Odd Man Out
I am not a shy person. I can strike up conversation with basically anyone. But the one thing I am afraid to do? Meet my boyfriend’s roommates. They have been living together for 3 years not—a lot shorter amount of time than we have been together, but the thought of meeting them intimidates me. They do everything together—they cook dinner together, they all take the same classes, and they even workout together. How in the world am I supposed to compete with that? It’s almost like they are all dating each other, and then I’m just over here like, hey!
Well, I knew that the day was going to come eventually—the day that I will finally be introduced to the “Sea Street Crew,” as they call themselves. The drive to Connecticut was quiet and calm. There weren’t many cars on the road, and my mind was free to wander where it wanted. The closer I got to New Haven, the more butterflies I had in my stomach. What if they didn’t like me? What if they felt awkward around me? What if my boyfriend chooses them over me? “Slow down, calm down, don’t worry, and don’t hurry. Trust the process.” As I spoke the words, my mind stopped racing and my focus became on the road ahead of me.
I took the ramp that lead from the highway, into the neighborhood in which they lived. "Uh oh," I thought as I inched closer and closer to the house. It was a nice looking house, old, but historically old. I could see flowers in the windows, and colorful curtains. I was slowly becoming more comfortable with the decision to finally meet the infamous roommates. I reminded myself one again, "Slow down, calm down, don't worry, and don't hurry. Trust the process."
I parked my car and got out. I stood in the street, looking around, and checking out my surroundings.
As we approached the door, I felt like my heart was in my throat. This was it. There was no turning back. If they didn't like me, I found figure out a way to deal with it. If they did like me, then all of this worrying was for nothing. "Slow down, calm down, don't worry, and don't hurry. Trust the process."
The first thing I noticed when I entered the house was the smell. Oh dear, boys certainly did live here. I moved through the top floor of the house, and then I heard someone yell, "Do these jeans make me butt look big?" Before even meeting the person in charge of the utterance, I burst out into laughter.
But that was the end of the niceness.
"You know, it's not very nice to make fun of someone that you just met. And for you're information, I have a date tonight and I wanted to make sure my pants looked okay."
And with that, Andrew stormed out of the room.
"Oops." I said quietly as I watched Andrew swiftly walk away.
"Don't worry about him," Mike said. "Let's go meet the others."
The only thing I could do was agree and repeat my mantra, ""Slow down, calm down, don't worry, and don't hurry. Trust the process." And with that, we headed into the living room. When we got there, I noticed two things....there was a boy playing video games on one couch, and a boy eating a sandwich on the other. All typical boy things. I plopped myself down on the couch. The boy sitting across from me looked up from the screen.
"Oh...hi! I'm Lamar."
"Hi, I'm Lucy! Whatcha' playing?"
"Madden."
"Oh! Can I get next game?"
Lamar finally looked me in the eye. His expression was speechless and confused. "Uh....sure?"
I smiled. I was about to make a fool out of herself, but I didn't care. If I could prove to the roommates that I was just another friend, and not "that awkward girlfriend that comes over a couple times a semester," then everyone would feel more comfortable. While Lamar was setting up the game, I introduced myself to who I guessed was "Big Mike." He was quiet, not even confirming that he was who I thought he was. He continued to eat his sandwich, and when he was finished, he got up and left without another word.
"You know, it's not very nice to make fun of someone that you just met. And for you're information, I have a date tonight and I wanted to make sure my pants looked okay."
And with that, Andrew stormed out of the room.
"Oops." I said quietly as I watched Andrew swiftly walk away.
"Don't worry about him," Mike said. "Let's go meet the others."
The only thing I could do was agree and repeat my mantra, ""Slow down, calm down, don't worry, and don't hurry. Trust the process." And with that, we headed into the living room. When we got there, I noticed two things....there was a boy playing video games on one couch, and a boy eating a sandwich on the other. All typical boy things. I plopped myself down on the couch. The boy sitting across from me looked up from the screen.
"Oh...hi! I'm Lamar."
"Hi, I'm Lucy! Whatcha' playing?"
"Madden."
"Oh! Can I get next game?"
Lamar finally looked me in the eye. His expression was speechless and confused. "Uh....sure?"
I smiled. I was about to make a fool out of herself, but I didn't care. If I could prove to the roommates that I was just another friend, and not "that awkward girlfriend that comes over a couple times a semester," then everyone would feel more comfortable. While Lamar was setting up the game, I introduced myself to who I guessed was "Big Mike." He was quiet, not even confirming that he was who I thought he was. He continued to eat his sandwich, and when he was finished, he got up and left without another word.
