Eternal Sunshine of Jaime’s Spotless Mind

I met Katie through Chris 1, my first of three Chrises. Katie and I bonded over our love of books, horoscopes and psychics. Eventually, we also bonded over our breakups, which seemed to follow very similar patterns. I don’t have a friend who tells it straighter than Katie, which is something I mostly cherish and sometimes fear. I know I can count on Katie to be a true friend no matter what, a fact that has kept us in contact for the last several years even though we are at a distance.

I have to be entirely selfish and say that Katie saved the day after my re-entry into the land of Coors Light. I was lamenting my former engagment, wondering why it hadn’t worked out. Katie, who was witnessed every moment of the end of that relationship, reminded me in detail of the things that expired during what I’ll loosely call “The Asshat Apocalypse.”

Jaime: He was a nice guy, Katie. I think all of the pressure of being unemployed got to us.
Katie: Do you remember the time he made you cry over a stupid car insurance policy? Because I do.
Jaime: Okay, there was that. But remember? He was really entrepreneurial.
Katie: Is that what you call running poetry contest out of your living room?
Jaime: But we had a passionate relationship! He was an artist!
Katie: I don’t call making you so angry that you threw a plate through your tile table “passion.”

By the end of the conversation, Katie had reminded me of stories long forgotten and, quite by accident, had also convinced Chris that he had nothing to be worried about.

wedding road trip