Dead Greg, My name is Lisa and one of two things are happening right now: 1. You're remembering how crazy I was or 2. You don't remember me at all. I humbly ask that you continue to read this message. Seven years ago, you came into The Pub and you were with your dad and sister. You asked for a Mr. Pibb with lemon and after you and your family finished your lunch (you had Reuben sandwich or was it a Rachael?), you waited to give me your Facebook information and a hug. At the time, I wasn't interested in dating you, but you called and we had an eight hour conversation that forever changed my life. I felt a deep connection with you, one that left me mesmerized and started a whirlwind romance. I remember one date where you charmed me with your knowledge of history and astronomy. I still love astronomy and right now my focus is on nursing history of the United States. I remember feeling like I could listen to you teach me for hours about any subject that you were passionate about. I admired that about you. I'd like to think I'm that way about nursing with the students I take under my wing early in the morning before day shift arrives. I love seeing how excited they become when a nurse lets them do "nurse" things, and I often quiz them when I see them return. I eventually want to become a clinical instructor when I am no longer able to work long hours just because I know that I will be giving my community the gift of caring nurses. During our brief time together, you visited Alaska, where you had a shot of whiskey with a toe in it. I remember feeling so excited for you to visit me in Richmond, where we had a hot, but perfect date night, complete with a rooftop view of heat lightening in the midst of a purple sky. I remember your postcard with the moose butt drawing, and the vial of gold and the penguin trinket you gave me. I remember that before you left, you kissed me with morning breath, and I thought that was so sweet. When you went back to New York, your uncle passed away from what I now realize was probably a form of multiple myeloma, a silent bone cancer. You left, and I went crazy (understatement) flooding your phone with messages. I want to apologize for that. Despite being so bright, I was quite childish. I didn't recognize that what you needed was space and a shoulder to cry on. I didn't realize that what was happening to me were all classic signs of major depression. The mood swings, uncontrollable crying, and obsessive thoughts. I was 20 years old with my first major broken heart. Recently a boyfriend of four years broke up with me. I was going through terrible depression from having a seriously ill parent, financial difficulty, several deaths in the family, and family strain. He soon became unfaithful and left me for his mistress. I watched as my perfect life unraveled itself right in front of my eyes and was hospitalized for major depression. After the last time that we last spoke, I had to quit school due to financial difficulty. In 2011, I enrolled in a community college and graduated in May of 2015 with an associates degree in nursing (cum laude) and a certificate in allied health (summa cum laude). I am currently working on my bachelors degree at the University of Virginia, where I hope to continue my masters in nursing to pursue my dream of becoming a cardiopulmonary nurse practitioner. While driving home on route 64 last Tuesday, my heart felt full of sadness, and memories of our whirlwind romance flooded my mind. I was so distracted, I got off on the wrong exit home. I asked Chris Cassetta if he had heard from you, since he asked me about you last year your your ten year high school reunion. It turns out he didn't even go because he wife had found out she was pregnant with their first child, their son who is almost a year old and is named Luca. They currently live in Queens, New York. I don't know what made me think of you. Nor do I understand why I'm writing to you and explaining my life story. What I do know, is that I always compare the people I date to you. Although it sounds crazy, I always relate it back to the feeling I had when I talked to you. I remember thinking of random things (like a tv show), and you mentioning them out of the blue. At some point, I thought you could read my mind. As an adult, I recognize how silly that sounds. But I will admit that in all of this time, and in all of the growing I have accomplished, I have yet to meet a person like you. A person who completely turned my world upside down and swept me off my feet. A person who changed my mind about dating them so effortlessly. I just hope you're doing well. I hope you're married and have your own little family. I hope you're living in nature and exploring the history around you. To this day, I am still inspired by you, and continue exploring my surroundings, and learning the history behind them. I hope you have fallen in love with your career as much as I have fallen in love with mine. I hope the childlike wonder is still in your eyes, I can still hear you teaching me about something related to weather, astronomy and history. You were a fascinating person and I'm glad that I got to know you in the little time that I did.
