January 29, 2006
The Soundtrack to a Relationship
I know many people hate this band, but I also know millions love them (they've got Gold to prove it), but The Postal Service created probably one of my favorite CD's of all time. I know I will continue to listen to "Give Up" for my entire life. Every sound on the album needs to be there and beep and hand clap works. The album is flawless.
On March 16th 2004, I sent a Mrs. Karen L. Kirkpatrick an email titled, "I have a secret...", this is what it said:
Subject: Re: I have a secret....
Date: Tue 03/16/04 06:06 PM
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> http://acnow.tripod.com/aaron/pics/accoy1.jpg
> http://www.benrose.com/cd/crushonyou.jpg
> http://www.webwombat.com.au/entertainment/dvds/images/bluecrush.jpg
> http://www.icqgreetings.com/friends/newsgirls.gif
> http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00005O863.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
> http://www.dtworld.com/Crush.jpg
>
> Do you feel the same?
>
> Cory
>
> P.S. Sorry if this is weird or awkward, I just had to get off my chest.
yes, I know what some of you are thinking; An Email! Are you serious? I say to you: Yes, it's the future, the internet is here. Get with it.
After sending that email I watched American Idol, used my computer to make songs, talked to my mom, and ate dinner (not in that order). I have never been so incredibly nervous in my entire life. This is the first time I ever told a girl I liked her! This is a big step for me! I have always been very shy about my interest in girls...not sure why, but I always felt like it was a private thing. After 2 hours or so I checked my email. My jittery fingers typed in my name and password, i almost threw up and I clicked the message:
Ditto.
-Karen
I knew what Ditto meant, but I was just so confused, so I asked a friend; What does ditto mean? Wow. Okay, that was over....but now what? Where do I go? What do I reply? What is going on?
The next day we took our class picture in the gymnasium. I sat right behind her with a few other friends. It was so strange to be near someone who knew I liked them and, strangely, liked me back. She had said "Hi!" to me earlier in the hallway and my friend didn't understand why he didn't get the same enthusastic hello. As I left the gym, I looked for her, but I couldn't find her. Suddenly, she bumped my shoulder and my head floated away and it sort of felt like flying or being in a dream. As we walked to our lockers, I asked her if she'd like to see a movie on friday and she says, of course.
That friday we saw Starsky and Hutch, I threw a basketball at her face in meijer, we told each other jokes, we ate ice cream and talked to my friend's mom while he recorded a CD for MC's. It didn't feel much like a first date, but it still was perfect. The next day after work we decided to "hang out" again and go see Eternal Sunshine and the Spotless Mind. On the way there the stereo blarred the opening chords to "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight". We didn't know what to say. We ate at Arby's for dinner. She paid for hers, i paid for mine. But, I did pay for the movie. We walked out of the movie completly silent, we felt like we were on drugs. The movie was great, but a real mind-trip. We did "Step 2" again and got more ice cream. We laughed in the line about how we had just been there the night before and the employees must think we're crazy. After we went into my house and she met my parents and we watched yet another movie, O Brother Where Art Thou? The night ended with a very awkward hug (my fault).
Movies were our thing. Our first 10 dates consisted of movies and dinner, I think, there may have been one where we went to pinball pete's and I ate the most amazing smelling sandwich in my entire life (I still get shivers thinking about that sandwich, it reminds me of so many good things). Even now at her house in the summer; our nights are full of bike rides to Blockbuster to rent movies. Yes, we survived the awkward dates. We survived the first few earth-shaking arguments. We survived the times we were sobbing in the car, not understanding the others selfishness. The soundtrack to all of this has been the Postal Service. It's one of the few albums we can actually agree on when nothing else sounds good. So much so, that I think we have decided to play "Such Great Heights" at our wedding. I look forward to the day when the bleeps and bloops fill the room, and we stare at each other (with freckles in our eyes) knowing there will never be another.
Posted by cory at January 29, 2006 11:49 PM
Comments
Man Cory, you are so Michigan. Playing at Meijer on a first Date. Pinball Pete's. You should be the mascot for our fair state.
Posted by: Anthony at January 30, 2006 10:51 AM
that story was inspirational. i love it.
Posted by: nathan John Klages at February 6, 2006 2:30 AM
Makes me want to get married. I think it was the awkward hug that was your fault that you STILL got over that sold me. :)
Posted by: Justin at February 9, 2006 10:25 PM