Because this amused me.............

So, do you remember Non-NYE Date?

Let me give you a little more background.

When we first met, he had just gotten married. I became fast friends with both he and his wife....... they were a fun couple. In fact, I was one of the few women with whim his wife didn't mind him being friends.

He's a very flirty type, period. With everyone. However, I always thought of him as an older brother or uncle type. Due to our jobs, we spent a lot of time together and he really did become a good friend.

He'd always say complimentary things like, "Oh, you're going to make a great wife one day." or "Some guy would be really lucky to end up with you."

Then, he would add on slightly flirty things........ "If I weren't married and were a bit younger, I'd totally be going after you." or just plain "If I weren't married, I'd totally be going after you."

I always tried to laugh it off and make it clear that it wasn't going to happen. Even though, we were "just joking" I didn't want any confusion.

Then about 2 years later, he left his wife and they filed for divorce. He directly went into another relationship, but we stayed friends (I was friends with the new one, too....... before they even got together). When he told me he was leaving her, he "jokingly" asked, "So, now that I'm single, do you wanna go out?" I honestly told him no...... even though he was being light-hearted about it..... and gently made it clear that I didn't think I'd ever be interested in that way.

On the day his divorce was final, he "jokingly" asked, "I'm officially single...... does this mean you want me?" while a couple other people were around. I told him to shut up, lol.

I also let him in on the fact that I had serious feelings for someone else. Eventually, he found out it was The Guy. He didn't like TG before this revelation (sidenote: To NNYE, TG represents everything he wants to be and have, but doesn't) and liked him even less after. Regardless, he was in a relationship and we were friends, so he was as supportive as possible.

Enter August 2009......... his relationship crashed and burned, in a nasty way. A couple weeks later, TG announced that he was moving. I, being devastated, was crying to NNYE about the whole situation when he made a comment that I thought was referring to his most recent ex.

"I didn't mean her. I meant you."

Oh, crap.

He then went on to explain what we both already figured............ even though he was always "joking," he's always had a thing for me. "And, even though I'm not saying this because I don't want you to feel like you can't talk to me, it really sucks to know that you're this torn up over him. It sucks to know that I'm not younger or more charming or less divorced....... that everything you love about him is everything I'm not. Again, I'm not saying this so you won't talk to me about him, but it sucks that you're sitting here crying over him when he doesn't give a crap about you. To me, you're everything and to him, you don't mean anything."

That, my friends, was the LAST time I ever talked about TG to him. Our friendship started to change, pretty quickly.

Within a couple months, he was living with someone else. I was going through the rollercoaster of emotion over TG.

At one point, about this time last year, we had it out. Over several things, really, but the underlying problem was that I didn't fall into his arms simply because TG wasn't there. He was pretty mean and nasty about a lot of things, but he made sure to get some digs in about TG, too.

Since then, we're more of acquaintances than friends. Honestly, I've been fine with that. It's better that way, for everyone.

FFed to early December. We were at a function and he randomly asks me if I'm still hung up on TG. Remember, we haven't talked about TG in over a year. I gave a generic answer about moving on and he responded, "Good."

A week later, I find out that he and his girlfriend (with whom he'd been living) had broken up.

A couple weeks after that, he asks me out for NYE. I turn him down.

A week or so later, he asks me out again. I turn him down.

Yet, a week later, he texts me about some dream he had about me. I do not ask for details.

Later in that same week, he tries to brush off the whole dream thing. I ignore him.

Yesterday, he tells me that he's back with the girlfriend.

I laugh.

Ladies (and possible gentlemen)............. Let's cross our fingers and pray that he's finally gotten it.