Introducing my mom to my pen pals; a huge topic of conversation...

Monday, February 11, 2013

Over the years, I have had many interesting pen pals and a couple of borderline serious relationships. Each of them has been a learning experience and an adventure in their own way. I have however; been very conscientious about keeping my pen pals separate from my friends and family… especially my mom. There is only one exception to this that has had a positive outcome. Joe, who readers of this blog know, is not only my nearest and dearest friend; he was also my very 1^st pen pal in 2007. Since he was the 1^st, I took to confiding in my mom about him. When it came time for Joe and I to finally meet, well, mom wanted to meet him as well. They really hit it off, and since then, have developed quite an extraordinary friendship of their own. A lot of this has to do with the fact that they can have relatable conversation. Whatever the case may be, it works.

In 2008, I became seriously involved with a pen pal. He was a model living in Chicago and we really hit it off… at least on paper and phone.  I genuinely believed that he could be the “one for me”, because he seemed to be perfect in every way. When it came time for him to fly out and visit for a weekend, again, mom wanted to meet him. This amazing and perfect man, turned out to be a total basket case. He all but proposed to me at visitation. He spoke about relocating to Arizona until I was released. Later, he broke down sobbing and losing it in front of my mom. Whoa.
Needless to say, things did not work out all that well.

Since that experience, I have not made much mention of my pen pals, nor have I even begun to entertain the thought of them meeting my mother.  The time has come again for me to decide on this though and I think I am going to throw caution to the wind and go for it.

A man whom I have been writing to, James, has already met Joe and the idea of him now meeting my mother has come up. I decided that I would like for them to meet. Since Joe has already met him and likes him a lot, I am certain that it will be fine. There are also no romantic possibilities lingering between James and I. He is already in a relationship, and I am not his ‘type’, so I think we are safe. Over and above all that though, I genuinely like him very much and he is a good friend.

In addition to James, is my friend Parishot, a really great guy who currently lives in New Delhi. He is going to try and come out to visit in April and I am leaning towards getting him and my mom together. Both of them are world travelled and work in the medical field so I believe they would have a lot of things to talk about. I still have time to decide on this, but my mind is asking; “why not?”