How We Met: Carrie's Perspective

It seems kind of crazy, you know? Meeting someone like Alan was something I never
planned on. In high school I was serious about getting into college. I was serious about my education to the point that I swore to myself I wouldn't get involved with anyone because lets face it, love is a HUGE distraction. If I found a guy he'd have to wait because I was going to focus on school.

Then I met Alan, and that 'focus on school' thing went right out the window. Well, kind of.

I actually remember seeing Alan on Orientation day at school. All the new freshmen were brought into a single room (because our class was a small group) and given the lowdown on how this whole 'college' thing worked. Before the lecture began I remember Alan coming into the room with a black sketch book under his arm. He was wearing jeans, a black shirt with this ludicrous spoof of The Matrix on it, and a blue over shirt with orange and red flames going up the side. Height of fashion right there. It may be sad to say, but he was honestly one of the better dressed guys in that room. Animators aren't generally known for their fashion sense, even after college.

He sat down a few desks behind me and started goofing off with the other guys. Speaking of goofy, I also remember thinking, "Dude, the guy has a really goofy laugh." And in the back of my mind I was a little charmed by it. I drew to pass the time till the lecture started. I didn't really think much of the guy with the goofy laugh after that.

But our paths crossed in our 'History and Trends of Animation" class, which was taught by a very knowledgeable, very tall, very long winded, professor Mike McGill. It was a late class starting at 6pm and going on till 10pm, well after that if Mike got onto a particularly interesting topic. After the first class I went downstairs to wait for a shuttle which I wasn't even sure was going to come. According to some of the students in the lounge the bus often came early and then never showed back up for the students who let out late. I must have looked a bit apprehensive as I was thinking about the long walk back to the dorms down Roswell Rd after 10. Perhaps this may have been what caught Alan's attention. Whatever the reason, Alan walked by me, then turned around sharply and asked, "Do you need a ride home?"

I agreed, which now that I think about it, was probably a bad idea. Mom always told me not to accept rides from strangers, but it was the guy with the cute goofy laugh and dark hair that fell into his eyes. . . and I was an awkward art chick. Who in their right mind would try anything with me?

We started talking. We were both awkward at first, but loosened up with the small talk. "Sooooooo, Where ya from? . . . MAINE!? Why are you all the way down here?!. . . School? Dude there's an animation school in New York. . . Yeah, my mom would probably freak if I went to live in New York City too." And somewhere between that and, "God, I hate hummers," Alan visibly relaxed and we enjoyed our few minute ride back to the dorms. He dropped me off, I thanked him, and walked down to my apartment dorm glad to have a possible friend.

The next class went the same way. In fact, we had two classes together. He sat beside me in our 2D Design class and we gabbed some more as we worked on the asinine measuring exercise.

Upon our second history class, Alan again gave me a ride home. Again, I thanked him and left for my dorm.

The next week (which I'm fairly sure was when he started playing with my hair in class. even though Alan denys this completely, I point to the fact he still absently plays with my hair on occasion in the car, when watching movies, etc) we walked together back to his car, and talked as we puttered along Roswell Road. There was a pause, a break in the conversation and then Alan piped up, "Are you hungry?" I nodded vigorously, as I hadn't eaten since lunch.

Alan pulled into a place that looked promising. At least the lights were still on. So we got out of the car, and trotted inside. Upon coming into the foyer I knew we were in a place that was way over our heads. Green velvet carpet. Polished wood everything. Chandeliers. It looked like a Vanderbilt hunting lodge threw up all over the place. Alan and I glanced at each other, perhaps saying a few words, then bolted, probably leaving a very perplexed hostess behind us. We ran all the way back to the car and fled to the nearest bar.

Alan paid for my meal, making me feel awkward not only because of his easy generosity but because that meant it was officially a date. Upon being dropped off at my dorm I picked up my bags from his trunk, and kissed his cheek in thanks. For the second time that night I bolted back to my dorm and immediately called a friend back home freaking out over the fact I just had an impromptu date. My plan was failing! SCHOOL first! Guys Later!!! My friend proved no help as she wanted to just talk about whether he was cute or not. I had to admit he was. . .

The next day was an off day for me. I got up, did some menial stuff, and went for a swim. Upon getting back from my swim, the girls in my dorm room looked to me reproachfully saying a "guy" had been by asking about me. He'd left his apartment dorm number with them. Armed with this information I cleaned up and left for apartment number H16.

