I will never forget this man even though I met him only a couple of times.  It was during my first semester at San Bernardino Valley College and I was playing the role of the loner which was a role I still play today but not always by choice. We  first encountered each other in the hallway near the science classrooms while walking along the hall off in my little dream world.  The first I knew of his existence was when I noticed him standing directly on front of me dressed in a dark blue long sleeved button up shirt and jeans.  His shirt sleeves were neatly rolled up his arm a couple of folds revealing dark brown arms and his shirt tails were neatly tucked in.  He had jet black hair and spectacles with thick lenses.  My impression of him was that he was either Asian Indian or Filipino.  Even before he spoke or took action I adored him at first sight.  This emotion was deepened when he smiled, reached out, took my hand into his, and firmly but warmly shook it.  Then, still without uttering any words, he smiled again and walked away down the hall to his next class.  For a moment I just stood there stunned and by the time I thought to react he was gone.

The second time I met him was by the cafeteria.  In this occasion he was wearing a pink button up long sleeved shirt neatly tucked into his gray cord pants.  His top two (2) shirt buttons were undone and he had his shirt sleeves neatly folded up his brown arms almost up to the elbow (wow!).  Once again it was he and not I that initiated contact by reaching out and shaking my right hand with his in a very caring energetic grip.  I could have melted away into thin air at that moment and it would have been the happiest moment of my existence.  Different from last time, though, I had better control of my tongue and I asked him on the spot if he wanted to have lunch with me in the cafeteria.  Gosh, I even offered to make it my treat.  Still smiling but without shaking his hand he said that he could not because he had class at that time.  He then sorta grinned at me and gave me a kind but curious look and went on to class.

That was the last time I was to see him and to this day I mentally kick myself for not being more mindful of possible actions I could have taken to know this junior college student better.  For one, I could have written down my name and number and given it to him or arranged a compatible free time between us.  Almost every day I arrived early and awaited him at places where we had met.  When this did not work, I scoured the campus during the times I had seen him but to no avail.

While he had great arms that I would have loved to rub and nice shirt sleeves that begged to be played with I believe that more importantly  he would have made a great friend and maybe even much more.  It is rare in this world that handsome guys walk up to total geeks offering their hand in the warm way that he did.  All I can hope is that this one will lead a good life and has found his life companion that values him for what he truly is.