"Ouch...." I said as the final whistle blew. "That was embarrassing. But watch out, I'll get you next time!"
Lamar laughed, but had an uneasy look on his face.
"Sorry, but I guess this is a guys game..."
"Oh...okay. Sorry to have bothered you." I got up and walked away. I could feel Lamar's eyes burning holes in the back of my head as I moved into the dining room where Mike was.
Lamar laughed, but had an uneasy look on his face.
"Sorry, but I guess this is a guys game..."
"Oh...okay. Sorry to have bothered you." I got up and walked away. I could feel Lamar's eyes burning holes in the back of my head as I moved into the dining room where Mike was.
When I sat down next to Mike, he noticed that I was visibly upset.
"What's wrong?" He asked as he draped his arm around my shoulder.
"What's wrong?" He asked as he draped his arm around my shoulder.
The final roommate that I had yet to meet was Taylor. At this point, I was so down on myself that I wasn't expecting anything but a bad experience. "Slow down, calm down, don’t worry, and don’t hurry. Trust the process" I thought to myself. But I knew the way to any guy's heart... and that was baked goods.
So I skipped into the kitchen and started baking. There was a new recipe that I wanted to try. It sounded complicated, but the picture made them look absolutely delicious. "Salted Pretzel Cookie Dough Snickers Bars." I had my work cut out for me, but I really wanted to impress Mike's roommates so I got to work. A burned hand, spilled chocolate chips, and an hour later, I had finished. I was exhausted but so excited to impress Mike's roommates. I wasn't going to leave with the bad experience that I had with Mike's other roommates. I was determined to win Taylor over.
I walked into the TV room to find Taylor sitting in a chair playing video games. "That's a surprise," I thought to herself.
I approached the boy and said, "Hi Taylor I'm Lucy, it's nice to finally meet you..."
He glanced up from his video games for a split second, and without saying a word, continued to play his game.
"What are you playing?"
Silence.
"Oh, it looks like a hockey game. That's cool!"
More silence.
I felt defeated. I knew he was going to be the hardest one to win over but I didn't know it was going to be that hard! "Slow down, calm down, don't worry, and don't hurry. Trust the process."
"So, uh... I did some baking this afternoon. Would you like to try one?" That got him to glance in my direction, but as soon as he had looked, he was right back to his video games.
"FINE!" I yelled, and slammed the plate of baked goods on the table. "I am done trying to impress you people. I am who I am, and if that's not okay with you, then we don't have to be friends." I don't know what had gotten into me, but I was tired of being treated like crap. I stormed off and slammed the door to Mike's room.
Half an hour later, I heard a faint knock at the door. Wiping my tear stained face, I made my way to the door, but before I could open it, I saw a piece of paper being forced underneath the door. I crouched down to grab the note.
I approached the boy and said, "Hi Taylor I'm Lucy, it's nice to finally meet you..."
He glanced up from his video games for a split second, and without saying a word, continued to play his game.
"What are you playing?"
Silence.
"Oh, it looks like a hockey game. That's cool!"
More silence.
I felt defeated. I knew he was going to be the hardest one to win over but I didn't know it was going to be that hard! "Slow down, calm down, don't worry, and don't hurry. Trust the process."
"So, uh... I did some baking this afternoon. Would you like to try one?" That got him to glance in my direction, but as soon as he had looked, he was right back to his video games.
"FINE!" I yelled, and slammed the plate of baked goods on the table. "I am done trying to impress you people. I am who I am, and if that's not okay with you, then we don't have to be friends." I don't know what had gotten into me, but I was tired of being treated like crap. I stormed off and slammed the door to Mike's room.
Half an hour later, I heard a faint knock at the door. Wiping my tear stained face, I made my way to the door, but before I could open it, I saw a piece of paper being forced underneath the door. I crouched down to grab the note.
Well, it was a start. Maybe they didn't have to be good friends, but as long as they didn't mind me coming to visit, that was all that mattered.
Both Mike and I were happy that I had finally met his roommates. They were especially happy that they could visit each other any time they wanted, and it wouldn't be a big deal anymore. And last, but certainly not least, they were happy because they had Salted Pretzel Cookie Dough Snickers Bars.
Both Mike and I were happy that I had finally met his roommates. They were especially happy that they could visit each other any time they wanted, and it wouldn't be a big deal anymore. And last, but certainly not least, they were happy because they had Salted Pretzel Cookie Dough Snickers Bars.