*Forgive my poor writing skills; this is merely for fun; all characters are fictional!*
Smitten Ryder, a young 27-year-old does, as his name suggests, rides (he’s actually a rancher) for a living. Low on gas after a long day with the animals, he stops at the local gas station with just $25 dollars on him, walks in, and says:
Ryder: “Hi, twenty-five on pump 3 please.” Smiling with eye-contact
Wise: “Sure thing, enjoy the rest of your night.” She says w/o eye contact
Ryder: “Thanks, goodnight.”
Annette Wise, a 23-year-old first-year Ph.D. student in biological and biomedical sciences. After a seven hour shift, she arrives home at 11:25 p.m., quickly showers, neglects dinner, and begins her coursework needed for the next day of assistance by her mentor.
She leaves the house at 9 a.m. after getting 4 hours of sleep, makes it to the university, begins doing whatever it is PhD students do, ends her school day at 3 p.m., grabs a quick bite, and refreshes herself for another seven hour shift at the gas station. This is her routine Monday-Thursday.
Smitten wakes up at 5 a.m. everyday, prays, runs, showers, eats, and begins his day. He makes a fool of ranch life with his beauty. Yet he found himself alone, with no one else to live for but God, himself, and his herd of animals.
This life pleased him, but he loathes the fact that he wakes up alone every day with no one to embrace. With the build of every woman’s fantasy (tall, rugged, lean, fit, stron- you knowww the list… it goes on), he had no interest in any woman who lacks the very knowledge of what he thought life ought to be.
As a traditional man, in a modern, fast-past, and money-driven society, he yearns for a woman who values family and appreciates life and its meaning.
Fridays, aka grocery and study day, Annette shops for the basics and whatever it is she’s running low on. She doesn’t eat much, so she doesn’t cook much, leaving her with not much to stock up on.
With great focus, she shops, checks out, and leaves without a care in the world for her surroundings. Meanwhile, Smitten, aware of everyone who has walked past him, recognizes her face as her beauty was one for the books. She had the type of beauty that one could only wish for, but didn’t notice.
Ryder: “It’s amazing,” he whispers, referring to her beauty as she walks past.
Wise: “Memorable scent,” she thinks to herself
Weeks go by, the cycle continues. They both work themselves to the bone, but one enjoys it, while the other is miserable.
Tuesday night arrives, and with $25 in his pocket..
Ryder: “Hi, $25 on pump 3 please.”
Wise: “Sure thing, have a good night.” She says recognizing his scent and now recognizing his beauty.
Ryder: You to-
He stops himself, because now her beauty is just too great to ignore for the third time.
Ryder: “You see, it’s night out, and to avoid creeping out the pretty lady I’ve restrained myself, but I can’t anymore.
Wise: Her eyebrows raise and fear shows on her face as she doesn’t know what to expect
Ryder: “You’re beautiful… in the most beautiful way possible, if that even makes any sense.” He says with hand gestures and an almost confusion on his face.
Wise: “Wow, thank y-” She chokes on her words, teary-eyed.
Ryder: “Is- is everything alright? I didn’t mean to make the pretty lady cry.” Nervously smiling
Wise: “No, everythings fine. I just don’t remember the last time I was acknowledged by a stranger or even given a compliment.”
Ryder: “Well, maybe if you kept your head up at the grocery store or made eye contact you’d hear a lot more of them.” He jokes.
Wise: “I thought that was you at the grocery store,” she says wiping her tears.
Ryder: “How’s that?” Confused, as she made no eye contact at the store.
Wise: “Well, there’s a very distinctive scent that only appears when you’re around.”
Ryder: “Well, forgive me if I’ve made a poor assumption of you not being aware of your surroundings.”
Wise: “All is forgiven. You have a good night.” She smiles kindly.
Ryder: “Tipping his hat, he walks away.”
Falling in love with her voice, beauty, and now her smile, he replays the moment over and over until he can’t anymore. Waking up the next day, the air feels blissful, the sun shines brighter, the cattle suddenly seem more compliant, and all is well.
Without time to daydream, Annette rushes home, and the long night continues. But for a split second, right before beginning her coursework, she smiles.
Already planning another encounter, Ryder, with $25 in his pockets, walks into the gas station at 8 p.m. on Wednesday night.
Wise: “Hi, welcome in-” She stops, nods, smiling with her head down as she cannot help it after seeing that it’s him.
Ryder: “You see I came in with $25 in my pocket knowing I don’t need it, but also knowing I needed to see you again.”
Wise: “I- I don’t know what to say.”
Ryder: “Well, you don’t have to say much, just ‘Okay’ to what I’m about to say.”
Wise: Raises her eyebrows in curiosity.
Ryder: “I would love to take you out sometime.”
Wise: “I’m afraid that won’t be possible” Saddened, losing eye contact.
Ryder: “Why not?” He asks gently, disappointed.
Wise: “I can barely carve out some time for myself. I feel I’m in no position to accept what you’re offering at this moment.”
Immediately, he knew that she was like all the other women who participated in this modern, fast-past, and money-driven society. A woman who he would have had no interest in, in the past, but without knowing her, he sensed that her reason for participation was survival. Contemplating whether this was the right idea, he says without another thought:
Ryder: “Give me two hours. Allow me to take a load off and ease your mind.”
In a matter of seconds, panic overtakes her. She has never even considered the idea of love in her life at this moment and worries that Sunday, the only day she has for herself, is the only day she can allow.
Ryder: “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
Wise: “It’s not wise, but Sunday- I’m free only on Sunday.”
Ryder: “This may be your wisest decision yet; it is certainly mine.”
Writing on receipt paper, he gives her the address to his ranch.
Ryder: “I can work with Sunday. Come by anytime after noon.”
Wise: “Ok, thank you. Good night.” Shyly smiling.
Ryder: “No, thank you.”
Smitten spends Thursday, Friday, and Saturday regretting the fact that he never even asked her name. As it eats him up inside, Annette spends those days anxious (while studying, of course, and doing whatever Ph.D students do) since she hadn’t been on a date since her high school days. After losing her absolute mind, she calms herself, ends her night, and goes to bed.
Sunday arrives, and naturally, as a girl, Annette wakes up at 7 a.m. to prepare for an unexpected but hopeful day ahead. With not much in her closet but still wanting to impress, she focuses on emphasizing her natural beauty. As she fixes her hair, she notices a red fabric poking from her closet, and remembers that it is a beautiful red summer dress. Immediately, she stops feeling bad about not having anything to wear.
As usual, Smitten wakes at 5 a.m., begins his routine, and heads to Church at 9 am. As the service wraps up, ending his prayer before leaving…
Ryder: “Lord, if I’ve met my match hand-picked for me by you, may I know the moment I lay eyes on her today. Amen.”
Anytime after noon meant exactly noon to Annette. You see, she wasn’t the type to play hard to get, so she would never leave anyone waiting. For the first time in a long time, not only does she look beautiful, but she feels beautiful.
Reading a book on the front porch, he sees from afar a flowy red dress approaching. As she gets closer, he is captivated by the very beauty she unforgivingly and consistently displays. In complete and utter awe, he looks up to the beautiful sky.
Ryder: “Lord, there goes my wife.”
That’s it for now guys, see you next month!