Long Time, My Darlin'

Sam and Allie were just two people with computers, the Internet, and dreams. At first these dreams were just dreams of distant futures which kept them in life, but lonely. They changed, like life sometimes does, and now they found themselves enraptured with the hopes and desires that lovers do. They loved their chat room discussions, their secret messages, and the emails, which eventually led to their dreams, thoughts and desires.

It would be hard to pinpoint who started to have these desires of meeting in person, falling in love and living happily-ever-after. With Sam and Allie, they believed these things don’t really happen. They thought that each of them had a better chance of being millionaires then finding the one person that would make their heart sing out loud with love. That is why this story; their story, must be told, because fairytales aren’t always stories between a Sleeping Beauty and a Prince.

Sam was the hard working dairy farmer; Allie was a full time psychology student who also had a part time job. Both should have been to busy to spend countless hours sitting behind a computer, but maybe, just maybe, they were in love from that first mouse click. Their schedules as different as they sounded were working out rather nicely. They were both early riser, Sam was up before dawn milking and feeding the cows and Allie had a few morning classes to attend. Another thing that played a factor into their Internet times was the one-hour time zone change. Both of them would hurry with either their chores or schooling to meet on the chat rooms or Instant Messenger.

In meeting this way almost every weekday it didn’t take long for each of them to look forward to these electronic sessions. At first they would talk about the weather, work, school, how their day was, and other general stuff. These conversations led them into a better than average friendship. They started picking up on each other’s moods, attitudes and they could finish the other‘s sentences from time to time.

The friendship was evolving into a real relationship. It had its ups and downs, its twists and turns, its trying times but with each obstacle faced, dealt with and overcome they became closer. They did become a lot closer than just friends. Their conversations began to turn to the deeper, more passionate, and intimate type of communications. They were falling for each other. They were like two quasars in a midnight’s sky burning brighter as their paths crossed, met and fell to the Earth together.

Like the dreams of meeting, it is even harder to tell who was actually the first to put meaning into those three words that everyone hopes to hear. They were typed, they were entered, they appeared upon clear crystal screens and they left each other gazing into an electronic abyss. These three words left the wanting of their hearts to be opened up for public viewing. These words, “I Love you” were ever present from that moment on, which leads to their overwhelming desire to meet face to face. This is why I am compelled to write this story.

Sam, through the course of time had found a new job. Allie found herself waiting for school to start again. Sam and Allie planned their meeting for October, the anniversary of the day they first met. Plans changed and they postponed the inevitable until the first of December. Unfortunately due to car problems Sam never left his house. The rescheduled trip was then for the first Thursday of the New Year. A delay in Sam’s employment in handing out paychecks caused him to miss one bus and wrong information on departure times and changed pick up location caused him to leave a day late.

Now Sam’s heart and nerves mount their attack on his sanity. He wasn’t able to get a hold of Allie. Some blonde...namely Sam forgot to save Allie’s work number. He resorted to emails, which, as to the start of this journey, were left unanswered. He left, taking a chance on her reading the emails before he arrives. Of course all he can do is hope that fate and Lady Luck our on the same wavelength on this day. It could be a long trip for nothing if they don’t.

With all the troubles Sam has experienced up to this point you would think that the rest of his trip would go along without a hitch. Not the case, his first stop he is greeted with a ticket problem. The ticket agent is rude to say the least and is also argumentative. Sam feels apologetic when he responds with a mirror image of this person, but this woman stopped her yapping and got him on his way.

The bus is filled with travelers; people with their own story to tell, people with their own lives to lead. Some of the people have smiles on their faces, some scowls, some pain, some tears, some joy, some make-up, and some have their mouths open and their eyes closed. Sam’s smile is from his thoughts of meeting Allie and from the hopes of sharing his life with a person who shares many of the same thoughts, dreams and desires.

The exit signs, the snow-covered trees and other vehicles pass by his window in a blur. It almost appears that the world is on his side. At least he is moving towards making his, and most likely, her, dreams come true. As the bus bounces over the tar filled cracks in the road he feels as if the bus is moving to the beat of his love-filled heart. He stares at his love’s picture over and over as the miles clicked away. The daydreams about seeing her face, about feeling her close to him, and hearing her voice without the plastic handset and the miles of wires were on their way to being met. This makes all the hassles, the headaches and the delays worth it.

Finally after fourteen months, thousands of emails, long instant messages, and poems and stories written they meet. It wasn’t poetry in motion. It wasn’t a ballet. It wasn’t even choreographed but it was something very special. Two hearts with arms, legs and eyes coming together. It was magic in a world where love at first sight is only experienced through the words of romance novels.

After thirty-three total hours between inside a bus or bus terminal this inevitable meeting was about to take place, at least Sam hoped.

Yes Allie was there. Sam got off the bus into the world of the unknowing. Was Allie going to like what her eyes looked upon, was he going to like Allie, were they going to connect as easily in person as they do on the phone or the Internet? Were the answers to these questions going to be favorable to Sam and Allie? Wouldn’t just like to read on to find out? I bet you would so I will stop posing questions.

She stood there in her long purple coat, her black gloves and her heels. Their eyes met from a distance, the recognition almost took place. Sam turned around to get his luggage and she was gone. It seems a large flock of butterflies were left in her place.

She was in shock; she couldn’t believe her eyes and stepped inside the bus terminal to regain her composure. She was at the bus terminal twice the night before. In fact, Allie later revealed that it was by chance that she went to check her email at all, only hours before this bus arrived. It was a chance because she didn’t think he was coming at all.

With his luggage in hand and Allie with her regained composure, they started down that road called “Lover’s Lane”.

Sam walked towards the door; Allie walked out of the terminal. Their eyes met; blue looking into hazel, the passing glances went from face to face and Sam put his luggage down and held his Allie for the very first time. It was a beautiful moment, definitely Cupid was there with his arrows. Within seconds he had notched two arrows into his bow and there were two less lonely people in the world. It, and I’m telling you this, not because it makes my story read better, but because I was there...It was love at first sight.

They held each other for a brief time. Sam went to kiss Allie and she turned her head, they then gathered up his things and headed for Allie’s van.

They drove around Allies Texas town, they talked and she pointed out some of the places that held special memories for her. I’m sure if you asked her now; she would have special memories of different places.

The two of them stopped at a Motel 6. Sam checked into the hotel while she waited out in the van. It was a single room with a double bed and a bathroom. At least it was until they both stepped in and closed the door. Then Motel 6 became the most important place for either of them in this Texas town.

Sam walked over to the farthest part of the room, put his bags down, turned around, and looked at Allie. He then decided then and there, he was going to kiss her. Their lips touched, both still had their coats on, both still had butterflies, and both caught a hold of the electricity in the air.

The kiss started off more like flutters of hummingbird wings, which progressed into eagle wings, and then arms wrapped around each other. They stood there kissing and hugging for the longest time. Then the magic started, Sam removed Allie’s coat. This simple exchange of passion is where I closed my eyes, and if you want a real romance story with the gratuitous sex then try reading a Harlequin because this moment is to special to expound upon.

Throughout the weekend Sam removed it a few more times with each time them falling deeper in love. They were so much in love that it made it real difficult for them to say Good-bye. Their tears were too much to bear. Sam left Allie a trail of tears all the way back to Pennsylvania, where he waits for her arrival this summer.