Have you ever heard a song and it brought back a flood of memories of a past person who was very dear to you, I was at the gym working out music playing on my headphones. A song I had added to my list of songs comes on, I must admit I was feeling kind of blue at the time, something about the song brought back a flood of memories some good some not so good, emotion poured out of me, I was in the middle of a set of reps and I burst into tears, right in the center of the gym. I did what I could to hide the fact I was emotional, but there was no hiding this.
I stopped and got some paper towel to wipe my tears the song played on in the background as my emotions took control over me. Not that I ever forgot about Ron, it may have been back in the nineties, but it had never hit me like it did just now for quite some time.
I could see him clear as day the first time we met, he was across the room, given a tour of the building by the general manager. I stood there staring at him, he was five foot ten, slim, black hair and a black mustache, he had this amazing smile, even across the room I saw the glint in his eye when he smiled.
They made their way over, finally introducing me to him, his hand came towards me, the jolt of electricity as our hands met was incredible, he held my hand in his a moment to long, a beautiful smile came across his face as he released his grip, I wanted this moment to never end, even at this moment I knew I had a massive crush on the man. They continued their tour of the building, as he walked away he turned to me saying.
"Tom I will stop by and see you after my tour has ended so we can chat privately." Ron told me.
I stood there my eyes transfixed on this man in front of me walking away from me, finally someone snapped me out of my trance.
"Tom Tom so what do you think of him? I don't like the guy personally." One of my coworkers said to me.
"Come on we have to give the man a chance, he seems, Nice." I told them, my mind still thinking of his grip on my hand.
The consensus of my group of coworkers and friends was they did not like the man based on first impressions. All I knew was I more than liked him, he was the epitome of the perfect man in my eyes. An hour passed and Ron sauntered into my work area.
"Hello Tom seems you and I will be working rather closely together, I hope you and I can become fast friends as well, I sense some of the people here are not fond of the fact I replaced the last guy who was here." Ron said to me honestly.
"Ron I hope its okay for me to call you that? I won't lie or sugar coat it, you're right they do not like the fact you are taking over for the guy you replaced, but they were close friends with Doug. I myself never got along with the man whatsoever." I told Ron honestly.
"Tom would you join me for dinner this evening, I hate dining alone my treat." Ron asked me his face blushing.
"I would love to have dinner with you Ron we can join them for drinks after dinner, we go to the same bar every night after work." I told Ron honestly.
Ron and I went for Chinese food right after work, we would grab a cab to the restaurant, have a drink in their lounge, then dinner. Ron was a very nice man to get to know, he and I were only months apart in age, he appeared to be older than he actually really was. Ron talked about his past his future, he was a company man, no room for girlfriends or a wife for that matter, he was a rising star, one of the youngest managers in the company. He did admit it was a lonely life being alone and traveling from city to city, he would make friends and he would be moved.
I liked him, he was handsome, honest well informed articulate, and could help me advance in the position I was in as well. Once dinner was over I suggested we join the group from work at a local bar. He reluctantly agreed, he seemed to prefer it to be just him and I, it took little to convince him to join me at the other bar, he clearly wanted to spend more time with me.
When he and I walked in the group went silent, it was obvious they did not like the man, he and I took seats at the end of the table, he stayed very close to me the whole night. Ron excused himself to go to the washroom, once out of the room they asked why I brought him along with me. I was quickly on the defensive.
"Ron is here alone, none of you are being very hospitable to him in any way, I plan to be the mans friend if that changes our friendship then so be it. I would have never thought any of you would be like this towards anyone." I told them as I stood to leave.
"Tom we are sorry, you are right we are being terrible to this man who we do not even know, we will try to be nicer to him from now on." Mike said to me.
Mike was the one guy who I connected with when I was transferred to this company, he helped me adjust to my surroundings, including me in the group of friends we all had. For them to be like this to one guy was wrong in so many ways. I was still standing when Ron walked back in the bar.
"Are we leaving Tom?" Ron inquired.
"Honestly Ron I was not sure there for a moment, but no we can stay for one." I said to Ron looking at Mike as the words left my mouth.
Mike nodded his head in agreement as Ron and I took our seats, they all made their best efforts to include and be nice to Ron but you could see the animosity towards him, but they would include him for my sake. Ron and I became instant friends, once his car was sent up he and I toured the area, I loved being with the man, I saw him at work, then spent all my free time with him after work.
The rumor mills quickly suggested that Ron and I were more than just friends, although I wanted more from him, we both were held back. Ron and I had been to dinner then the bar one Friday night, as he drove me home, I could not keep my eyes off of him, his attention only on the road, his handsome profile, I wanted to lean in and kiss him right then and there, he pulled in to my building, stopping the car.
