He likes you...

Try to remember those long ago days when hearing that phrase, "He(She) likes you..." left your heart a-flutter!

Maybe you're with that person now, that person who liked you. And they still do! (I hope so! If you're still with them!)

I remember those mutterings between friends, the rumours and gossips spreading, the notes passed, the phone calls made, the glances in the halls-- ("Mama, they don't DO that anymore" my daughter recently told me, when I suggested maybe some guy one of them was mentioning had been ooooooooh noticing them in the halls...I think they still do--they must!--she just doesn't realize!). 

When I was about 13 and on a visit to my Grandma Mom's for a few weeks in the summer, she took us to see this teacher friend of hers (or something like that) who had a few sons (or something like that). They had a pool. I know that. Or, they'd come to my Grandma's and we'd run around all afternoon amongst the Eastern Washington pine-needle-ed trees of summer, all through the basement, waiting for the coveted "weenie-roast" at the end of the day where the magic got even more magical at the outdoor fire pit...and we'd eat tons of 'smores. 

Anyway, I really "liked" one of those sons. No idea what his name was. But, I think he liked me too. I don't know if I ever heard any gossips or rumours that he did, but...I knew it. One of those rambunctious pool jumping guys with a great smile. He'd hide with me in the house--for hide-and-seek, show off with huge cannon-balls into the pool, stuff like that. After our time together was over I'd pine away for him, re-playing every moment as many times as I could, just to try and experience it again, or solidify something with him in my mind. My obsessive side? Or, is that what everyone does?!

Push that story on repeat a zillion times, right? Switch out the person, the place, the time period...but keep the essentials. Someone maybe thinks you're special. I guess it boils down, too, to the chemicals of it all? That dopamine hit or whatever? 

What do we get that with, when we're with the person we like anyway? Every day, day in day out, brushing teeth, arranging for groceries, bickering over this or that? Do we still get that little magical feeling of excitement and wonder-if and ooooooh special-ness?

I thought of this the other day, after a karaoke outing. 

For context, you guys should know that I don't drink when I karaoke, at least not anymore. I used to, to loosen up, to heighten the fun of it--maybe 2-3 beers, that kind of thing. But, ever since I had Joey it kind of ruins the whole thing for me, cause I can't sleep after drinks, and I can't sleep-in with a little guy here. So, I just slowly nurse a tonic-and-cranberry for 3-4 hours and clap and whoooo loudly in between my turns! At first, it was a bit of a loss. But now, it's no problem. Most people around me get a little tipsy (some more than a little) but most people keep it reasonable. Some people are there just to sing. And to listen. One such place I've been going to recently and it's almost like one of those break-dance circles ends up surrounding the singers in the back, as everyone up front comes to see what all the karaoke hub-bub is about! It's a total blast.

This lady, the other night as it was just getting going, said, "Wow, I didn't realize people were such good singers at karaoke! I thought it was just drunk people!"--she'd never been before, was passing through before going to a show across the street. Hey lady, stay here and you'll get a great show for free! Aside from your drinks, if you have them. Many of these singers are top notch. In fact, Simon reminded me that Vancouver is like the Hollywood of Canada. So many famous people come through here, or try to make it here. This new place I go has been showing that. 

The other night there was this guy with super long hair, clearly there on his own, having drinks at a small table. You know how in those old days when someone might try to check you out in the hallway of the school? Well, I got the sense that was happening from this guy. I tried not to make any eye contact because I didn't want to give off any signals that would lead to some kind of awkward conversation!

Eventually, he came and put his name in to sing. I thought to myself, oh wow, this guy is giving it a shot! Oh wow he seems so shy--he was taking all these deep breaths. Oh wow maybe it's his first time singing karaoke! Good for him! But don't make eye contact! Just cheer!

It was like one of those moments in a movie where the nerdy character suddenly transforms to something completely different. His short stature with incredibly long hair and run-of-the-mill functional glasses suddenly hosted an AMAZING voice! And not only that, but an AMAZING performance, to go along with the voice! Some people can SING, and some people can PERFORM, but not everyone can do BOTH--at karaoke. This guy could.

He sang "Dirty Laundry". Not a big fan of that song usually, but his version has changed me.

I told my friend OMG are you hearing this? She's like--That's the guy! That the rocker guy I told you about! (I hadn't remembered)--He's in a band! From Sask!

She'd met him before, as we do at karaoke. It's a community.

Apparently he IS shy, and reluctant to sing. But she convinced him to that other night, and again this night. I guess. Jaw dropping performance.

I thought, wow talk about checking my assumptions!

I thought, wow he's probably not checking me out, cause hey I need to check my assumptions!

