Taking the Scenic Route

Do you ever have one of those days where you feel like you are living in a demented soap opera?  I had that day yesterday.  Nothing horrible, just weird ways my past weaved it’s way into my current.

First, I discovered that one of the two music teachers at the school my son will probably go to (99% certainty) is one of two ex’s I had that really started crossing that line between “romantic” and “stalking”.  (the first one was a 16 year old kid who was so naive and sweet that I just think he didn’t understand he was crossing a line.)  I dated Jeff for a few months my junior year, and he was quite a bit older than me.  (I remember attending his senior recital at college and he was older than a typical senior).  I can’t remember exactly how we broke up any more, but I think it was because he wanted more from me than I was willing to give and it just got uncomfortable.  He lived in Wichita and I lived in an itty bitty town about an hour away, so he couldn’t really just ’show up’ while I was in high school, but in college he started showing up to all the theatre performances and would ‘happen’ to sit next to my mom.  (which sort of freaked her out).  I finally got him to leave me alone after I got engaged to Zach and we moved away.  I hadn’t thought about him in years and years. 

Zach’s best friend works in theatre.  (Robert will now be referred to as the “nexus to Jennifer’s ex’s” because he, inadvertently, knows all but one of my exes, granted, that still isn’t a lot of people.  His wife was best friends with the woman who married my first boyfriend, David too)   He worked with Jeff, and, ironically, another ‘almost dated’ guyfriend of mine named “F” (for F Scott Fitzgerald).  When Robert was talking about his work one time, he mentioned Jeff and I was like “dang that name sounds familiar”, but it took a few days for me to realize why.  Well, he relayed the interesting connection to Jeff, instead of the ‘oh that is weird’ type reaction Robert was expecting, Jeff reached into his wallet (in front of his wife) and produced a picture of me and my brother and him in his car from Christmas 1987 or so.  *jaw drop*.   That sort of freaked me out.  This is the guy that might be teaching my son. 

In another weird twist, I talked to Robert last night about my discovery (that he was the music teacher) and asked him, since he sort of knew Jeff, if that would make him nervous as a parent.  He said it probably depends on how he and his wife were doing.  Apparently, the last he heard, Jeff and his wife were breaking up because Jeff had been having an afair with…wait for it…. F’s girlfriend. 

Are you kidding me?  What are the chances?!?

I was in for one more little bit of ‘ex’ weirdness at the end of my day too.  This time it wasn’t one of my ex’s, but it still was somebody who created a lot of upheaval in my life and misery for people I love.

I am reading on of the kid’s favorite books, Silly Sally, to Zora and as I flip past the dedication page, my eyes catch something I hadn’t noticed before.

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one of my MIL’s ex’s.

What a weird day.