Valentines Day Love Story

It was my first time working in a call center. I wasn't sure what to expect. There were no assigned cubicles so I simply chose the one closest to the entrance/exit. I figured I could come in do my business and get out. After a few months it became painfully clear this was the wrong place to sit. I was the first thing people saw in the morning and like a monkey at the zoo they would stare; please don't feed the animals.

Eventually, I was forgotten and people came and went as they pleased but then I noticed someone. She must be new. I would have remembered seeing her walk by. She was visually stunning. Tall and thin she always wore long, straight clinging dresses. Her skin was 'Twilight' pale with long brown hair. What really made her stand out more than her beauty was that she stared at the floor as she walked. No eye contact with anyone.

My cubicle was also first and last leading to the break room which would allow me to lay my eyes on this vision everyday. As the days passed my courage grew and I was determined to find out who she was and see if maybe I had what it took to get her to notice me. As I kept an eye on the clock and her break time approached I started by simply standing up and stretching. This would definitely catch her attention. Right? Wrong! She still wouldn't look up. After several days of being walked over like a piece of gum on the sidewalk I gave up.

Maybe more drastic measures were needed. I deployed that ever useful tactic called, clearing your throat. As she passed I would gently clear my throat. If you had heard me by the fourth day you would have guessed I had the swine flu. She still walked by staring at the floor oblivious to my childish antics. What was going on here? Maybe she just wasn't in to me? My thinking was, for someone not to be in to you they have to actually see you.

One day I was outside taking my break and as I caught my image on the building's reflective glass I was shocked to see my scalp through my hair! I'm freaking going bald! No wonder she wouldn't turn to look at me. That same day I visited the barber. I call it the barber because it's more macho to say than hair salon but we all know what I mean. I told the girl there, "Shave it off." I wasn't about to be the guy with the comb-over at work. Besides, we already had one and he wasn't all that popular.

The next day I arrived to work and the stares started all over again. It was fine. This was better than having point to you behind your back because you're trying to use arm-pit or ear hair to cover your balding scalp. Today was the day. I was sure of it. If nothing else she was going to look at me because of this drastic change, right? WRONG! Not a glance. I was deflated. I returned to my seat and skulked the rest of the day.

The following day I figured I had nothing to lose so I penned a short note and gave it to a guy who sat next to her. OMG! I was being reduced to middle school tactics. Oh well; whatever it takes, right? I watched as he handed it to her and viola! She read it. The note said, "I know you don't know me but I'd really like to meet you. Can we talk?" She took out a pen and wrote something on it and gave it back to the guy. He brought it back with a look of disgust on his face. That look that says, "How can you look at yourself in the mirror knowing you act like a child?" Please! Don't judge me just give me the freaking note!

I opened the note slowly and swallowed hard. The note she wrote back stated, "We can't talk here. Call me..." She gave me her phone number!!! The back of my recently scalped head started to tingle in childish anticipation. It was time for her to walk by so I quickly stood up like a rooster about to crow at dawn and.... she walked by starring at the floor. Not a glance. Nothing. Ever see how a balloon deflates when it's hit by a sharp object? I deflated faster.

That night I went home and waited the appropriate amount of time before I called. After waiting a whole two minutes I couldn't take it anymore and I dialed. The girls voice who answered was soft and sexy with a hint of nervousness. I prayed it wasn't the maid. I asked for her by name and she said it was her. We talked for five hours that night. It was a weekend so we made plans to see each other that night. When we met she had a gift for me. It was a bag of Halls cough drops!

Once together we were inseparable. It turns out she was painfully shy and had noticed me from the first day she started working there. She looked forward to walking by desk everyday to see what I would do next. She didn't even care that I was bald. We've been married now for 14 years and have 4 wonderful boys. We don't work in that call center anymore but I'm so glad it gave me the opportunity to meet the love of my life. It's true what they say; love at first sight really does happen.