Chance

Chance. It's weird isn't it? Earlier today if you’d asked me what the chances are that I'd be here, I would've said they're slim. But here I am. I can't believe I'm actually going through with this.

You're probably confused, aren't you? Let me rewind a bit.

It was around 11 am when I put the last box into the truck. I was moving into the house my fiancé picked. I couldn't help but wonder how it would be to live together. Yes, we were engaged to be married but didn't live together. She always said the trip from my apartment to her office took much too long. But a part of me always knew she hated my apartment. Also, she never let me get a cat. Apparently it was weird for a grown man to have a cat? Who says that?

Sure, it wasn't the best looking place in the world, but it was home. I didn't exactly want to move to the suburbs at 27. I wondered what would come next – a polo shirt and khakis?

There were still a few of my things left in my apartment. Well, everything I'd needed to get ready for tonight.

What’s tonight? My rehearsal dinner.

Why? Because I’m getting married tomorrow.

I was in the elevator trying to picture myself standing next to a white picket fence in a blue polo shirt and suede khakis. Somewhere between me shuddering and making a face, it happened.

What happened you ask? She happened.

…

Now, I know you probably want to know what happened in the elevator. But it's going to have to wait. Instead, let me tell you about the rehearsal dinner, and then we can get back to the elevator.

So the minute I walked into the room, I bumped into someone and knocked something out of their hand.

Who? My fiancé.

I would've smiled any other time, but there was a wine stain on her dress the size of Texas and she did not look happy.

Let's just say she knows her insults.

We ran through everything, and the time for my big speech had arrived. I couldn't write my vows, so my fiancé took care of it for me. All I had to do was write the damn speech.

At that moment I looked at each and every single person seated at the table. I stopped at my future wife. She was beautiful, and amazing. She had changed into another dress, her hair was up and she smiled at me.

At that very moment, I knew what I had to do.

…

Now, let's get back to the elevator.

So to recapitulate, I was in the elevator thinking about pants and she walked in.

She wore a t-shirt that was clearly Sleeping At Last merchandise.

Who were they? My favourite band.

I had literally never seen another fan in daylight.

I complimented her shirt. She thanked me and asked me if I lived in the building. For reasons unbeknownst to me, I said I did even though I was moving out. She told me she was having a moving in party in 36b later that night. I said I'd be there.

She walked out.

That is pretty much it. You were probably expecting something romantic, something where the universe's intervention would've sparked feelings like no other. But that didn't happen.

She was just another passing face.

But why was I rethinking my engagement over a stranger I knew nothing about?

…

Now, back to my big speech.

I'd never been much of a public speaker, but somehow as I looked at my fiancé, I knew exactly what to say.

"I turned 27 last month, and yes Jeff I'm still waiting for that present."

They laughed, a good sign. I turned to look at my fiancé.

"I turned 27 last month, but I still haven't understood love completely. But what I do know, is that I care about you and I also know that in some weird controlling way, you do too."

They laughed again, and she smiled. When she did, I knew then that I couldn't just let her slip away from my fingers.

"I care about you. That's why I can't marry you."

As I walked away from the table, I heard gasps and her father calling me a really creative bunch of words.

…

Now that you have the backstory, let me tell you where I am right now. I'm here. I know why I'm here, at the same time, I don't.

Where is here? Outside apartment 36b.

I walked in and instantly recognized everyone. I saw the landlord as well. I asked him if someone had taken my apartment yet. He said no one had. I told him I was taking it back. He gave me the look one would give a lizard eating its own feces. But then again, that was the look he always had on his face. Maybe his apartment had a lizard infestation.

A lot of people asked me about the wedding, I couldn't even answer them because all I wanted to do was see her. See the girl who made me make the wildest decision of my life.

Then I saw her.

And her girlfriend. Not friend who is a girl, but the woman she was sleeping with kind of girlfriend.

Turns out, we didn't just have the same musical preferences – we were both into women as well.

Yay, right?

I walked away from the woman I was going to marry for someone who would literally never like me romantically. Who was I kidding?

What are the chances that love at first sight even exists?

…

"Wow. That's an interesting story you've got there,'' she said.

Who was she, you ask?

The girl who I bumped into on the way back to my apartment. Turns out after a few drinks I become quite the chatty Cathy. I decided to tell her what happened. I mean, nothing like a heartbroken sob story to end the night, right?

"Well, at least you didn't make the worst mistake of your life. Imagine you went through with the wedding. You clearly love her, but sometimes it's easy to fall out of it as well. Now you can be like the rest of us lame 20-somethings of the world. Maybe someday, you'll find the real deal. I mean, you basically got a second chance to get the whole love thing right."

"Yeah, if her dad doesn't kill me by tomorrow," I said with a half smile. It was an actual possibility.

"Well, if you do survive the night, you should call me sometime."

As she walked away, I looked at the piece of paper in my palm.

…

Oh, I called her a week later.

What are the chances that love at first sight exists?

Really good, apparently.

And, I got a cat.