Two: Wishful Thinking

*Ding*

The elevator doors close. Lucy is lucky I am loyal and would not leave a friend hanging! I told her I don't do club activities! Frustrated, I kept thinking about how I got dragged into going to this so called listening party. All she said was she needed a friend to go to a listening party a guy invited her to. That's what I get for not asking the right questions. It's like 20 sum'mn degrees outside! I should be home chilling with my family or working on jewelry designs! Instead I'm here in some warehouse on Chicago's South Side at a listening party.

Msssccchhhewwwww

Lucy: Hey, how are you? It's cold outside isn't it.

No this girl is not making conversation with this tall smooth skinned man! Why she gotta talk to everybody though? I'm not talking. This is not the kind of environment I want to meet someone in...

Franklin: Yea it is. I'm from the East Coast too. I just moved here. I wasn't expecting it to get soo cold so fast. How are you ladies doing?

Ladies huh? Plural right? I'm not talking to you. *rolls eyes*

Lucy: We're alright... just came out to support a friend. The East Coast huh? What brought you out here?

Franklin: Oh, I run a clothing store in Wicker Park. Nice little gig.

*Ding*

Finally! but, did he say clothing store? hmmm, I do need outfits for my jewelry store's next photo shoot.

Lucy: Sounds nice! See ya inside the party. If not, you stay up!

Franklin: You ladies do the same.

I made sure I sized up the mister and noticed which direction he went in as me and Lucy got lost in the crowd... 

See, this is what I'm talking about! I gots to be the oldest lady in here. These kids don't even have on any clothes! It's cold outside and yall are half naked in the name of celebrating some album.

Mssccchhhhewwwwww

Buuhhhhh.... since I am here, I might as well network. Maybe this brotha can help a sister's business out and I can actually gain something positive from this event.

An hour passes by and Lucy gets a chance to talk to her inviter while I try to chillax and just about judge and ridicule everybody in the room... all in my head of course. 

Ola: Girl, I'm ready to go. Are you?

Lucy: Yea girl, let's go.

Ola: Oh wait! I want to talk to that guy we met in the elevator first.

Lucy: You mean the one who was checking you out?

Ola: He was not checking me out, but since he owns a clothing store maybe we can collaborate for my store's next photo shoot...?

Lucy: Scared money, don't make money. Go for it!

After locating the said mister, I asked if we could talk in the lobby.

Franklin: Sure. I didn't quite catch your name though.

Ola: I'm Ola. I run an online jewelry store. You said you have a clothing store? You think we could collaborate sometime? I have a photo shoot coming up and my models need attire.

Franklin: Oh for sure. You look gorgeous by the way.

Ola: Me? I look like a grandma. I've got the most clothes on in here! *laughs* This really isn't my scene. I just came to support a friend.

This I said as I ran my hand through my braids in attempts to elevate my cuteness.

Franklin: Modesty is one of the best looks a female can have.

Hmm, maybe I judged this one too quickly.

Ola: So what else do you do?

Franklin: I'm busy a lot so in my down time, I just chill and talk to my Creator a lot. You know. Just to stay grounded. A lot is happening these days. It's important to stay connected to the Supreme Being.

Sayy Whhaaa?! He stays connected to God?

Another 30 minutes passes by. We stood there, outside all the noise and raunchy activity and while Lucy ever so patiently waited, we discussed. We spoke on numerous topics from politics to how Santa is a fake symbol for Christ to the current state of the church to how the Man is the King of his home and the Woman is the ground that Nourishes and Cares for the home... I'm having flashbacks. I remember that day like it was yesterday! Email me I'll tell you the very date it all happened! I mean a babe was thoroughly and overwhelmingly impressed! It had been a GOOD While since I found a man where I could carry on with such (what seemed then) dynamic convo!

Ola: Well, we gotta go. I got church in the morning anyways and I need my sleep.

Franklin: Ahh and I thought genuine ladies only existed in museums. 

That's how it started oh!

He seemed to reflect what I had been praying and desiring in a man. Someone who knew their authority in Christ and in his home. Lucy was a G though for listening to me nag here upon our arrival there and then holding her up for a good 30 minutes. We just spoke and vibed so naturally! I thought that maayybee this could actually be something... Then he showed me his real colors.

Please leave a message after the beep:

Ola: Yo Franklin, where are you? I'm here at the bowling alley with my friends waiting on you. I thought you said you'd be here? I really hope everything is okay though. I don't understand why you're not answering your calls...

Boy should I have taken a hint!! They say, people always show you who they are, we just refuse to believe them. I learned that from this relationship. Eventually, about a day later, numerous calls from me,and I think 1 or 2 emails from me (I literally lost sleep over this... I had never been stood up before so I was quite confused as to what happened. Not too mention gullible and naive), he finally responded. 

He told me some story about how he was too tired to make it and not bold enough to tell me he wasn't coming.

 K

To this day, I'm still asking myself why I didn't take a hint!

I was just soo foolishly hopeful. I was anxious too! During that same time period, I was hearing from God about my marital life, but I never took the time to chill to go back and ask whether or not that's who God was referring to. I was just ready to be in something, and some kinda thing did I get into!

That 30 minute conversation planted something in me. I was tired of being alone. I held onto that imaginary yet beautifully detailed picture I painted of him based off of that first convo... despite the fact that for the next year and some months the bro never had the actions to back it up.

Crazy in'it?

You don't know the half of it!

I think the biggest lesson I learned out of this was when people show you, not tell you, who they are listen to them. Instead of jumping into this mans arms and bed I should have relaxed. I should not have let my desires get the best of me to the point where my emotions ran rampant. Yea, I surely did hear from God. His Spirit verifies His word to this day, but he surely wasn't talking about Franklin! hahaha 

When we desire something so bad, it's easy to run to anything that looks like it, but it is soo important to run back to God first and find out what He thinks. This way we won't just fall for any old thing.