Story Time
“How did you two meet?”
It's a fair question - a fair question we don't have an answer to.
I think people will assume we are lying because we don’t want to say online, or something. But honestly, I have no clue, and also, we met in 2015. Our first date was eight years ago, at D.O.C in Lakeview. It was the cutest first date spot.
I remember leaving that date, and saying goodbye in front of a Target. There was no goodnight kiss, just an awkward hug, and, ‘hope you get home ok.’ At that time, in 2015, that was the end of that.
Over the course of three years, Matt and I somehow kept in touch. Sporadic text messages and random bump ins. It wasn’t anything noteworthy, and honestly, there was probably a good year and a half we didn’t talk at all.
Sometime late in 2017, my friends were trying to convince me to move to the South Side. I told them, ‘it’ll never happen… unless you find someone for me to date on the South Side.’
My friend's boyfriend replied, ‘I only know one gay guy, but what’s your type?’
I listed off my preferences.
‘Actually, he sounds like he could be your type… his name’s Matt McNally.’
I laughed, ‘not all gays know each other, but I do know him.’
In December of that year, I text Matt, ‘I’ll be on the South Side for Christmas. We should meet up.’
‘Maybe, I’m kind of busy, but let me know what you end up doing.’ I took that as a no and made other plans.
My friend and her boyfriend invited me over to hang out on Christmas Eve. Out of nowhere my friend Christy, ‘You should invite that Matt guy over?’ I paused, ‘really?’
I sent the text, and that night, he showed up.... He proceeded to spent more time talking with Christy’s boyfriend than he spent chatting with me.
In April, I noticed him nearby on Snapchat (I know, it’s a little stalker-ish but why do you think that option exists?), ‘I see you’re in the city? Come meet up, I’m out with friends.’
‘I’m already back on the South Side. You’re too late. I’m off next weekend though.’
I replied back, ‘I can’t, I have to go to Orlando for work, but you should meet me there.’
‘Ok. I probably could make that happen.’
I expected him to bail. Who would actually show up and meet me in Orlando, Florida? That would be ridiculous. Unless you're trying to date a flight attendant...
A week later, he took the first flight out, ‘I’m here, and coming up.’
‘Ok, I’m laying in bed watching Live with Kelly and Ryan.’
That morning, he jumped in the second bed, and we ordered room service breakfast, and watched morning television before I had to go to work. We somehow skipped ahead to breakfast in bed, and now I need to run off to work. That night, we went out for tapas, some basic chain restaurant in Orlando. After dinner, ‘Do you want to have a nightcap?’
We ended going for that nightcap, and over the course of five more nightcaps, and three hours, we talked about life, our families, our friends, our histories, our travels, and about him ghosting me all those years prior. That night, at some touristy martini lounge in Orlando, Florida we clicked. Like two missing puzzle pieces waiting to be put together.
“So, where did you two meet...?”
I met Matt a little after 11pm, sitting outside, drinking martini’s (not good ones) at a bar in Orlando, Florida, making snarky remarks about the trashy group sitting near us.
I'm not sure if Matt feels the same... but telling our story was my assignment, so I guess you get my version…