Who's that girl?

After my last blog post about Sarah and I coming out this way (Montana) for her job interview Danny left a comment asking just who Sarah was-

If you're going to introduce another person in your travels would you please describe your relationship with Sarah. Have you guys been buddies since you were 2 years old or something like that? I'm sorry if I'm asking something that's too personal, but you're the guy putting up the blog and I don't have a program for this show.

I guess I didn't realize that I never properly introduced her here and that Danny likely isn't the only person wondering just who she is. So let me clue everyone in.

To start with I suppose I should back up a little bit to before I met Sarah. Before I met Sarah I dated Lilly for nearly 8 years. I was very happy with Lilly but in the end I got my heart broken and went through a really tough time. During that tough time I was introduced to the theatre (by Lilly's mother, Edith) and I was surprised to find out that I actually enjoyed it, which I never would have guessed. It gave me something to do during the winter other then sitting around my house feeling sorry for myself. It felt good to get out and meet new people. During the second play that I was involved in, Lost in Yonkers, one of those new people was Sarah.

It seems to take a couple weeks for the cast to get to know each other and loosen up a little bit, but once that happened Sarah and I hit it off. We found we had many similar interests and that we both liked to get outside to hike and explore. It was nearing spring time and there were a few times when we hustled through rehearsal as quick as we could so we could go hiking or kayaking. We had a great time hanging out with each other and I was happier then I'd been in quite a while. Since Lilly left Sarah was the first person I had any feelings towards and it did wonders for helping me break out my my funk.

After the play was over we started dating. Sarah had grown up just south of Minneapolis and had only been in the area about a year so she was still pretty unfamiliar with it. We spent a lot of time that summer kayaking the local lakes/rivers, hiking, taking trips to Sioux Falls and just having a good time. Sarah hadn't really met anyone from the area yet either so this was an important friendship to both of us and I think that we both cherished it As good as it was though I still didn't really feel like I was ready for a serious relationship yet; I just couldn't get into it like I should have been. As scary as it was to put the friendship on the line we decided to call off the dating and to try and remain friends.

It seems that everyone tries this and that it never works; in fact it hadn't worked for Lilly and I up to that point in time and we'd given it our all. It's a common theme in sitcoms, movies, and soap operas but we decided to give it a go anyway. It was a bit awkward at first but the longer we stuck it out the better it got. In the end I think it was probably the best thing we could have done. There was no longer any reason to put on any false fronts for the other or to make sure you made a good impression. It took away all the pressure of dating and really allowed us to get to know each other.

It's been over a year now since we tried this little experiment and I think it's worked out great so far. I'd be lying if I said there weren't times I questioned the wisdom of the decision and thought I was crazy to just be her friend; but in the grand scheme of things I know it's the right thing. I hope we both do.

We still hang out with each other all the time and I consider her my best friend. When I left this spring for my big adventure it was the thought of not being able to hang out with Sarah that gave me the biggest pause. She was the hardest person for me to say goodbye to and she was the person I was happiest to see when it was time to head home.

And now I'm typing this post in the parking lot of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Service just outside Bozeman, Montana while Sarah is interviewing at the Montana Outdoor Science School just next door. As much as I'd hate to see her go I hope that if it turns out to be the job that she wants that she gets it and loves it. Besides, it will give me a good excuse to come to the mountains of Montana now and then.