The name is ~ Wolverine...

I love this picture.  It looks like the water is just going to spill right out.  Captured by Tabitha

I don't think there is a better feeling then new dating.  What I mean is...

* The feeling you get when you know he stopped by to see you while your at work.   
* Or when his calls seem to have perfect timing.  
* How about when you're out on your first date, and you both are so wrapped up in talking, that you barely touch your meal {well, I barely ate mine}.  
* And when he calls just as you arrive home from work and says, "Let's go out for drinks, I'll pick you up in a few minutes"  and your heart doesn't stop racing until the drink date is over.  
* Better yet, when he expresses his fear of your planned trip to New York; "Because" he states "What if you don't come back?"



I first met him while I was working at a local Shell Station.  I was the assistant manager, and he would stroll in during my night shifts, fill up his cup with soda and purchase lottery {scratch} tickets.  The first time I had seen him, and before we ever spoke a word to each other, Wolverine popped into my head.  And it stuck.  No matter who I talked to about him {and i did to some talking} I would refer to him as Wolverine.  That wasn't his name, and it wasn't until later that i would learn his real name, but that didn't matter.. He would always and forever be Wolverine.  Of course, he didn't know that.  Each time he visited the store, he would purchase tickets, and when he would ask me to pick them, he always won some of his money back.  He even suggested that I was lucky for him.  There was small talk, I dont even remember what it was we talked about, and I would sometimes work while he scratch his tickets, talk and watch me work.  I do remember feeling safe while he was around.  Comfortable, like being in front of a low glowing fire.  I remember the time we talked about marriage, and how I felt a wave of relief to learn he wasn't married.  His work kept him out at nights when I met him.  He works for the State of Texas, has been working for them for many years, a supervisor of multiple road crews.  It just so happened, they were widening I.H. 35, along the stretch of highway in front of my station.  Luck me.  We never exchanged phone numbers or never went out on a date.  It was just visiting while I worked.  I left that store after 1 year of working there, and lost all contact with Wolverine.  Until...
One day while checking out a customer at Walmart {I was on register 2, remember it like it was yesterday}, I looked at my line of customers,  to see how many I had waiting, and here he was.  Wolverine.  With those soft eyes and long sideburns, watching me and waiting patiently for his turn.  "Well, there you are."  he said as he placed his items on the counter  "Yep, I'm not at the station anymore.  Now you can visit me here."  I wanted to make sure i got the invite right out there.  "Yeah" he said "but you can't visit and talk like that here.  Better let you get back to work. I gotta go."  And just like that, he was gone.  It was almost a month later before we ran into each other again.  "Well, there she is"  he said to me as he caught me in the HBA {Health & Beauty Aid} department {I was headed to the back for my 15 min break} "How are you?" I said "I was just headed to the back for my break. What have you been up to?"  "Oh, nothing. same ole same ole" He replied "working like usual.  How about you, what are you doing on this end?" "A person in pharmacy is out, FMLA, knee surgery." I said  "I'm helping out in pharmacy and working the front end registers." I remember standing next to him, and feeling a wave of heat rush over me.  Oh, my God!! I was sweating, horrified that beads of uncontrollable water would start draining from my hair line, and a small array if sweat balls was going to form on my upper lip any second now, I had to act fast.   "I wish i could stay and chat" I added "but I only get 15 minutes, let me give you my number" I was taking a chance, now!!  Of all times to be brave, as i am having the hottest hot flash in the history of mankind. "Give me a call, lets get together and catch up."  He accepted my number, we exchanged farewells, and in that one swift single sweety moment, I had taken a leap of faith.  

~ Josie ~