My Girl

Photo by: My Dad/ Ron and Lily/ August 1987/Windsor, Ontario
Current Location: Windsor, Ontario, Canada/ 42°19′60.0″N 83°1′60″W

Dear Lily,

It's been twenty two years since this picture was taken. Twenty two years of wondering where you are, what you're doing and why you dumped me that day. I used to spend my nights looking out the window, wishing upon a star, hoping one day you'd come back to me. But no, you never did.

I gave you my heart, my soul, and even my tooth. I hope you now realize that tooth fairies aren't real--just like Santa, the Little Mermaid and the monster under your bed. There was a time in my life when I'd give you the world, shower you with gifts from my mothers closet and even let you have first bite of my jelly sandwich. At recess I used to push you on the swings, stand at the bottom of the slide to soften your descend, and held your hand when it was time to line-up.

Remember me? I was the only boy on the block with a banana seat BMX and colorful strings dangling from the handle. It even had a basket but it broke when I tried to fit you in it. Remember? Sure the other boys made fun of me because of my bike, but in your eyes it didn't matter because I was still your knight in shinning armor, your chauffeur peddling you to the midnight ball--and that handsome boy who defied all odds by choosing to ride with training wheels until they fell off.

Lily, you had a gift that no first grader ever had. Your drawings inspired me, touched my soul, and made me quiver in a spiritual disbelief at how beauty can derive from such small fingers. Your stick people were always straighter than mine, your smiley faces really smiled, and your portrait of me made me look...well, like all the other stick people you drew, but you always had the loving courtesy to tell me which one I was. And for that I loved you.

Wow, Lily, twenty two years and I haven't seen you since. Do you think of me? Would you recognize me if you saw me on the street? Do you still have my tooth?

I don't know why I'm writing you this letter, maybe I miss you, maybe God is reminding me you're still in my heart, or maybe...just maybe it's ALSO because I've been tagged by Angel from Insights From the Demigoddess to write about love, pick-up lines, and sheer moments of embarrassment. Well, what better time to write about you on this 'Where the F am I' blog than now?

Lily, I hope by some devine fate you some how stumble upon this little property of mine on the World Wide Web. I hope you read every word I've written and find it in your heart not to sue me for publishing your photo online. If anything, please know this: you were my first love.

You will always have a place in my heart because I know that deep down, I'm still in yours, too. Your smile still lingers in my mind. Your bubble gum and chocolate scent still makes me giggle when I walk thru candy aisles. And every time I go to the dentist, I can't help but to think of you.

So with that, I bid you farewell once again. I wish you love, success, and peace...in the Middle East.

Forever and ever yours,
Ron

P.s: "If you were a booger, I'd so pick you!"