' acknowledged my presence and I got along fine with most of them but I never was asked to hard code anything in C++, that's for sure. Two people that I formed close bonds with at that school, named Tom & Jason (where have you gone, my friend?), became my 'security blanket' to getting through the overwhelming times that came with going to college. We started to confide in each other, and started to trust one another with our own personal information. In the 'normal world' I suppose you could have considered them my friends, but as most geeks know, we don't really assign the term "friend" to people, despite how we might act to one another.
It was either our second or third quarter into our time at school, and I'm outside smoking a cigarette with Jason. Out of the randomness thought process in my head I simply stated: "I need a girlfriend." Jason smiles at me and says "Get a LiveJournal, dude." A Live Journal? What the heck is a Live Journal?
Returning to the lab, I logged onto the website to see what it was all about. To my disappointing discovery I found out the only way one could get into LiveJournal (back then) was to get an invitation from someone else or to buy a paid account. I poked around as much as I could without signing up but before that day was through I had purchased myself an account. Time went by, and I almost forgot about a girlfriend. I was having so much fun playing with my LJ layout, and making comments on people's journal that lived close to me, and I tried to make friends, I had forgotten why Jason had referred me.
As time continued on I started to interact with people on LiveJournal more and more. One way or another, I commented on a "friend of a friend's" journal and one way or another, a user named absolved found me, and we started to talk. We exchanged comments, participated in dialogue with each other both on LiveJournal and though IM. We eventually added each other as friends.
Months went by, we were chatting online constantly, almost every day. Things seemed to working out rather well, I enjoyed talking with her online and I think she was feeling the same way. She would often talk about going to "club" and dancing, while I'm sure I talked about nothing more than random geek stuff. How that entertained her I will never be quite clear on, but for one reason or another she kept talking to me. It was obvious we were from two entriely different worlds.
She thought I was thirty-five years old by how I was talking online, but little did she know I was over ten-years younger than that at the time. Then one dark Friday out of the blue, I conjured up some courage and told Krystal that I was going to be going to Barnes & Noble at Mayfair Mall, and that "if she was bored" to come out and say hello. I'm not sure what my intentions were, but to be honest I feel that I was driven by powers beyond my control. It just seemed so automatic, I wanted to meet her in real life and find out who this person really was. I've spent the last several months talking to her online, so I felt that I was somewhat obligated to meet her IRL (in real life).
I went to Barnes & Noble. I pulled up around 21:00 and went into the bookstore. I did my best to pretend I was looking at books, but in reality I was scoping out the people coming into the store, looking for my mysterious guest to arrive. Hoping she would. I started to loose a little hope, but then a beautiful woman with red hair walked in. Stop sign red! I only got a glimpse of her, but something deep inside me told me that was her. I of course was hanging out by the computer and technology books, and a few moments later, Krystal graced me with her presence.
I walked with her to the Starbucks in the store and got us each a drink. She never had coffee from there before. It was my blood in college. We went upstairs and talked, talked some more, and connected on more levels than I would every have imagined. I probably was a lot more humorous than serious with my conversations, but that is just naturally something I do. I always try to make new people smile. Krystal smiled, she smiled a lot. All this, via a website called LiveJournal.
Later that night she took me to a pub that is no longer standing, and we had a drink. We talked more and more about random stuff, doing informal introductions of each other and we talked about what we represent, and were we wanted to go in our lives. We were there for quite some time. Krystal seemed to be almost too good to be true. She seemed so loyal, reserved, and set in her ways, but it drove me wild inside. I knew it was speaking too early, but I knew inside that I wanted to be with Krystal more. When we left the pub, we stood outside in the slightly cold & windy street in Milwaukee, and talked some more. We were there for quite some time. I felt awkward, I had an overwhelming desire to kiss her, but despite our long conversations online I still felt like I was just meeting her, so I gave her a hug and wished her a good night, and we parted our ways.
It was that Tuesday, May 14th, 2003. The time was 00:46, and I was chatting online with Krystal. Marilyn Manson's album "the Golden Age of Grotesque" was just coming out that day, and to be honest I used a line from his song to ask Krystal to be my "girlfriend". Maybe asking someone out over IM is a little corny, but it’s not as corny coming from me, not at all, not back then.
