How the Romance Dies

She smiled at me from across the room.
I was pretty much done in from that moment.
I know what you're thinking, that sounds like some 1990's love song.
I respect that.
That's exactly what happened though.
I'll tell you the story.
Was kind of killing time.
Out of jail on bond.
Had progressed past the point of believing that my lawyer was going to be able to get me off.
I mean I was, guilty.
At that point, was tossing thousands of dollars at this high priced mouthpiece in hopes of getting a reduced sentence.
Stopped at a bookstore.
My apartment sat above my parents garage.
I was in no hurry to get back there.
My mother was watching me like a hawk, and all of my comings and goings were destined to  became part of the next day's sermon.
Pulled into this huge bookstore.
Decided if I was going to have to do some time, might as well get myself some reading materials.
That's when it happened, she was restocking a few books on the shelves.
Shouldn't have affected me the way she did, she had chopsticks in her hair, wore an apron and these bookish looking glasses. Even in the stereotypical nerd uniform she had a nice smile and a what looked like an athletes body under  her formless frock.
Had loaded my basket with massive fantasy novels, epics, volumes that it would take time to consume.
She was restocking shelves, putting away the books that people had decided that they didn't want at the last moment.
We started talking.
Initially, I didn't realize just how pretty she was.
I'm serious.
From the apron to severe bun to the shoes it seemed that this horribly attractive woman was downplaying her own beauty.
We talked about everything, and nothing.
Even when I had only seen the mousy librarian look she was stunning. Her personality was much larger and more appealing then I had realized.
Talk about meeting someone at the wrong time.
 I had a court appearance in less than two months but as I helped her shelve classics that someone had gotten the cliff notes for I started wishing that I didn't have to go to prison.
Her name was Deborah and the very next day she was off I arrived to pick her up.
Nothing mousy then.
Hair, glasses, clothes her entire look had changed.
She looked incredible.
Her personality remained unchanged.
Awesome.
Took her to lunch.
We sat in the restaurant so long we had to leave to make room for the dinner rush.
Hours melted and time stood still every time we were together.
My court date came much to quickly and I asked her to come to court with me, she refused.
18 Months.
It was virtually no time.
I would be home before she knew it.
Wouldn't be there every night as I had been leading up to my court date, but I'd be back soon.
The first few months we talked everyday.
Sent money to pay for the phone calls. What? I told you I'm guilty.
I'm a legitimate criminal.
Soon the conversations tapered off.
Then the letters.
Finally received the last card at Christmas.
Worked out hard. It killed time and would make me irresistible to her.
When I showed up on her doorstep 18 months after I had left, I expected her to melt into my newly massive toned arms.
Things didn't work out that way.
She had moved on.
Stopped waiting for me.
Has a new guy.
He's obese.
Rushed away from her house as soon as he answered the door.
Haven't had an exclusive relationship since.
Haven't let anyone hold my interest for longer than it takes to have an orgasm.