#88, Stephen.

Nat and i met you at the Tin Can Ale House. We were there to see a promising young punk band, you were there because you'd just moved to the area (a promising young engineer at a brand-new company branch) and had "wandered in". We sat at your table, all swiveling on stools and watching the movies playing behind the bar (Snatch, Total Recall (the original, of course)) and buying each other drinks. It was nice to meet a random stranger and have an instant friend, even though it turned out to be just for one night.

Within five minutes of meeting us you asked, "so how long have you guys been together?" and we looked at each other and smiled. "Awww" you remarked. But then we told you the whole sordid story: together, happily, for twelve years, broke up 7 months ago; still absolutely Best Friends Forever. Like family. You were so impressed that we had pulled it off. Gave you hope, you said, and told us of your own recently lost love. i thought you should give it one last chance. Nat disagreed. Finally he and i went up front to dance but you wouldn't leave the table; at one point i looked back (for the umpteenth time) to entreat you to come up and jump around with us, but you were putting on your jacket. Oh no! i realized that you were leaving. You smiled and waved, and i waved back, knowing we would likely never see you again. It was bittersweet! Like  so many things.

The next morning i went in my bag to get a tissue and instead discovered a random napkin; what's this doing in here...? As i pulled it out, i noticed it had writing on it.

You guys are perfect together. Enjoy real happiness while you can. -Stephen

#48, Nicholas, the "German".

i met Nick on a train to Jack London Square, Oakland, CA. i was riding up from San Diego to help my sister move. It was toward the end of the trip, around Stockton, i think, when he broke off from his group of friends and walked down the aisle to my seat, eyes red and glassy, all smiles. Grey hooded sweatshirt and big jeans, short short blonde hair and blue eyes. He seemed harmless, so i wasn't too worried. He asked if he could talk to me, and i said of course! He sat next to me and asked what i was listening to (had the iPod on). Can't remember what i was, but soon he asked what kind of music do you like?, a question i dread. i like a lot of it! i offered up the iPod so he could see for himself. He got to Death in June, which is way more Nat's music than mine anyway, and just about lost it. Oh my god- i love this band, he said. Go ahead and listen, i told him. He played the song "Fall Apart", and sang along (loudly) with it. He had the volume up almost all the way, so i kept reaching over to turn it down. He was pretty happily drunk, and kept being amazed that we met, and was sad that i had a boyfriend, but ecstatic that i had this song for him to listen to, a song from a happy time way in his past. Apparently he was from Germany, moved to California (Stockton) at 16, then got put in jail for 6 years for something which he shouldn't have been, which is where he received his nickname, "German" (this was how he introduced himself to me, by the way. i had to coax "Nicholas" out of him). He was currently homeless. We all got off at the last stop, and i gave him my email address and phone number because i felt like he needed someone to take care of him, or at least to keep tabs on him. He said he really wanted to be my friend, and i certainly hoped he would contact me again.
But he hasn't yet.
I truly hope he does.

#2, Jessica.

Jessica! You followed us off of the bus that afternoon, even though we got off at the wrong stop. We were going to Cirque Du Soleil (Corteo), and so were you. You thought we were actually in the show, that we were performers who were just running late. Later you told us you had wondered why we didn't just take a limo around town instead of the bus. You asked us if we had dressed up special for the show, then were impressed that no, we look like this ever day. The dedication! you said.
Turned out you were an undergrad at the same school where Nat was currently a grad student, and it even ended up that he was your TA for an English classics class a quarter later. You were so adorable that day, and had a purse with little cartoon birds all over it. It was great fun walking to the fairgrounds with you, and running into you on the bus after the show. Sorry you didn't enjoy it as much as us! You were such a doll.