When I was drawing a lot, and doing art commissions, I had some business cards made. I gave some out to get work, but also some were just to share with those I thought would understand and appreciate it. Including my fellow artist and regular customer from when I was in retail: Flannel Man.
Flannel Man was a semi-regular customer, and I say this because he was there often enough that I would recognize him, but not as often as many others. He was an artist and we had spoken about art, and sometimes about our personal lives; when we could. I knew his marriage was over, months before I left retail.
Months later, I got an email, just before my birthday. Flannel Man had found my business card in his vehicle and sent me a message. We reconnected and, within days, had found an intense attraction existed between us. I was stunned; flabbergasted even. He is so far out of my league. Much thinner than anyone I've had an interest in before, even. But he is kind, creative, warm and amazing. He's not a Trekkie, per se, but he's an artist and he has such compassion, and he does geek out over things.
But he's not mine. Not yet. Maybe in the future. When the pain and the drama he's going through is over with...maybe then. He told me, I don't need to wait for him. And I tell myself I'm not. I mean, honestly, I am still invisible and I don't know how to change that. But he sees me. And he's always seen me.
