Mr. Cuervo, I Presume?

I met my newest friend at the beginning of the summer. I had seen him around at the bars before, but always declined an introduction. His name was Jose' and upon our first meeting, I felt an instant connection that has grown into a beautiful relationship that has picked me up, let me down, and filled my heart and head with songs that only I know the words to.

It all started on a balmy June evening. It was my half-way graduation party and the crew was headed to my favorite rodeo bar to wrangle some cowboys and tackle the bull. That night, I nervously accepted the introduction to Jose'. His soothing warmness filled me with happiness and love, and he convinced me to get on that bar and shake it. That night, we really connected. Between the bull rides and the line dancing, Jose' and I met four or five more times, and each time I fell more and more in love with him.

Jose' and I continued our relationship well past that first introduction. He often brought his friends to the party to make things easier on those rough nights. We called them our "training wheels", and they really supported our relationship and helped us make the most of the strong bond that was forming. Our weekend nights became regular date nights and when my friends and I got together we all knew that the party didn't start until Jose' got there. He was a regular fixture at my house, sitting on my kitchen table as we laughed and told stories of our past adventures with him.

Throughout the summer, we hung out on a weekly basis, and I really got to know Jose' on a very personal level. We always had such a fun, unpredictable time together. I could always count on a laugh when he was with me. One of my fondest memories this summer was the time he convinced me to take a leisurely swim in the fountain on 5th Street, cowboy boots and all.

While Jose' was always up for a good time, he also taught me a lot about myself. I learned my strengths and mostly weaknesses as a karaoke singer. I learned that I can do a mean Elaine dance from Seinfeld. I learned that cracks in the sidewalk frequently come out of nowhere. And most importantly, I learned when to throw in the towel. He saw me at my strongest and also my most vulnerable. But, like any relationship, we've had our ups and downs. Our last time hanging out left me with a bitter taste in my mouth and a sprained hand and ankle. It was a rough night and Jose' filled me up with artificial strength, and in the end, he really let me down. Most often, when he disagreed with me, I found it hard to look at him the next day. But, our love has been strong, and we've always manage to make amends before the week is over.

Now, with school and work taking up the majority of my time, Jose' and I do not meet as much as we'd like. I miss him those lonely nights and whisper empty promises of the weekend to come. With my busy schedule these days, I hope Jose' and I will tough it out and remain lifelong friends and continue our steady relationship full of warmth and love.