So I recently succeeded in asking one of my best friends to go out with me... while we were sitting at a black jack table...

In all hind-sight that probably wasn't the best time to do it, but in my defense I was winning and feeling very good about myself.

I feel I need to mention that not only on the way up was I trying to ask her, but at various times throughout the past year I've also attempted to get the words to roll past my tongue. Much like a square wheel though, once they reached the tip to go past my teeth, they hit the flat part of the square and wouldn't budge any further.

So after I asked her, during the middle of a hand, she replied with "Let me think on it," and I knew I pretty much had my answer...

Not too long after asking her I suddenly felt a trickle... no... make that a tsunami of regret flood my brain and I realize that I would have been much happier had I not said anything (like all the other times). The only hope that I had to hold on to was that she felt the same about me as I did about her... that we were incredible friends with an incredibly special friendship and neither of us wanted to ruin it by doing something stupid, such as starting a relationship.

Five days go by and as is natural for me, assuming you know me, it's pretty much the only thing on my mind... I'm hoping I didn't get myself into something I didn't really want (after thinking about it) but I also don't want to deal with the weight of being rejected... So I'm on my dad's riding lawn mower (a birthday present from my dad to himself several years ago) and she calls... somehow I know what it's about (probably because we don't usually verbally communicate unless either of us needs something or we haven't talked in a really long time... and she didn't text me or leave a voicemail).

Wrapping up the story... I text her and her and her sister are busy wiping tomato facials off their faces and she calls me back and we chat and she lets me in on how she feels and lets me down very gently... which I am grateful for... we're still going to watch the Astros play the Mets next weekend and I doubt we'll be weird (we've been through this before - another story for another time)

Now, back to work! My boss might notice me not doing what I'm being paid to do!