A Debilitated Heart

A young co-worker, just eighteen years in age, but wise beyond his years, approached me the other night.  He had a look of seriousness on his face, asking a serious question and not wanting one of my usual smart-ass quips.

L_____ is, as I said, wise beyond his eighteen years, and we've engaged in some inspiring subjects while restocking the coolers at work, but this subject, as it does with many, was stumping him and it was easy to understand why.

"How do you know when a girl is really into you?" he asked.  For a moment, I was sincerely touched, but remembering that my luck with the fairer sex has not been what anyone would categorize as, ideal.  Before I could answer his question, he added, "I asked this girl out for a coffee and she said, 'Hell yeah!'"  I confounded.  Even in my (extreme) few successes, I'd never gotten a 'hell yeah" as a response.

I paused for a moment, attempting to recall some fragment of useful information, but alas I had to confess that my knowledge wasn't up to par.  That no tidbit of information from me would bear any fruit of usefulness.  "I don't know," I explained, "Usually when I ask a girl out for a coffee, she somehow hears it as 'Can I have sex with you?', although I'm really talking about a warm refreshing beverage."

He thanked me for listening and continued on with his tasks, leaving me to dwindle on my past.  Silently I reminisced about the many rejections I've received over the years, concluding on two that I couldn't distinguish between as being the worse rejections.  Later on, I approached young L_____ and asked for his opinion.  Like I said, he's wise beyond his years.

"I asked one girl out for coffee and she answered with a resounding 'NOPE!!'  No hesitation.  No thoughts on the matter.  Not even so much as eye contact.  I barely got the question out and it was a 'nope' with a hard 'P' sound." I explained.

"Well that was harsh." he said.

"The other rejection," I continued, "The girl paused, scrunched up her face and uttered with disgust, "Eww. No."

L_____ was taken aback, then started to calculate in his head which rejection was truly the worse of the two.  He went with the latter, stating that the exclamation of disgust was definitely worse.  All these years, I'd always considered the first as worse, as no consideration was placed into the decision, but upon reexamination, I'm going to have to agree with my young friend.  Pausing to think about it, then shrieking with fear and disgust, does seem more offensive.  Damn.  My life sucks...!

I've always suffered from seasonal depression.  My sadness and loneliness seems to culminate during the winter months.  Professionals have explained it to me that it's the lack of sunlight and that the sky always seems so dull and grey.  I've always disagreed, stating that it's because all the shit that most couples enjoy together, happens during these months.  My spell usually begins just before Halloween and extends off into springtime.

I've gone on to explain that Halloween is a time that is most enjoyed with a partner.  Go out to a bar or a party and have some fun and laughs.  I'm usually a designated driver, instead, often looked over by party patrons.  Next is my birthday.  I've never had a girlfriend or significant other to share my birthday with.  Probably explains why I prefer to hide away and ignore everything when November 29th rolls around.  After that, it's Christmas.  Everyone around me is bragging and showing me what they got for their loved one and all I can do is fake a smile and feign interest, wishing I had someone special to share the holiday with.  I did have someone special many many years ago, but she died in a car accident days before Christmas, so the season has always been a little tarnished for me, though I don't dwell on the negativity as much anymore.

I've never had a New Year's kiss.  While everyone around me is smooching to Auld Lang Syne, I'm left looking at the floor, reminiscing about the one year that I did have a girlfriend on New Year's Eve, but because she didn't like public displays of affection, I was rejected.  A few years later, I'd be celebrating the New Year with some friends at a house party, one woman spoke up and said, I'll give everyone a New Year's kiss, but not Jeff.  Talk about a proverbial kick to the junk.

St. Valentine's Day is next.  I got a dancing gorilla with a top hat once from a friend at work.  I kinda had the hots for her, but nothing every grew from that.  (Ironically, she was the one who uttered - "Eww, No.")  I still have that dancing gorilla today and on St. Valentine's Day, I press the button and watch him dance for a few seconds.  It makes me smile and feel special for a moment... I've never had anyone special to buy flowers or chocolate for.  No one to take out on for a romantic dinner.

I have had a few successes with women.  I'm not a complete loser.  I'm mostly a loser, but not completely.  However, on closer examination of what worked to get those successes, I haven't got the foggiest idea.  One or two of them were alcohol-related, so anyone's guess is as good as any.  A couple successes more were the result of off-the-cuff smart-ass remarks.  Endeavours that have not been successfully repeated.

