Here Goes Nothing (But Hopefully Something)

OK -- Well, here it is! FINALLY! I am sitting down with ALL my thoughts, blood, sweat and tears and starting my memoir that I have in my heart to share with everyone!  It will not happen overnight, but it surely will not happen if I do not start!  Please Know --- YOU ALL have been an inspiration for me to move forward with this.  I started off a few years ago, with a simple blog to journal my everyday which quickly became (literally) my therapy during Mike's journey...I receive emails and messages to move forward with sharing this, turning it into a book...so to speak, and in my heart it remains that this is what I want to do.  I can only hope that somewhere, someone will (when it is complete) will read this and feel inspired to not only endure a journey that involves cancer, but to endure and hold their head high during ALL adversities in life and dig deep for a faith of any kind (mine being GOD) but dig deep to allow that faith and happiness to outshine the negativity in their way.

I have spoken to a few publishers (from recommendations - thank you!) and I have been advised to start after reading my blog -- so here I go.  I love you all -- Family, Friends and strangers (that are now friends) that have joined me, US on this path -- we are forever GREAT(FULL) -- XOXOXOXO

Please be advised, I have never ever written with a way that I have to proof-read or second guess what I write - I speak from the heart and that is what you read in my blog -- writing a book, I am not sure if it is the same...I am sure there will be A lot of proof-reading, but dang it KART-WHEEL will remain with a K!  SO here you are -- my "first chapter" -- I will leave it at this, and hope that you want to see more...

Love you ALL!!! OXOXOXO Lyndie



Why’d You Come in Here Looking Like That

Chapter One

It was a weekend like the rest.  I was twenty-seven, living the single life up and just returning from my very first ever Las Vegas trip.  Vegas really is just what I expected.  No sleep, a lot of pretty people, a lot of old money, a lot of new money and hookers…I felt like Randy in ‘National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation, without his luck.  I was proposed to once in Vegas, by a local bum that wanted to share his 40 oz Old English, I kindly declined but did buy him a new beer.

At the time I had a roommate, a younger one, a male.  We sort of had this deal; we were each other’s wing man/woman.  We would have weekend BBQ’s, our friends, friends of friends, friends of friends of friends and maybe even a cousin in there would join us.  It was SO convenient, for we lived on the corner building away from everyone and right next to the convenient store!  Music was loud, drinks were accessible and we even became friends with the store owners, it was a bachelor/bachelorette paradise. 

As I pride myself on being a “hostess with the mostess” I just loved having gatherings – no matter what the occasion! Heck I believe my roommate and I made up holidays just to have people over, a reason to make great food and drink cheap drinks!  This weekend as many others, a dear friend of mine called me and asked if he could bring a friend, my response “The more the merrier!”  With that said, I had no idea what I was about to get into.

The music was loud, the conversations were flowing and amongst all the people shuffling around, it was as if the music had stopped.  I took a sip of my crown and diet and turned to my left.  At that moment the door swung open with my dear friend seeking me out, beer in tow and something unexpected, a VERY handsome (easy on the eyes) man…was this to be lust at first sight?  Six-foot Two, tan, hat backwards and an electric smile, at this moment I put in my head “he will be mine!” and I wasn’t too far off!

I rushed to the door to welcome my him with open arms, knowing already I was not going to make too much eye-contact with “The new guy”, for haven’t we all learned it’s better to play hard to get?  I wrapped my arms around (Joe) and proceeded to welcome him, and politely allowed him to introduce me to Mike.  Agh Mike, what else is there to say about him?  You know the ole’ saying “Tall, dark and handsome”, this fit him to a tee!

Throughout the night, I managed to meander my way next to him, not too overbearing, just an occasional touch of the arm and a laugh if he said something funny.  As confident and as outgoing as I am, I knew the minute he walked through my door, he was destined to be with me…even if just a make-out buddy for the night, but yet my shyness overcame me. 

The night seemed to linger and with drinks a flowing, music blaring, we migrated to the patio with some other friends to “escape” and I got to know a little more about this man named Mike.  Growing up in the a similar environment with a blue-collar family, started working at a young age, out on his own as well as a teen, he became more intriguing to me by each beat to the music playing --- I wanted to know more…I did not want the night to end. 

As I looked down I noticed my Red SOLO cup was empty – agh, the horrific site when I was just starting to get a good buzz.  I announced to the small patio group that my cup was empty and I would be more than happy to “buy the next round”, oh the humor I can offer to a group – ha!  I noticed a few others had joined us on the patio, which some included some very pretty females.  At that moment, it was as if I had become a dog marking his territory and I did what could have only come from the slight buzz that was lingering…I asked the boy to kiss me. 

I looked this stranger that I had only met a couple of hours ago straight in the eye with the most serious face ever, “Are you going to kiss me?  Can I kiss you?”  Not a second later our lips met, for what seemed like 10 minutes, but realizing the urgency of others asking for drinks around us, it was only a split second.  I quickly pulled away, looked at him with a snarky smile and skipped off as I do with just a slight glance back as I went through the door…he was smiling.  This became the night that changed the course of my life, his life forever.