The Stands between Us

As the running back ran down the field, the guys in front of us roared their approval, and their abrupt jump to their feet was too much for my drink sitting in front of me. It dumped; all OVER me! They had growing more and more obnoxious all game, but this was too much!

I jumped to my feet, different than they would have, I'm sure. I was furious. My girlfriend, Becca told me, "Siri, you HAVE GOT to calm down! You know how you get when you lose it". Apparently she must have seen all the signs of my rising temper. Easy to do when you have been friends since you were little children.

My red hair was not just decoration; it should be a warning sign. I had an unmatched temper, and I was done restraining it during this game. I didn't care if it was the playoffs; the guys in front of me had it coming.

"Excuse ME!" I screamed, right into the ear of the guy in front of me. He had average brown hair, well, what little I could see of it under his classic golf hat with the team name emblazoned on it. But his eyes! They were an entrancing green. Not forest green, like trees, no, they were emerald green. And perhaps they wouldn't have been so startling but he had dark copper skin and it set off the rigid cheek bones and the smile he was wearing.

"Umm, what can I do for you, ma'am?" he asked, respectfully. But I was already too far gone in my rant. My Karen had come out, and she was not holding back, gorgeous face or not. His friends all stopped what they were doing to gawk at us, well, me if we are being truthful. "Yeah, you dumped my drink, you jerks, when you jumped out your seats! You really should care more about the people behind you and not just the silly game going on", I said it sulkily, not really expecting him to retort, or retaliate. I misjudged him. A LOT!

"Well, Miss Stick in the Mud, my buddy here is having one of his last real good days, and we are all enjoying the sun and the game. Maybe if you try real hard, you could sit down and appreciate the game too? You don't have to be so uptight. I mean, I'm sorry that happened, and yeah, we all owe you a drink, but there is no reason to get all upset!" he said. "Uptight? UPTIGHT?!" I shouted, escalating the situation from local to just about every eye in our area of the stands turning to see what the situation was. My friend tried to restrain me, she tried to shut me up, but it was no use. I was HOT! Yeah, the drink was drying but he called me a stick in the mud!! Why did I have to calm down?

Later I would flush at how crazy I must have looked to observers and the man alike, but at the time, I was just angry. My boyfriend had just walked out on me the night before, and I was tired of being labeled a hothead everywhere I went. Even if it WAS true. I tossed my red hair, and huffed, but I did see the looks security was throwing our way. Resolute in trying to de-escalate the situation, I sat down and tried to gather up the remnants of a great night. We had been having a wonderful time prior to this.

Becca looked at me, and shook her head. "Traci, don't you ever just take things gracefully? I know you are the baby of like 10 kids, but you gotta just take it as it comes sometimes". She cast a smirk over at me, and then leaned in to whisper; "besides, he is hot. Maybe you could actually get a date and forget about Robert with him. Eh?" I looked at her like she was crazy. Because she is. Why would I bother with him?

The crowd roared again as the running back scored, pulling our home team in the lead. If we won this game, we were going to the Super Bowl. And that had not happened since about 20 years ago. This was turning into an epic game. Maybe I should have focused more on that, but I just could not get over my mess of a life. Becca side eyed me because I wasn't willing to start a conversation with the guy, and she was already talking to his friends, eagerly planning on going to pub across the street after the game to get to know them better.

I looked up to see what Green Eyes was doing and was startled that while I had been reflecting on my horrible week, he had been studying my face. "I can't help but think you should have gotten my eyes in the genetic lottery", he said, smiling. "The name is Mike. What's yours?" Well now I'm obligated to respond. But he was cute, and I was single. "It's Siri, you know, like the phone lady's name," I said, a little breathlessly. Looking at him fully, he was very handsome, and articulate. He told me that he worked for Verizon, and interestingly enough, I worked a block away from him. We had never met, and while it was a big city, it was one of those cities that is big but really has a small town feel.

Our team continued to outperform itself on the field. McCormick, the quarterback, took the ball 49 yards for a game winning touchdown! Holy Crap! We were going to the Super Bowl! This was a history making game! Caught up in the excitement, I jumped on Mike, and wrapped my legs around his waist like a koala bear. He was a great hugger, and I had no intentions of letting go anytime soon. Far as I was concerned, he could carry me down the stadium stairs to the refreshments in the pub across the way. Man, I hope it wasn't wall to wall people there.

As the crowds thinned, we spent the next half hour just talking to each other, learning about the guys, and they learned we were roommates and besties. Yeah, Becca had been there for me for years, prompting me to always believe that nothing could separate us but death. Though that wasn't coming for either of us any time soon. We had too much to do, and too much life left.

Speaking of life, I was ready to live mine. The mood changes inside had me reeling. I went from detesting Mike to wanting to get to know him better like real quickly, but he had a bomb personality, and some of the prettiest eyes I had ever seen. He was also extremely talented, working as one of the executives at Verizon.

As we walked down the block with the guys to O'Marleys, we all talked about how much we loved their food and craft beer. I preferred a light craft, while Mike liked the darker versions. And we both loved reuben sandwiches with some dip and fries. We were ready to chow! The game had been awesome and our company was even better.

Mike and the guys picked up the tab before we could even order our food, telling the waitresses that it was on their dime, and we sat in the back of the pub, chowing down and drinking, really getting to know the guys and watching the ending of the other games to find out who the Mavericks would play in the Super Bowl. And then we split an apple pie. Yeah, in a pub.

Pub food is the best. Speaking of best, Mike highjacked my phone and put his number in as Mr Green Eyes while I laughed that he put me in his phone as Dynamite Red. Men always loved to remark on my hair, most thinking it was dyed but I came out with this red hair that was ACTUALLY red, not the orange that so many have naturally. I had the light skin and freckles, but instead of blue or green eyes, ended up with "plain ole brown eyes". He declared them the most beautiful he had ever seen.

What went from a day from hell to an amazing first date was all because of a Super Bowl playoff. It was even more awesome because the tickets had been from a gift from someone at work who at the last minute couldn't go. It was crazy to think that we walk the same streets and might never have met without the interference of a stranger spilling my drink.

And I was mad?! Maybe I shouldn't channel Karen so much, huh? I think I'll just stay in the line of being Siri. The real one, not the phone voice, and enjoy this crazy ride of a relationship with my new friend, Mike. I didn't even register his friends' or their names. I was so busy laughing and joking and yeah, flirting with Mike that it was night by the time we left the pub. Our friends had already left, Becca giving me the universal "you better call me with details" gesture when she went. We got up slowly, reluctantly, as the restaurant was about to close.

Mike walked me all four blocks to my house, and he hugged me. I wondered if we would kiss, but seeing as I did not really like to kiss on a first meeting, I was glad he didn't push for it, but by the time he saw me into my house, I had a text from him. "I enjoyed tonight. Even if you almost killed me over your drink, lol". I smiled, and I wondered where would this possibly lead. I smiled and I replied, "Ditto".