I'm often told that I'm a nice person, but beyond that, I don't know what is wrong with me.  I know I'm not interesting.  I don't do anything interesting.  I don't have any hobbies that I can share with people.  No extra-curricular activities that can strike interest.  I haven't any passions that anyone deems interesting.  I'm afraid I'm a lone wolf, destined to walk the world alone.

These days, life is especially tough.  I've not been able to secure gainful employment since being laid off from CNH in June of 2014.  I see many of my co-workers around and about and they've all found jobs to supplement their lifestyles, while I've been "lucky" enough to get hired onto a back-breaking minimum wage job that is slowly killing me from the inside out.  I've sent resumes to countless employers and even have an employment coach trying to help me out.  It seems like the more resumes that are sent out and the more rejections I get, the more useless I'm feeling about myself, every day.

I'm glad I have my cat, Monkey, otherwise I don't know where I'd be, if I were to be at all.

My birthday is on Tuesday.  I plan on staying home, with Monkey.  We're going to watch TV.  Share some laughs..., then I have to go to work that night. 😞
Damn!  My life sucks...!

My boy, Monkey.

DENIED!!!!

February 29th, comes but once every four years.  Leap year.  Also known as Sadie Hawkins Day, which was unbeknownst to me, prior to today, but they were touting it all freakin' day on the radio.  That and the fact that The Monkees lead singer, Davy Jones died at the age of 66, from a heart attack.  Sad to see someone so special as this die from something so tragic as a heart attack.

The whole time that the radio announcers were promoting the Sadie Hawkins angle, I was wondering "Who the f*ck is Sadie Hawkins?"|

I'm familiar with Sadie Hawkins as far as the Sadie Hawkins Dances, where it is up to the female to choose who she was to partake in the festivities with, rather than the traditional practice which pits the guy against an unforgiving wall of rejection.  I have never asked anyone to a dance.  In fact, I recall only going to one or two dances in school, I think.  I can't remember, to tell the truth...

According to Wikipedia, Sadie Hawkins Dances are primarily in November, so why February 29th is associated with Miss Hawkins, is a mystery to us both.  Sadie Hawkins is also associated with the 1930's comic strip, Little Abner, but beyond that...  I was just too lazy to read on.  What I did learn of it's association with February 29th, is that it's an opportunity for women everywhere to propose marriage to their significant other, thus removing any pressure on him.  I think this is what I need, cuz my record in the marriage proposal column is pretty f*ckin' sad.

All morning on the radio, the female DJ (*Are they still considered DJ's considering everything is digital now?) , whatever the hell her name is, kept promoting the fact that women should be taking the opportunity to ask out that special someone that they've thought about, dreamed about, or even simply "considered".  Then she posed the question, "Have you ever asked anyone out and been horribly rejected?  If so, "call such 'n' such a number and tell us about it.  The worst rejection can win blah blah blah."  Instantly I was reminded of a horrible rejection I got, once upon a time, but didn't know if I was allowed to call in or not.  For one, it's Sadie Hawkins Day, so I'd assume it's just the women who'd be encouraged to call.  And secondly, unlike my workmate, I had work to do, and couldn't take time out to call in for a prize.

The incident that I was reminded of, took place some years ago, when I worked at a gas station.  I was a gas attendant, but at the time, we referred to ourselves as "Fuel Transference Engineers".  It sounded more impressive to laymen.

There was this pretty young woman, girl, whatever, that came in every few days to top up her fuel tank.  We always had pleasant exchanges and short conversations.  Everything seemed nice.  So one day she came driving in to the station and at the urging of a co-worker, I decided to ask her out for a date.  I came up to the car, we exchanged pleasantries and during one of the lulls in the conversation, I took the opportunity to ask her out.  "Hey," I said, "I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me some time?"  I kept it loose and informal.  I didn't want it to seem forced, but the reaction was unpleasant.

She stared straight ahead and with one word said, "NOPE!", with an extra emphasis on the P (pah).  Then that was it.  A long, awkward pause.  I said "No problem.  I was just curious."  And she continued to stare straight ahead.  She passed me a $20 bill for her gas and drove away.  I'd been rejected before, that wasn't anything new, but I'd never been shut down with such a resounding reply.  "NOPE-aaah" the word still echoed in my head.  That f*cking stung, as I recall.  Then to make matters worse, she returned a couple hours later, her call filled with friends.  She parked off to one corner of the lot and I could see her pointing at me followed by the sound of laughter erupting from the open windows.

We never spoke much after that, other than exchanges as far as how much fuel she wanted in her car and all.  I don't know what ever happened to her, nor do I really give two shits.  She could've fallen off the face of the Earth, for all I care.  She was mean and I don't need assholes like that in my otherwise perfect life.