T. (Winter, 1986)

T. called. It was probably 6:30 or 7:00 at night, and snowing like crazy. She needed somebody to talk to, to lean on, a sympathetic ear. Boyfriend trouble, of course. I was always the "guy friend" that the girls trusted and loved like a brother. "I'll make coffee", she said. So I put on my boots, heavy coat and head out the door to walk over to where she was staying. She was living at a friends place at the time due to issues with her dad. We drank the coffee and talked for quite a long time. Eventually we ended up sitting on the stairs that led to the upper unit of the house, an older place divided into an upper and lower style duplex. We sat close and talked some more, T. with her head on my shoulder after a while, and my arm around her shoulders. The talk faded off, and we sat just holding each other, until I heard her whisper very softly "I wish I didn't have a boyfriend and you didn't have a girlfriend, right now." I pretended not to hear her at first and asked what she had said, but she wouldn't repeat it. I still regret not making a move. That night could have had consequences that might have steered my life in a very different direction, but I guess I'll never know.