Five years ago today, I became engaged for the second time. I had been dating an old friend from high school, River, but I'd been hanging around with another high school buddy, BJ. BJ and I were up too late at his place, and he was helping me pick out a brand-new laptop computer that was just right for what I wanted and needed.

Something hit me over the head, and I knew that if I did not kiss him, life would be unthinkable. So I kissed him. Once. He froze. Twice. He froze. A third time, and he kissed me back.

We knew, pretty much without discussing it, that we were going to get married.


We wound up moving to Arizona. We wound up breaking up.
Sometimes it just doesn't work.
Sometimes, something better comes of the ruins.