Husband's Stance

This past Friday, I had attended the graduation of my former school that I had worked for. In fact, it was exactly a year since I stopped working for them. I had finished graduation night in '06, went to Chili's with friends, and then put in my last day on Saturday with a teacher in-service. I enjoyed it and plan on returning to teaching again when I retire or something. Who knows what my future holds........

The grads were making their way out of the place. I stood there just waiting for some traffic to clear. I had been sitting with Birthday Girl (remember her from Nature Picks?). She had worked there also but no longer does. I enjoyed being with her that evening; she's a class act and a fun person to be with at the same time. Anyhow, she was quick to leave......... she seemed a bit hurried to get back home. Maybe it was her kids, her boyfriend, or maybe.............

As I walked to the back of the convention room, my good buddy J came from behind me. He had sat on stage announcing names. During his seating up there, I decided to text message his phone for the sole purpose of having him reach for the damn thing when it went off like crazy. I was betting he didn't put it on vibrate. I'm such an ass! As Providence would have it, he had it on vibrate; no awkward moments for him!

Then I noticed my friend "A" sitting next to him..........I decided to text her and hoped for a different outcome.........to no avail.

"Hey bro, hows it going?" asked J.

"I'm good," I said.

"Did you come alone?" he asked.

"Yeah...........I thought I'd come see some of my kids for the last time. I saw BG and decided to sit with her."

He made a face at me. He's always tried to psychoanalyze me for the past three years or for however long I've known him. More and more, I notice that he kind of enjoys the irony between us. He seems to be a bit condescending to me at times with his comments, but I guess I deserve it. He knows that I don't have a girlfriend or hardly date, nonetheless. His eyes light up when I mention a lady friend of mine, like I've never talked to girls before............ His girlfriend kinda hinted at me, maybe, that I was gay. Sister, take a number! A few people think I'm gay. I'm single, fit, financially sound (not rich, but okay), live alone, never seen with chicks unless in a group, very private w/ exception of this blog...............there ya go.

I can't help what others think.

As we made our way to the back, he told me that he was going home, and I was welcomed to go drink some brew with him. I told him that I would stop by later after I said my hi's and good-bye's. As he went on, I followed behind albeit walking a bit slower. I noticed JA; oh my gosh, her hair grew. She was a Math teacher who had quit the education biz at the same time I did. It had been a year since I had talked to her. She wore glasses this time around........she was very pleasing to the eye.

"Hey, how are you?"

"I'm good," I said, "just hanging in there."

"So how are you liking your job? Are you still working there? Have you got it down yet?"

"Well.......yeah its okay. I don't have as much fun as teaching but it has its perks. It takes a good 3 to 5 years to learn it really well......so............its good. I'm hoping to transfer to another department one day which will probably take me to another part of the state. Its good!" I explained with a smile.

"But, are you liking it?"

"Well yeah, I enjoy it. But enough about me.......what have you been up to?" I answered and then asked.

"Well, right now I'm doing .....................(I cant remember what she said, it was loud)."

As she went on talking, I noticed her pupils were large for her face was only inches from mine. Her eyes were wide open, and she hardly had blinked. She had a small grin on her face; I honestly was a bit uncomfortable. I was uncomfortable b/c she was a good person with a great husband. I knew him, and he knew me. He was standing three feet away from us. We had shook hands before me and his wife began our little talk.

As I nodded my head in agreement ........u know what I mean.....I turned and looked at her husband. His once shining smile as we greeted each other had turned in a serious look of concern. His look was at his wife, not at me. I was uncomfortable as I turned back to see his wife. Again, I smiled and nodded........replied a bit here and there.

As things were gonna get out of hand, I think, "A" joined the conversation with her quaky comments. "A" is an adorable person with kind heart; she'd practically do anything for anybody. She began talking and then began her walk toward the back doors from where we were at. We all followed her out to the lobby. There we were in a group.......standing there and greeting the grads as they left. I got to see K one last time. She was the valedictorian of the class. We chit chatted........she's undecided as far as going to UT or TAMU. We said our good-bye's, and she made her way out the exit from the center. "Enjoy College Station," I said. She turned and smiled at me. I saw her walk away. She was a great kid and will make a fine Aggie some day. K, make me proud!

Within the next 30 minutes, I said my good-bye's, scolded/encouraged a few dropouts that had showed up, hugged a few who needed a hug, and gave time to old cohorts that I'll always remember. As I walked out, there was the group again...JA, her hubs, A, and her parents. I stepped up to the group as they were in conversation.

"Come eat with us." JA told me.

"I'm not so sure; I told J I was gonna go over to his place and drink a few."

At this point, hubby stood right in between us. He literally stood in the way to the point where I had to lean forward and around him to see his wife. As I continued to talk to her, I noticed that he didn't let up as far as stepping back a step or two. There he stood with his chest and stomach puffed out, looking straight forward toward the street. This cemented the idea in my head that I had earlier when I was talking to his wife inside the convention center. He honestly thought there was something, or the potential for something, between his wife and me.

A lot of it was the look on her face when I first started talking with her.......the large eyes, the grin as I was talking to her, the blank stare at me, the nearness/closeness of her body toward mine. Now that I write this, I can now see why he was guarding his territory. Not to speak of women as property, but men are inherently trying to defend their own: land, country, children, wife, pride, money, beer, dog etc. Ladies, please, don't take it in a bad light. A man's woman is highly valued and therefore will get the attention that his ...................... would. : - )

In the years that I've known her, she had never done that. Could it be that I lost a few pounds? Could it be that I was more laid back and all smiles with her b/c of the mere fact that we were at a social event and not working? Maybe it was a combination of the three? I know I didn't compliment her on her hair for someone had done that before I could. Could it be the looking into her eyes that I gave her? I wasn't trying to pull her toward me with that, but she was so close to me that I had nothing else to look at. Only her and God know the truth and what happened!

That damn stare again. The best way to get a girl's attention and get her to converse with you is to start with the look. Granted, money, looks, body, and even .................... will keep her with you, but its all in the look at the very beginning.

Night