Me: I'd like to love you but my heart is a sore.
Krystal: mirror
After nearly giving up on all forms of happiness, I told that lyric to Krystal and she responded with an equal statement. That was over four years ago, and it was only the beginning of a long journey that we would travel together.
This past weekend, marked our four-year anniversary as "boyfriend and girlfriend". I'm approaching the age of 30 at light-speed, or so it seems. I still got a little while to go, but I'm not getting any younger. Krystal and I had talked about our future, but without going into the horrific details of my past and how it will hinder my future -- despite all that -- Krystal has always left me with the notion that she wants to stay with me and not anyone else.
Its been long decided in the back of my head, on my "Someday/Maybe" list for those of you familiar with "Getting Things Done", to eventually get married to Krystal, or at least die trying. Last Wednesday I went to a jeweler that I had planned on going ever since I was a young rebellious teenager. Richard Kessler, a guy who has made quite a name for himself over the years, used to sponsor my old little league teams when I was younger. I always appreciated those sponsors back in the day, cos when I was playing baseball as a young boy I really did have a great time. So I pledged a long time ago to give the love of my life a diamond ring from this fine business.
When I went to Kessler's last week I already had the ring picked out, and I just needed to purchase it and get it sized. The following weekend (this last weekend that just passed) Krystal and I were planning on a multi-state vacation to commemorate our four-years together. Little did she know I was going to be asking her a question that would affect her every move for the rest of her life, and beyond. I met a wonderful person named Ingrid at Kessler's and she helped me finalise all that I would need to be ready for the "big question". She was so helpful and so full of information about diamonds, knowing stuff I didn't even know was even in existence. She helped me so much and I'm eternally grateful. After I paid for the ring, it was time to start spreading the news like wildfire.
I wrote her parents a letter, telling them my intentions for the trip. I told my Father, my Mother, my Grandparents, my colleagues, my allies, my associates. I even sought out her best-friend fredfreakazoid to let him know. All eyes on this weekend. I told everyone under the sun except for Krystal as sort of an "obstacle" that I would have to overcome during the trip. I nearly passed out at the bank while I was getting the money, I nearly passed out at Kessler's when I started to talk about my love for Krystal, and I nearly passed out everytime I thought about what I was about to go ahead and do.
I informed Krystal that there was an "operation" that she could not be involved with, and instead of being together Friday night and leaving for our trip early Saturday morning, I had to be somewhere ALONE at 10:00 on Saturday. That magical place was Kessler's Diamond Center. The ring was to be sized and ready for pick-up. Ingrid kept telling me how happy she was for me, and she hoped me the best of luck in my endeavor.
Saturday, a little after 14:00 we departed Milwaukee. We made it to Prairie du Chien, and stayed the night. I was so nervous; I hadn't had a good opportunity to perform the task, so I aborted the idea the first night. Plus I had a few beers with our late dinner, so I didn't want her to think I was doing something without being 'clear' about it.
Sunday we made way on the road again. Stopping at the Mississippi River and looked around at the beautiful scenery. I wanted to purpose on the Mississippi River, the overlook was breathtaking, but it was so windy. This is something the locales are all used to, but I was convinced that my ring would blow into the water, ruining my plans. Aborted the idea, day two. We made it all the way to Wall, South Dakota that night.
We stayed in Wall, and went to the infamous Wall Drug in the morning. There is a store there called "Rock Formations". They had these little rocks with interesting little quotes and saying on them. To my unbelievable discovery they had a rock that said "Marry Me!" on it. I was stoked. I sent Krystal off to the other side of the store to pick up something for my Mother, and I slammed the rock on the counter put my finger over my lips and, keying in to the employee that I didn't want Krystal to see the rock. I whispered the price to him, but he looked a little confused. After reading the rock however, he quickly totaled it up and threw it in a bag, then checked out the rest of our stuff. I took the bags to the car, and put the rock and the ring in my pocket. I'm not sure how I'm going to use or present either of these items, but I know that something will come to mind, and it sure did.
We continued on I-90 and made it all the way to Mount Rushmore. We stayed there for quite some time, enjoying the scenery, enjoying being with each other. We had someone take our picture with our founding Fathers among the background. I had binoculars, my camera and all other sorts of stuff on my person. I was loaded down, to much to stuff to carry if I wanted to do this right. We made way to the gift shop. Krystal found some stuff for her parents, as did I. She found herself a Mount Rushmore spring fleece jacket, purple in colour, she wanted something that would symbolise where we went.