I knocked on the door after hoofing up 3 flights of stairs, only to have one of Alan's roommates, Wesley, answer. Alan came to the door once summoned and explained he was just wondering if I wanted to hang out. I was happy with this and said sure. He was really the only friend I had in the whole dorm complex as my own roommates were more interested in seeing how much alcohol they could hold before puking. He introduced me to his other roommates: Josh, Wesley, James, and Mike (who happened to be absent at that moment). He showed me around the apartment, a three bedroom where as mine was a two. Upon coming to his abode I was happy to poke around in his music collection, admire his art and envy his luck in landing his own room.

I sat down in his computer chair, he on the end of the bed, and we just talked about anything and everything. Music. Movies. Family. Maine. North Carolina. The Army. Art. And then that awkward silence. He was looking at me funny. The kind of funny where he had this big lopsided grin on his face, the kind that made me laugh nervously and ask, "What?"

He just shook his head, with that smile and shrugged, saying something along the lines of "Nothing."

More silence, aside from the music we'd stuck in, the Titian AE sound track was blasting through the speakers of his computer as we talked. Sometimes I'd sing along.

Then he asked me a question. A question I, in my years of experience in high school, should have recognized.

"Carrie, would you like to go out with me?"

And I answered the dumbest way possible. I said the most stupid thing one could EVER say when one is being 'asked out' by a guy. Poor little, innocent, and naive Carrie had no clue what he really meant in that statement. It was a loaded phrase. A proverbial fork in the road that only had two directions to take Yes Road, or No Drive. Some how I ended up crashing into the median. His question was simple, "Would you like to go out with me?" and in my infinite wisdom I answered:

"Sure, where?"

Alan's expression went from goofy smile to flabbergasted befuddlement. He blinked a few times, obviously realizing just how stupid I must be and repeated his question, although a little slower. "No, I mean. . .go out with me."

In my head the only thing I could think of was places we could possibly 'go out' to. There were restaurants, and shops, the movies, and a mall around the area though I wasn't sure where, maybe a bookstore! Gears turning, but clunking in the wrong direction. I was still driving along that proverbial median.

Alan again blinked - at this point probably amazed that he had to explain the concept of 'going out' to me. "As in. . .boyfriend and girlfriend."

Let me explain that in high school, I never had a guy 'ask me out'. I never had 'a date'. I never honestly had anyone interested in me in the slightest or if they were they were awful quiet about it. I was the awkward girl. The strange chick who drew all the time. I was the one people talked to about their relationship problems, because I didn't HAVE any relationship problems (namely because no one was interested). I'm the strange chick people would pick on, and laugh at. The fat girl. The one random people would adopt and try to fix with make up. Boys didn't look at me in high school, or if they did it was out of an academic need. The only thing I was wanted for by guys was on the team jeopardy in Biology class, or maybe to help someone with vocabulary memorization or Latin translations. Guys just weren't interested in me. To be fair a guy had asked me out once before - but 3rd grade notes that say "check yes or no" don't count. So that said, I had no prior experience in this real life 'asking out' thing.

And now here was a guy, a real guy, a cute real guy, formally asking me out - and I didn't even REALIZE it.

I'm not sure if I turned white or red first, but at some point I think I managed to turn a slight shade of purple from the embarrassment. You could have fried an egg on my cheeks, or at least it felt like it.

I don't remember what I said honestly, just that it was along the lines of,"Yes."

Ever the gentleman, Alan asked if he could kiss me and I do remember saying yes to that one. I'm glad I did. We were unofficial for a long time, though we really didn't act like it. We made it offical, though mainly to ourselves, on August 24th of that summer.

And things just fell into place from there. In fact, everything fell into place so easily between us. We get along so well. We do our best work together, as a team. We are a team. Some people might say we 'fit together like two peas in a pod,' but I don't think that's quite it. It's like two puzzle pieces that lock into place mid fall when you shake out the box. It was that easy, and that much of a surprise (or at least to me).

It's amazing. Absolutely amazing that someone like me ended up with someone like him. I consider myself drunk with luck when it comes to Alan. I don't know what I did to get the awesome karma that brought this guy to me but I'm glad I have it.

- Carrie