Second Chances, Part Two
Jeanette A. Fratto, Orange County Branch
A new name came up. “John – Looking for a Second Chance,” was how he identified himself. Divorced, with grown children, and a confessed workaholic, now trimming his hours, he wanted a meaningful relationship with a like-minded lady. Barbara liked his humility. He didn’t post a picture nor had she, not wanting to be judged on her looks. Apparently, John didn’t either. She tapped out a brief message.
“Hello John. I think I’m looking for the same thing you are. Maybe we can chat occasionally.” He immediately answered with, “Welcome Lois, let’s get to know each other.”
So it began, a few weeks of friendly banter over the Internet. Barbara thought it amazing how she could learn so much about someone without meeting him. She liked that he didn’t speak negatively about his ex-wife, and that he lamented the fact of their divorce, a casualty of the times he commented. He thought he could be a much better husband this time. He hoped wherever his ex-wife was she was finding a happier life, too. Why hadn’t he tried to find her, Barbara asked, and try again?
She didn’t receive an answer for a while and thought maybe she intruded into too personal of an area. Then he responded by telling her that he’d thought about it, but heard through his children that she was enjoying life without him and he decided not to open any old wounds. He’d just try to move on himself. What about her and her ex-husband? She too had a similar story. Her children thought he was getting along, traveling, keeping busy. If he wanted to reconcile he would have contacted her. She, too, was moving on.
Barbara was eager to know what John looked like but didn’t want to ask. He seemed like such a gentleman, confessing that she was the first person he’d met on the site with whom he could have such nice conversations about what mattered most to him. She decided that if they ever met, looks wouldn’t matter. He seemed to have something deeper, more important, and after all, wasn’t beauty only “skin deep?” Yet no one had brought up the prospect of meeting, and she wasn’t going to be the first one to do it. Barbara was still old-fashioned in that sense. The man needed to make the first move.
The suspense deepens.
Come back next month to find out what finally happens
to Barbara and John.