Being With Sherri

I met Sherri in April 2002 through one of those relationship Web sites. Yes, I needed a Web site to meet a woman. There's something about that that still screams "LOSER," but I have a hard time meeting anyone otherwise.

So we met at her son's high school baseball game. We talked some. It wasn't exactly love at first sight, but I figured she seemed nice enough, so let's see what happens. If she wants to be with me, she should probably get a Purple Heart just for that.

We kept seeing each other and eventually, things started to get more serious. OK, this is a code for "We're sleeping together." At this point, maybe all I wanted was a physical relationship. It had only been a couple of months since I had split up with my last girlfriend, who shall remain nameless to protect her bad judgement in men.

After a while, I just wasn't that into Sherri anymore. The low point in this blossoming relationship came in August, when she went to Myrtle Beach on vacation for a week. She kept trying to call me, but I wasn't answering the phone. I didn't want to deal with her at that point.

I remember she came back to town on a Friday night and wanted to see me. I think she called me (of course, I didn't answer the phone. I mean, I was trying to get rid of her.) She knocked on the door to my apartment, but I didn't answer the door. So she tried calling again. This time, I answered the phone and immediately hung up on her. Maybe she'll get the hint, right?

The phone rang again and I let my voice mail answer the call. I checked the message, and still to this day, I remember it vividly.

"Of all the people who I didn't think would ever hurt me!"

OK, mission accomplished. But there was also a lot of guilt that crept into me because I really hurt Sherri. I mean, did she really care that much about me?

Now, I was free again from women! I thought I had gotten sick of being with them after the relationship with the woman who shall remain nameless.

Over the next couple of months, we talked once in a while on the computer. One night, I was kind of in the mood for love, so I started telling her what I wanted to do to her. But I got too embarrassed and got off the computer in a hurry. She called me and left a message telling me that it was OK.

Sometime in October or November, we started seeing each other again, but I still wasn't ready to jump completely into a relationship. I went to Florida for a week to see my parents over Thanksgiving and didn't even tell her. I think she was pretty bummed about that.

Suddenly, my feelings for Sherri changed and I really started to look at her as a potential serious relationship. We started seeing each other more. For some reason I don't know, I was beginning to fall for her.

Her birthday was eight days before Christmas. I don't remember what I got her, but I do remember one thing about that night.

As we sat in front of the Christmas tree in my apartment, my feelings finally got the best of me. All of a sudden, I had to tell her something.

"I love you."

I wish I could remember exactly how she reacted. I think she was kind of surprised. I don't even remember if she said she loved me back. But I hoped she was happy.

Now it's more than six years since we first met. Falling in love with Sherri is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. She's everything to me.

I'm glad she took me back. And every once in a while, she's glad to remind me of that fact.

They say love isn't easy, but the first nine months of our relationship proved one thing: Don't make love harder than it has to be.