Monday, October 14, 2013

The Story Of Us Part 2: Something New

Dad and I had been talking for years about taking the motorcycle safety class at MJC. He and I started seriously discussing and planning it at the beginning of the summer. We decided the best time we could fit it in was the weekend before I started school, the last weekend in August.
I'll be honest, though I was hiding it pretty well, I was very nervous about taking this class when it came down to it. I have no qualms about experiencing new things in life, but this was something completely out of my league. Big machines, with lots of things to do at the same time. It was on the same level as me attempting to play drum set. I can knock out a rhythm on a drum, but add my feet in and  I am screwed.

Of course, my dad was totally jazzed, and psyched for this endeavor. Fast forward to game day. What people may or may not realize about me is that I can have a very potty mouth when I'm driving. I think the only person who has experienced this is McKenna. I do the best to sensor myself when there are others in the car. Now the first day...and the second day out on the range, in the security of my own helmet, oh man was I ever potty mouth every time I screwed up an excersise. No one could hear me, so it worked for me. The thing I noticed was my weakness on the bike were identical to my weakness in my swimming technique.




Because it was dark when the class began, I did not take to much notice to the other people there. I recognized a few of the other students from the classroom a few night earlier, but the instructors were new to me. One was an older gentleman, and the other I noticed after a bit was someone around my age. Because I was so focused on what I was doing, I did not give him any thought other than someone in charge, for most of the day.
Here is when I noticed him for reals: I was on one side of the range, and he had his cap on, and it gave the impression that he had dark hair. He had a moment of...I'm guessing frustration because he took his cap off to kinda just push his hair back or something, revealing that his hair was much lighter that I first thought, and I could see his whole face for the first time.
I can not explain what happened, but I knew that there was something about Ryne that just drew me to him. I had not been that attracted to someone...probably ever in my life. There was such a force in me that allowed me to just know there was something about him. Basically, I took notice to him right then and there.



I never did ask if he ever caught me catching a peak at him the rest of that first day. At the same time, I did not let myself loose control of how I was acting. I kept doing what I was supposed to be doing. All day though, I wondered if he noticed me like I noticed him. I doubted it, because rarely, has someone I liked returned the interest. Plus even if he was interested, I seriously doubted that he would talk to me outside the topic of riding and motorcycles.
Oh boy was I ever wrong!
The end of the class was basic skills test, and then we were each called over one by one to get feedback. Guess who was giving feedback, guess who was one of the first people called over?
After a minute of discussing the class, I was about to turn away and Ryne got my attention and asked if I wanted to go riding with him sometime.
One of the biggest regrets I have was how I responded to this. What I SHOULD have done was jump at the opportunity, and said a flat out "yes" Instead, I played coy and said "maybe." Either way, he got my number, and I was ecstatic. I had not given out my number to a guy in...probably 5 years? I was so nervous, and excited. The single second that sold me, and I mean absolutely sold me was when he got my number and I as I turned to walk away, he flashed the smile that...I knew I couldn't live without. I knew there was going to be something starting, and I had no idea what I was in for.

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