A ROUGH LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP

After graduating from college, my friends and I decided to go on an adventure in the United States. It was in 1988 and it was the peak of my bachelor years. Sydney was becoming boring for us and we wanted to explore what was it like on the other side. The USA seems like a good idea. 1988 was a wonderful year. We had George Michael and Michael Jackson, youth were going to bars and concerts, fashion was so cool, and making friends was a breeze — all of these in the absence of social media. We stayed in California because one of my friends have relatives there. We tour around the place and we loved that the weather is warmer than Sydney. It is safe to say that I had some of the best days of my life while in California. One night in Santa Monica, I met Jenny. She was single and she had the most captivating eyes I ever did see. It was love at first sight for this young fresh-out-of-college boy and I was smitten by her. After drinking 4 shots of tequila, I finally dared to approach her. She was with her friends and we immediately clicked. I know it was just like in the movies and I was young and naive but I felt that she was someone I wanted to marry. We had a week left before we move back to Sydney and we managed to spend all our time together — her friends and mine. I made it clear to her that I want her regardless of the distance that we were about to face. I knew it was a silly idea but somewhere in my mind, I had the courage to pursue the relationship. At first, Jenny thinks I was not serious. I was a young boy after all. I was not sure what made her agree. Perhaps in the 7 days we get to spend together, she felt there was something in me too. When I got back to Sydney, all I had was Jenny’s address and home phone number. Back then, communicating means costly overseas phone calls and snail mails which would take weeks to deliver. But for 1 year, our line of communication was open. I got a job in one of the most prestigious media companies as a producer and Jenny was pursuing a marketing career. It was silly but when I said I was committed, I never really entertained the thought of having other girls even if we were miles apart. Jenny said she was not dating others as well. I had it all planned out — I will move to the US through the sponsorship of my company which had an American arm and Jenny and I will move together and figure things out. We planned everything for a year until Jenny stopped responding to my letters. She was always out when I phoned her home. From what I remember, I spent hundreds of dollars on overseas calls just to get to her. It was weird enough that most of our relationship was spent separately yet it was so painful for me when I saw it falling apart. I had other girlfriends before her and a lot of my friends back then were asking me to date other people. Yet, it was her all along. I kept telling these stories to my friends asking them to believe in love at first sight. Perhaps it was difficult in this day and age but it was so real to me back then. Time passed and I moved on from Jenny. I met my wife and sincerely fell in love with her as well. But before I got married after 3 years of dating, I called Jenny’s home and surprised that it was still working. Her dad picked up the phone. He said that they had a financial problem and Jenny had to work to a different state to work. It was a very devastating moment for their family he said. I was surprised that her dad opened up. He said he was not the type but he knew about me all along because Jenny would tell our story to her family. She loved me all along, I thought. But I loved my wife and life has to move on. I started my life again. I took care of my family and my children and be the best husband for my wife. Fast forward to 2016, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was one of the most devastating days of my life. I knew it would be hard for our two boys who were also fresh out of college back then. The cancer took the best from all of us. We struggled financially, mentally, and emotionally. My wife showed me how to love again and she never gave up on me. I never wanted to give up on her too but perhaps, God has another plan. After 2 years of battling cancer, my wife died. We were able to accept it as a family and we were ready to move on. It was a good thing that my boys were all grown up and can make decisions on their own. They were living independently while I stay at our family home. One morning, I was browsing Facebook when an unknown yet familiar face send me a friend’s request. Her name? Jenny. Do you have your own stories to share with us? You can send it here at [email protected]