On Post: I Met a Girl

Date: January 15

Find it here

For the life of me, I could not remember what this entry was by looking at the title. Or in reading the first snippet of dialogue.

Not exactly a great sign.

But, as I read it, I remembered it more clearly and what about the song, specifically inspired it. So, lucky all of us.

The protagonist, via the chorus of this tells us, and then reminds us, that “I met a girl I’d like to know better, but I’m already with someone.”

The easy assumption here is, of course, he met someone who he was attracted to, but he’s already in a relationship. Looking to not go the obvious route, I asked myself, what if he is literally with someone. Like, they are right there with him at the met he meets this girl? And what if the someone in question is not a significant other, but rather a friend? And so, “I Met a Girl,” January 15^th’s” entry was born.

And in reading it now, I am not sure how I forgot it in the first place because Rick is just…awful. I don’t know how else to describe him.

I’m not sure if I was rushing or on autopilot or in a jerky mood when I wrote this or what—it was a Saturday, so the rushed thing is a definite possibility—but Rick is just so aggressive here. Honestly, reading this, I kind of felt like I needed to take a step back from him. Like he was TOO proactive in my face.

What’s worse, is that I can totally hear myself in him.

I’m not this bad, of course. Despite my long-winded writing style, I don’t believe I am generally wildly verbose in person. And, of course, the Thunder has thankfully ensured my lack of singledom for years now. And, even before I was betrothed, I was not the type of fella who would use the word “whipped” in the context Rick does.

All that said, Rick is like Tim turned up to 25. He’s maddeningly self conscious and totally cutesy about it, he paraphrases High Fidelity mid-monologue with an ease that suggests it isn’t the first time and during an area that would otherwise suggest genuine feeling is being expressed, and he feels the need to wrap things up in a sort of bittersweet, mournful romantic tone.

It is always a big ugly to hear your worst parts without the good and turned up to maximum volume. And that’s exactly what I felt this was for me. The worst part is, I wrote the damn thing. I created Rick. And I honestly don’t remember at the time making him so insufferable on purpose. If I just forgot it, great. But I’m guessing I just did not realize what a jerk he was at the time. Or, evidently, my personal potential for jerkdom.

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