High school friends, college friends, work friends, family–have you ever wished two people from separate spheres of your life would meet? Just because both of them like you doesn’t necessarily mean they would like each other, but it’s kind of fun to think about, right?
Sometimes I wish people in my life now could meet someone from my past—usually mostly because that person from the past is nigh impossible to describe in words. For example, all of my fellow princesses here have had the “pleasure” of meeting Snow’s and my psychotic college roommate, but many people I’ve met since will never meet her, and that’s a bit of a shame, because she really was the kind of crazy you can’t fathom until you experience it. Another iconic figure from my past has to be Michael, the first guy (to my knowledge) to ever have a crush on me. After three years of tense teenage flirtation I finally came around to liking him too, and voila—my first kiss! The relationship flamed out immediately after that kiss, but still, I wish my friends could meet Michael and understand the depths of his pasty nerdiness—I think it would benefit their understanding of high school me. Specifically, I actually wish Ariel could meet Michael, because their lives have taken similar paths. Both standout students in high school, they hopped across the pond after undergrad to pursue graduate degrees in history. They don’t study the same era (she’s Medieval, he’s Ancient), but I have to think that two people with a passion for the past and the common experience of living in the U.K. for so many years could have one heck of a conversation, even without swapping first kiss stories. This imaginary relationship would be purely platonic and intellectual…but since I haven’t spoken to Michael since college myself, the chances of hooking them up are slim. I guess I’ll have to cross my fingers and hope they run into each other on the tube someday, or end up sitting next to each other on a flight back home.
–Cindy
When I read this question, for some reason the people that came to mind were my sister and my friend Sheri. They might not be a good answer for the question, because I am not so sure that they would be friends, even if they knew each other. However, I have often felt to myself that they had somehow had some real similarities and things in common. I wonder if they would get on? It is kind of funny because I don’t really get on too well with my sister (at least currently), and Sheri is my good friend. But somehow I feel they have something in common. It is hard to say exactly what it is. I mean, there are superficial things— like the fact that both of them are strict (very strict) vegetarians who eat cheese but not eggs. But I think that one of the deeper connections is their relationship to their family. My sister is somehow not good at maintaining relationships with her family members. This is even perhaps a bit of an overstatement… if one wanted to be harsh you might say that she was systematically isolating herself from every member of the family. It’s all pretty crazy— at least that is how it seems to me. But when I’ve talked to Sheri about it, she always somehow sees my sister’s side of the issue. Maybe that is because in Sheri’s family, she is the loner. She is the one on the outside— everyone else in the family is tight, but she feels like she doesn’t fit. Or, more accurately, she feels like they have rejected her. Probably exactly how my sister feels. I am not sure how my sister and Sheri would get along, but I almost think they would have fun.
–Ariel
Great question Cindy! I tend to think everyone I love should always get along, and it has gotten me into trouble when I try to force people who aren’t really friends to hangout. A lot of trouble actually, so much so that this question feels a bit impossible because I’ve either already introduced people who I thought would get along or have a very strong feeling that it won’t work out with the other people I know. But I’ll never stop trying, because the more the merrier, and it is hard work to juggle friends and feuds. I could go with the obvious and say that I would be a great match with any of my friends’ brothers, but this isn’t about me and I have already met said brothers, so I’ll have to go with my high school friend Sarah and my college friend Ann. Similar personalities are always risky to put together, and it is even more likely to not work out when those personalities are strong ones, but these two opinionated girls both have hearts of gold solidly under their sarcasm and jokes. I think 5 years ago they would have never gotten along, and ten years ago they would have been mortal enemies, but now they’re at similar places in life with similar ways of handling it and I genuinely think they’d be fast and strong friends. Both of them are not for everyone, and both of them can be a handful for their friends and loved ones, but both of them connect with people in a way only a few can. They leave lasting impressions and a part of you will never be the same after being their friend.
–Aurora
Whenever I think about two people who should meet, I always think of the ill-fated attempt to hook up Aurora with a crazy kid that graduated high school with me. All the princesses were in mine and Ariel’s hometown going through my old yearbook. Suddenly Aurora points to a guy and says “who’s that?” After describing all the antics of this individual, she decides they are soulmates. We tell her that he still lives in the area, which excites her even more. In order to make herself known to him, she tacks up a notice in his favorite coffee shop with her phone number on it. We think he actually did try to call her, but didn’t leave a message. Alas, it seems it wasn’t meant to be, but it will forever be one of my favorite stories. Because wouldn’t that be the best how we met story ever!
I’m sure there are other examples of people in my life who I really want to meet each other, but this one will always stick out. I’m still hoping that someday in the future I’ll be with Aurora, and we’ll see this guy across the room. I’ll excitedly whisper “that’s him!” Then she’ll go up to him all confident and say “Remember that time years ago when a girl left you her number on a coffee shop bulletin board?” And the rest is history.
–Snow
Snow I haven’t thought about that note in forever! He was wearing rainbow suspenders in his yearbook photo, so naturally it was love at first sight. Well not technically yet since I’ve never seen him in person, but I’m all for running into him one day and bringing up my crush at first yearbook photo.
I also REALLY want to meet Cindy’s Michael. I feel like he is part of my life too, since we all bonded by hearing stories about him. My guess is he has changed a bit since high school… but really not at all.
Moral of the story is I miss you all and as fun as it would be to create other relationships from the ones we have, we already have each other and that is enough for me.