When I saw that she was going to buy the jacket, I told her while we were waiting in line that I had to go to the car. Adrenaline started to flow through me like the strong currents of the Mississippi. I pert-near jogged to my car dumped everything in my pockets somewhere in the car, and left all but the ring and rock on my person. My leatherman too, but that's a given!
The Most Important Question Ever Asked...
I met Krystal back up by the gift shop, where she said she wanted me to hold her stuff while she went to the typically overcrowded rest-room. I grabbed her stuff, and pointed to the front of the building and said I would meet her there. I'm so faint by this point that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to go ahead and go through with this. I get to the little area in front of Mount Rushmore, decorated with trees and a few park benches. I grabbed the first park bench and put her stuff on it. I just turned around and stared into the mystic distance scenery of South Dakota. Krystal made it to where I was standing and I could tell she was sensing something, but no idea what.
Destiny came knocking HARD on one William Parker III's door when Krystal asked me to cut the tag off her new fleece. I jumped at the opportunity; destiny was knocking very, very hard. That's when the idea hit me. I very secretively cut the tag off her jacket, but slipped the rock into the right pocket.
"Here you go!" I said while handing back the now price-tagless fleece. She put it on to see how it fit on her, but curiosity seemed to cast upon her face. She puts her hand in the pocket, and as soon as I notice that she had the rock in her hand, before pulling it up -- I dropped to my knees and presented the ring. I was speechless for a few minutes; I looked up at her to see an amazed look on her face after reading the rock and seeing the ring. My vision was starting to gray out; I was sure I was going to pass out.
A deep breath, and swallowing whatever pride I had left -- "Will you marry me?"
Krystal nodded yes, and then said yes! I popped back up on my feet and hugged her. She started to cry. A lot. I didn't feel bad at all, I was trying to hold back the tears myself. Tears of shear joy. Tears of a dream come true. Krystal just accepted my proposal for marriage, accepting me, William Parker III as her husband, till death do us part, and beyond.
The entire trip home was wonderful. We talked about the future "us" and how we wanted to see things work out. All the things that I thought would never happen did, and I'm officially engaged to be married. Krystal and I can put down the PG-13 titles of "Boyfriend" and "Girlfriend" and now address each other as our "Fiancé".
Five years ago I never even really thought marriage would be something that would ever happen to me. I was convinced I would die alone in front of my computer, and that would be that. Who knew a domain called LiveJournal, and a community of people would somehow make Krystal & myself cross paths. Who knew that crossing each others paths would lead to marriage? Who knew..
Such things will forever solidfy my love for LiveJournal. It could happen to you, or maybe it already is, and you don't know about it yet. Over four years ago, I know I sure didn't. Now here we are the year 2007, and someone who I once only could recognize by their userpic, will be the woman that I spend the rest of my life with.
It's going to be the best Halloween the world has ever seen. I feel like a new person. New things to-do and things to get done have all taken the lime-light, and no longer are they simply thoughts in the back of my head. I feel like I have a new operating system installed. I feel like an entirely new person.
Update 2007/05/22: One likes to make habit of responding to all of the comments left on their journal, (at least the important ones) and more times than not I get back to most of them. However I didn't not anticipate the response that I got from this post. It both reassures in my faith in the power of community, and affirms my undying love for LiveJournal. What once could be considered a stranger is now one of my "safe havens" or one of the places where when I'm active on the domain, I feel like I'm in "my cock-pit".
I would like to forward my sincerest thanks and appreciation to each and all of you who took times out of your mornings, afternoons and evenings to forward warm regards to Krystal and myself. It will be forgotten, and despite the volume of comments, you can assure that I did read them all. My recent comments page has never been full of such positive energy. Thank you all from the bottom of my once lonely heart.
In the coming times I hope we can all engage in further discussions that make life unique and special in their own little ways. A random conversation on campus turned my life upside down, shook me out, and sent me off in a new direction. Let's travel whatever roads approach us, together in a harmony of beautiful people, here on LiveJournal.com
Thanks again to all!
William Parker III (Mesh)