Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Meeting My Internet Boyfriend

When our eyes met as I pulled into the parking space, it was unmistakable.

The salt-n-pepper beard. The eye lashes that most super models would kill for. And the eyes...ohhh the eyes. Any lingering doubt was put to rest when he opened his mouth to speak and what flowed out was an educated, Rocky Balboa accent.

It was him. It was my Internet Boyfriend.

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Last weekend Claire and I drove to Philadelphia to take in the sites. Why we choose to head north in the winter (Remember Chicago in November? It snowed on us during a run for goodness sake.) I still don't exactly know, but we had a great time.

We did the Cheesesteak Challenge, pitting Pat's against Geno's (Pat's was so much better!), we ran the Rocky Steps and posed for a picture with his statute. We ate dim sum at a hole in the wall by the bus station in China Town, found our wedding rings at Jeweler's Row and even ate at a Zagat Rated, Kosher Israeli restaurant.

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He was not as tall as I thought, though most people are not, but he was still my blogging man.

We shook hands. It didn't linger. That is a good thing. Then we sat down. Scrapple and wheat toast was on the menu. We snapped pictures. Reminisced like old friends. Laughed. Sighed. Dreamed.

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Philly is a cool city. I don't think I could live there, but it was fun to visit. Of course we saw Constitution Hall, the Liberty Bell, Thomas Jefferson's grave and Betsy Ross' house. We walked down the oldest residential alley in the nation and went to a bustle of museums.

One thing that Claire and I noticed...everyone in Philly was helpful, nice and courtious, outside of their cars. When they drive, it is like a battle zone, but outside of the car, they were wonderful people. So much better than their reputation. This is the city that boo'ed Santa for goodness sake.
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The 2 1/2 hours went by like lightning. It was too short a meeting, but their were sites to see, babies to deliver and children to care for.

We shook hands as we parted. It was magical. Or something like that...

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If you have not caught on yet, Claire and I did find time to meet Poop and Boogies (William) for breakfast last Friday morning. We drove out to the burbs and met him at a breakfast joint. We had a great time. I did feel bad that we "bogarted" the poor waitress' table for 2 1/2 hours, but there was a lot of catching up to do.

It was weird meeting a "character" from a blog. Poop and Boogies has been a regular stop for me over the past year and, much like a good TV show, I have become invested in their lives. I know they are not real, but I like to see what Maxfield is up to, how Wyatt is doing and what Lauren has made this week.

So when we met up with William, it was sorta like meeting a character from ER or bumping into one of the Top Chef's. You know way more than you should about a person you have never really met.

But it was cool. We had a good time. It really was like meeting an old friend.

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No Mom, I don't make a habit of meeting strange men I meet on the Internet.

12 comments:

kimmy said...

There are so many blog friends that I would like to meet someday. Glad you got the chance!

Kimmy

kimmy said...

And, of course we continue with construction in the winter! A little snow and sub zero temperatures never stopped a true Mainah!!!!

Kimmy

for a different kind of girl said...

Claire's probably very happy you weren't compelled to leave her after meeting your Internet bromance!

How fun you had the chance to meet. I think there's so many great people 'out there' we feel we know so well that we've never had the pleasure of ever truly meeting.

WILLIAM said...

Tell me more about my eyes

Unknown said...

That is so cool that you got to meet William! I've been a lurker on his blog for quite a while.

Scrapple, huh? I think I just saw something about that on one of the Travel shows, "Diners and Dives" or something like that. They had nothing but good things to say about it....but they did say that "everything but the 'OINK' goes in it..." MMMM, tasty.

Rahul said...

Geno's is for all the toursits. Pat's is where it's at.

Hey that rhymes. I rule.

Katelin said...

aw that's so fun to meet bloggy friends. and woo for philly, i really want to go back when i'm not totally consumed in weddingness, haha.

JP said...

When I met William, he was facial hairless, and he had just finished acting in a stage show and could not believe how tall my wife Sharkey was. Oh, and he didn't offer me scrapple. True story...

Anonymous said...

Anyone w/ a name like "Poop & Boogies" has GOT to be hot. Give 'em my number.

Debra said...

Bogart, sounds like you and Claire had a lot of fun! I think it's great that you got to meet your Internet Man. I told you that next time you are in So Cal to let me know. But I do have to warn you. I am only 4'10" so if you end up thinking I am taller on my blog than I am in real life, I could end up resembling a legal midget.(Not that I have anything against midgets! On the contrary, they make me feel rather tall which is not something I EVER get to feel except when I am around small children.)

Congratulations on the rings! Your wedding is coming up very soon, isn't it? How exciting!

Hugs,
Debbie

Unknown said...

that is really cool...and I know exactly what you mean about the other bloggers not seeming like "real", I mean, I know they are "real" but yeah.

super cool.

Charity Donovan said...

Have you washed your hand yet? If William shook my hand I'd have to say I don't think I'd ever wash it again. I'm jealous! lol! Sounds like you had a great trip.