CanadianCoyote
Well-Known Member
I've been absent lately, but there's been a really good reason for it. On Memorial Day weekend I went to visit my best friend. She only lives 45 minutes away from me, but gas prices have kept us apart for more than 6 months. She said that she could spare the gas money, and that I didn't need to worry about anything.
On the drive down to her place, she told me that she'd finally gotten the inheritance money her father'd left her. He died last year (while I was out of state, too -_- I still feel bad for not being there for her) and that she'd missed me and decided to treat me to a nice weekend out.
Okay!
When we got to her apartment, there was something waiting for me.
A brand, spanking new computer. And monitor. And printer.
My old computer had been dying a slow, painful death for months. My mouse port was shot, one of the two USB ports was shot, the sound card was dead and the CD-burner took over an hour to burn something. That computer was about 9 years old, and she'd served me well, but it was getting to the point where I couldn't use it for anything. My monitor was on the verge of burning out too, it was a few years older than the actual computer.
She kept going on and on about how she wished she could've bought me something better ... and after I'd stopped crying (took about 45 minutes for me to calm down) I told her that it was, very literally, 10 times better than the Beast that was sitting in my room.
When I asked her why she'd spend that kind of money on me, she replied that in the 10 years we've known each other ... I've been her rock, her strength, giving anything and everything I had to help her along. And finally, she was able to do something nice for ME ... she knows I'm dirt poor, and had no hope of getting a new machine ... or anything new, really ...
She suffers from SEVERE social anxiety. She's afraid of people, afraid that once they get to know her -- they won't like her. I'm the only person she talks to (other than her mother). That's not an exaggeration, literally - I'm her only friend. I've been trying to get her to be more social, make more friends, but I know it's a slow process. And, recently, she's been getting better. Last November (which is the last time I saw her face-to-face before Memorial Day) I talked her into going to a convention with me. She spent three nights in a hotel room with me and six other people she didn't know, went to events that were crowded with people, and talked to REAL people that share her interests (even the ones she's half afraid to admit she has). She had a wonderful time, and is looking forward to going again this year. That's better than I could've ever expected, and I'm proud of her for it. I love her to death, and I want to see her do well ... She's 9 years older than I am, and deserves the world but settles for her two room apartment...
God, even talking about it now is making me tear up. Never in a million years ...
So, I've been making this machine my own. Installing the programs required for survival, backing up everything I have and working on a plan to get her back.
Good things come to those who love.
On the drive down to her place, she told me that she'd finally gotten the inheritance money her father'd left her. He died last year (while I was out of state, too -_- I still feel bad for not being there for her) and that she'd missed me and decided to treat me to a nice weekend out.
Okay!
When we got to her apartment, there was something waiting for me.
A brand, spanking new computer. And monitor. And printer.
My old computer had been dying a slow, painful death for months. My mouse port was shot, one of the two USB ports was shot, the sound card was dead and the CD-burner took over an hour to burn something. That computer was about 9 years old, and she'd served me well, but it was getting to the point where I couldn't use it for anything. My monitor was on the verge of burning out too, it was a few years older than the actual computer.
She kept going on and on about how she wished she could've bought me something better ... and after I'd stopped crying (took about 45 minutes for me to calm down) I told her that it was, very literally, 10 times better than the Beast that was sitting in my room.
When I asked her why she'd spend that kind of money on me, she replied that in the 10 years we've known each other ... I've been her rock, her strength, giving anything and everything I had to help her along. And finally, she was able to do something nice for ME ... she knows I'm dirt poor, and had no hope of getting a new machine ... or anything new, really ...
She suffers from SEVERE social anxiety. She's afraid of people, afraid that once they get to know her -- they won't like her. I'm the only person she talks to (other than her mother). That's not an exaggeration, literally - I'm her only friend. I've been trying to get her to be more social, make more friends, but I know it's a slow process. And, recently, she's been getting better. Last November (which is the last time I saw her face-to-face before Memorial Day) I talked her into going to a convention with me. She spent three nights in a hotel room with me and six other people she didn't know, went to events that were crowded with people, and talked to REAL people that share her interests (even the ones she's half afraid to admit she has). She had a wonderful time, and is looking forward to going again this year. That's better than I could've ever expected, and I'm proud of her for it. I love her to death, and I want to see her do well ... She's 9 years older than I am, and deserves the world but settles for her two room apartment...
God, even talking about it now is making me tear up. Never in a million years ...
So, I've been making this machine my own. Installing the programs required for survival, backing up everything I have and working on a plan to get her back.
Good things come to those who love.
