TEASE. - The Memoir

5. Curls

5. Curls

The next few chapters describe another graceless night in Minneapolis with my friends at one of our favorite clubs downtown. The night was decorated with beautiful strangers, laser-beam strobe lights, and loud thumping music. So, in other words, the partier's perfect Friday night.

The first part of that night begins here, with the boy who bought me fries after we left the club. He's sassy and from Zimbabwe, (yes, really) and I met him through a mutual friend. We didn't talk much before we got to the club, or even in the club, but we still managed to get to know one another pretty well.

Our interaction was sloppy, crazy, fun, and slightly dangerous. We literally jumped on each other on the dance floor, and looking back now, it simply makes me smile. Imagining how ridiculous we looked only makes me treasure the moment more.

His hair was curly on the top, shaved on the sides, and he wasn't nearly as tall as me. His hips moved as if pulled in opposing directions as he walked and his hands swayed fiercely to add to the sassiness of his character. I remember later on in the night, once I was on the arm of another guy, being amazed at his ability to seemingly move on so quickly from someone he kissed so passionately.

For some reason, it always amazes me when there's another tease in my vicinity. It's some type of subconscious territorial instinct- to be the only tease in a group of people. But you were the first of three that night, Curls, and I'll never forget your beautiful curly hair and sassy hip-dominated strut. You were unstoppable.

Another defining feature was your assertive accent, which, by the way, helped me decide on your codename. I know for a fact that you would say 'Curls' differently then and I would, and somehow that made the name all the more appropriate.

Of the little bit of that accent I heard through the conversations we shared, there's even less that I can recall us talking about as my memory may or may not have been compromised that night. What I do remember, Curls, is that you're a global traveler; a charming cultured citizen of the world. Now if you asked me where it is you have travelled to, I couldn't expand much beyond somewhere in Zimbabwe and here in Minneapolis. Now that I think about it, I do also remember that you have been to the West Coast of the US, but I can't recall anything else.

You also are a sweetheart. You found out I got sick after that night and sought me out to show your support for my recovery. I truly appreciate that, you're a kind soul. Your name has a positive association in my memory as you made me smile after our encounter, which was not my response the next morning to one of the others from that night. That story is for a different chapter however.

Curls, like another guy on this album, liked hickeys almost as much as direct kissing. When he bought me fries once the group left the club, I made a point to congratulate him on whoever gave him the dark marks decorating the sides of his neck. He acted as if I wasn't the culprit, and I went along with it. We both were tired but still could appreciate each other through side comments of sarcasm, and I'm glad we could share that.

I would like to offer my apologies to you Curls, just in case you felt abandoned once I had moved on to dance alone that night. I'm sorry if you felt abandoned by my movement to other guys after we parted. I say if you felt abandoned because you may not have been caught up on me moving on. We both are in fact teases, or at least your strut indicates enough for me to conclude such an assumption. If, thanks to a small chance, you aren't a tease, I never meant to hurt you Curls. Like I said earlier, you're a sweetheart. You deserve to be happy and if I took that happiness away from you, I truly do ask for your forgiveness.

If, by some more realistic chance, however, you do turn out to be another tease, let me thank you. You provided the perfect interaction to start out a fantastic night of gracelessness. Your sass and glorious aura were not only insane and impulsive, but also charming and electric. I'd like to believe I provided the same type of experience for you, as you and your personality deserve it. Since you bought me food afterwards, I'd like to believe my role as a fellow tease did not go unappreciated.

Here's to you, Curls. Despite my trouble remembering much of that night, I'll not be soon to forget those hickeys I gave you, the naturally curly hair that sat atop your head, or the accent that I hear whenever you return to my thoughts in the back of my mind saying 'curls' in a different way than I do. I hope you continue to travel and experience the world, and that you get to see everything that your little sassy heart desires. From this Minneapolis tease to you, thank you.