The girl he fell in love with

About 11 years ago I was someone completely unrecognizable to even my own husband who at the time was my live in boyfriend. I often wonder how I ever let that snippet of time happen. There is still some remnant of that person around. After all I do smoke an e-cigarette. That's edgy. Right?

I joined the military at the tender age of 19 and found myself in a sense footloose and fancy free. I could do whatever the H-E double hockey sticks I wanted to. This was a dangerous scenario for a repressed and fearful preacher's daughter. I am sure you have heard plenty about pastor's daughters. Well I wasn't any of that......until I left home.

I discovered liquid courage and successfully embarrassed myself anytime I wasn't at my very technical and hard to explain job. Alcohol let me express all that pent up stuff inside. I could be who I'd always fantasized I was and boy was it addictive. The 15 plus guys I worked with didn't seem to mind either. I was a constant source of entertainment. And then I met this boy who I was not remotely interested in. I had my pick of just about any guy within a five mile radius. To the Italian boys I was exotic and the American boys......well they were just too lazy to learn Italian.

Dan married an alcoholic party girl who couldn't successfully make boxed mac-n-cheese. Forget any domesticity. All I cared about was what club/bar we were going to and what I was going to wear which usually wasn't very much. I loved my music and spent my money with abandon.

I don't know that girl anymore. I wonder what Dan was thinking.....well no I don't, but he has made some pretty big leaps himself. I am glad we have grown up together. It stings a little less when you look back. I am not especially proud of my indiscretions and most people who know me now would have a difficult time imagining me in my previous state of depravity. God help me if my kids ever ask. I have gone from Tara Reid to Donna Reed in a little more than a decade. Who else can say that?

If I hadn't been such a disgraceful idiot who knows if I would have my head on straight enough to be who I am today. I am still a work in progress. I just wonder in ten more years what I will look back and shake my head at. Dan got the old bait and switch I guess. I'd like to think he ended up with surprisingly more than he thought he was getting. But she is still in there and sometimes she makes an appearance. You just never know when this girl is gonna get crazy. I might even leave my Christmas lights up until February. Look out!