A bit later, though, another friend brought up, "Oh that guy is checking you out. Doesn't he know you're with someone and have 4 kids?" "Well, he'll find out when he needs to!" I said, kind of having fun with it. Like that "He likes you..." feeling. It never gets old.

**Do I sound like I'm in high school or something? I should ask my daughter. She'll say no (I hope). (At least not nowadays high school hahahaha. Thesedays high schoolers are soooo much more mature. Evolved. Ha!)**  

So, the guy eventually sang again, this time some Dio song. And the only reason I know Dio is because Simon sings a FANTASTIC "Don't Talk To Strangers", by Dio. Really, look the song up if you don't know it. It's one of the reasons Simon knows, "She (ie ME!) likes you..." hahahahaha. 

Anyway, the night wrapped up. The DJ had given this rocker guy the Dio song as a last song of the night,  a grand finale. I realized the DJ knew this guy, he said he'd looked up to this singer since he was a teen or something! 

In case you're wondering, this singer is the lead in Saskatchewan's heavy metal band called Kick Axe. He took over as the new vocalist maybe a decade ago, according to Wikipedia. Some kind of Canadian treasure, this band--if you're into heavy metal, I'm thinking. Maybe not? I don't know, I'm not well-versed in heavy metal. 

But, I know a good performance! 

His performance was so good, both times. Maybe the best I've ever seen at karaoke, and I've seen a lot. It...wasn't karaoke. It just wasn't! If you know what I mean.

So, anyway, the night wrapped up. I walked through the place to leave, and there he was, that singer. <Oh gosh here it comes> I thought to myself, as he looked at me and stopped me, and began talking to me. 

"Where do you sing?"

"Your jazz is so good." 

"Like, the way you sang that...(he mentioned some part of a song I did). Have you been practicing a lot? Studying jazz?"

I don't remember what else he said, it was kind of all a blur, as like when those "He likes you..." moments come to reality and hit you in the face. 

I was stunned. He wasn't trying to hit on me. He wanted to connect with me about my singing!!! He Liked My Singing!!!!! This guy!! 

I didn't know what to say, other than to compliment HIM. He was bashful about it, didn't want to talk about that, but was gracious. I too mentioned, "Oh now, I could've sang that one better...I didn't hit those notes quite right..." he smiled, shook his head like oh nononono, and I said--singer to singer haha, "Well, you know what I'm talking about," and he smiled again, nodded this time. He knew. 

I could've told him hey yeah I've been practicing, I have a channel (embarrassing!), I've sung some of these many times...blah blah blah...but I was just so stunned. Sooooooo....out of his league. I finally pulled up something, "Oh well yeah actually I've been singing with this jazz guitar player recently. Nothing like these songs tonight...but, yeah we're going to perform at an outdoor music thing this summer, nothing big..." I rambled awkwardly. 

We wrapped it up. I said thank you maybe too many times. Walked away.

Forgot to mention I'd heard he was in a band. Did he want me to?? 

.................................

The next day, messaging with my friend about it, reminiscing on how our fun our night was, how good the singing was, she says to me, "Btw when I talked to him (the rocker guy--to see if he'd sing) the first thing he did was ask me if you're singing again"!!!

This, before I even told her about our conversation. I had started thinking oh he was probably just giving me compliments to see if I'd compliment him back, or no it wasn't authentic, he just wanted to hit on me and he knew that'd work.

But. But then my friend told me THAT! And I knew I could hold on to the moment as I'd experienced it. That "He likes you..." moment, that still leaves me all a-flutter!!!

.................................

Maybe you have the I'm-in-a-relationship/grown up/mature version of this for yourself, too. Like, a hobby you have, that someone noticed. A success you had. A connection you made. A compliment you got. That just revives you, pulls you out of the sometimes-monotony and discouragement of everyday life. You can keep thinking of it, and it can keep motivating you.

Hey, I HAVE been practicing, thank you very much! I DO sing a lot of jazz thank you very much! I can SING and PERFORM (sometimes) thank you very much. That guy was kind of...a character. And so am I, thank you very much! 

Thank you very much, guy! For liking my singing.

Just like the other guy that approached me that night--just an attendee not a rock star (haha)--but with a cool hip young-guy-moustache (you know the type)--said to me, "You know, you sound like you should be singing in some kind of 1920s speak-easy." "What?!! Thank you, thank you very much. You know, you just made my night! .... No, I think you just kind of made my LIFE!" 

Exaggerate much? Yeah. I do. And they did too, those "He likes you..."guys.

But, we wouldn't be that good of performers if we couldn't do that--exaggerate--now would we? 

:-)

Can't wait for next time! 

....................................