Bonnie and Clyde '06

I have this theory....
Well, I have a lot of theories in life.
My favorite one, and the fan favorite, is that every french fry has a soulmate. Go ahead, eat your fries. They all have a perfect match. Another fry that is the same size that you can join together and eat in one delicious duo.
I love french fries.

But my love for french fries is not the focus of this post.

 I have another theory. That everyone has one person, one friend, that they love but can never be with. Just because. Timing, circumstances, it just can't happen. Doesn't mean you won't love them forever.

Let me tell you about Clyde. We met when we were sixteen at a wonderful political academic summer camp. I've loved him since then. That's a long time to love, my friends.

He's engaged now and happy. And I'm spoken for and happy. And I'm happy for him. But you can bet a homecooked meal that if he were to suddenly call me up, profess his love for me, and ask me to marry him, I would drop everything and do it in a heartbeat. He's in the army and I would never ever be a military wife. For him though, in a second.

So we've been friends for a long time. We called each other Bonnie and Clyde. Nicknames from that summer that we met and would cause trouble. I was just thinking about the last time that we saw each other. Walk down memory lane with me...

It was a warm night in October. I was sitting in my townhouse with my roommates when my phone lit up. Clyde's name was on my screen and my heart immediately quickened. I couldn't open that text fast enough. "In the city for the night. If you don't have anything to do you should come join me and my friends.
I can assure you that even I was about to meet the President of the United States, I would have cancelled to see him. I explained to my roommates that I would only be with them for a little while. And then, I was Manhattan bound.
3rd Avenue. That's where he was. At a nice bar with his friends. He bought me my first drink; we caught up. And then it was on to the next one. We just kept going from bar to bar, up and down Third Avenue. It was a Sunday and there was a long weekend and the night was ours.
At one of the bars we were all in a circle talking. His friends were telling stories. I stood a little closer to him and people pushed passed us, just to be as close as I could. Then I heard the sound of glass hitting the floor and Clyde's glass shattered. He laughed.
Minutes later, my glass slipped and broke as well. It was time to go. We ran backwards out of there, Clyde showing his middle finger to the bar patrons as I bowed. It was a show and we were the stars. "Thank you, thank you! Have a good night everyone." And with that, we were back into the city night.
Running across the street, Clyde grabbed my hand and held fast. I almost halted out of surprise and elation, but instead I held tight and kept running.
The last bar we went to that night was dark and 90s themed. JTree. It was also up in Boston apparently. We were sitting on the stools at the bar sipping our cranberry vodkas and he leaned in, held me, and kissed me.
My heart stopped. I could have, at that moment, died happy.....

I stayed in Times Square that night with him and his friends. I remember when he looked at me and told me to stay with him, that I shouldn't go home. I woke up, albeit on the floor, in his arms and happy.

That was the last night I saw him. A year and a half ago. Ironically, his current fiance was there as well.
I honestly don't know the next time I'm going to see him. He lives in the south and he's with the army. I'm in the city and who knows the next time he'll be home. I doubt I'll be invited to the wedding, right?
So maybe its good that the last time I saw him was a dream come true.
There are three nights in my life thus far that I would repeat over and over again in a heartbeat. This one will always have the number one spot.