Jimmy

      I'll start with Jimmy. I met him in high school. I hated him at first, he was always late to class and when he did manage to grace us with his presence he slept through the hour. I couldn't stand the fact that he didn't care about school. To me it was everything, if only I knew then that it actually didn't matter. I hated him until I talked to him. He was so carefree, it was nice to talk to someone who didn't give a damn about anything. He was a smoker and I'm a smart aleck so I brought in some of my brother's nicorette gum. I put a note on it that said, 'that shit'll kill you someday'. He laughed and asked for my number. That marks the beginning. We hung out (made out) for most of the summer and then I went off to college. I dated a couple people in college but couldn't shake him. Apparently he couldn't shake me either, he came to visit me. And that was it, we started dating, then we got serious and then we loved each other, eventually we got sick of each other. We had a great relationship, and for a while we actually did love each other. But we grew up. We simply grew out of one another, like a sweater or a pair of shoes. It was a quiet break up, actually one of the more pleasant ones I've been a part of.
      Jimmy's an auto mechanic, he's got very jagged edges and he doesn't like most other people. He has terrible road rage, never turns his phone off...doesn't like to sit at home very much. He drinks enough and smokes too much, he eats too much fast food and the only thing he ever wears are black t-shirts and blue jeans. He hates spending extended periods of time (more than an hour) with his family, extended or otherwise. Long story short, he is not the nicest person, especially not to women. He's always been good to me but now that I hear the way he talks about other women, I see he's not so kind. He only talks to girls long enough to figure his chances at sleeping with them and if the chances are slim or he thinks they aren't pretty enough, he'll move on to someone else with out care or concern.
      Jimmy and I still sleep together. I know, it's crazy but he's there, my number doesn't go up and it's a secret to keep. And I know we won't fall in love with each other, been there done that. Maybe it's wrong I don't know, but I don't care either. It may not get me into heaven but few things I do ever will. Jimmy lives his life so, moment to moment. I think that's intoxicating. When we're together, I let go and he settles down.
      My lesson learned from Jimmy is that everybody is good to somebody. Whether it's their mother, brother, neighbor or whatever but even the worst people have someone they're nice to. The flip side of that?  To the other 99% of the population, these people are jack-asses. Jimmy may be nice to me but to most of the other people he meets, he's rude, disrespectful and he's probably that guy tailgating you on the highway. Now I give my time and energy only to the people who deserve it, the ones who hold me in their 1%. Don't waste your time being someone you think people want you to be, it's a waste of breath and those aren't the people you want to know anyway. Be what you are, it presents more of a challenge.