When I was an insecure, twenty year old college student at the University of Montana, I worked a student job. It was a pretty amazing gig for me at the time. I was a janitor at the library. My job was simple, I was to sweep and mop all of the stairs (there were only 4 levels) and I had to clean the bathroom on the fourth floor, a men's room and a woman's room. Easy enough work that I could accomplish in about 45 minutes to an hour. I did this 5 nights a week and was always paid for three hours of work, no matter what. This gave me a lot of time to read, listen to music, etc.

After working there for about a month, I started to notice that certain people had certain study habits. One girl would come in three nights a week around the same time and she was really cute. I always made sure I was sweeping or mopping the steps when she was due to come in and I'd always say hello or smile at her. I looked forward to seeing her and it got to the point where I could tell that she looked forward to seeing me too. Eventually, I got up the nerve to sit down beside her while she was studying one night and struck up a conversation. She was a biology major and wanted to become a doctor some day, her name was Lori and she had grown up in Montana.

From then on, when she would come in to the library, we would talk and talk and I would do everything I could to get her to laugh. It was early february, and valentines day was later that week. I had spent the day prior to that evening shift convincing myself that I should ask her out for valentines day.

I did.

She said yes, turned bright red and had a big smile on her face. It was awesome.

I saved up some money and booked a reservation at one of the nicer restaurants in town. I didn't have a car back then so I borrowed my roommate Stephanie's VW rabbit. I went to the flower shop and bought a single red rose and had the nifty idea that I would put the rose in the glove compartment and at the end of the night, when I dropped her off I would open her door for her, let her out and then say, "Oh wait..." pull out the rose, hand it to her and say, "Happy Valentines day," and then kiss her.

Dinner went fantastically, we laughed and really got to know one another. She looked lovely, a pretty dress and her long blonde hair was down, usually I'd seen it back in a pony tail. Wow, I was really excited. Too excited.

At the end of the dinner I drove her back to her place. I stepped out of the car and walked over to her door and helped her out. I said, "Oh wait," and then reached in to the glove box. I pulled out the rose, handed it to her and began moving my face towards hers for the kiss and said, "Happy Thanksgiving."

Happy Thanksgiving!!! What the fuck!?? What did I just say? NOO

She looked confused and I did too. I stammered.. I mean, um I didn't mean thanksgiving..

The moment was lost. It could have been funny, hell it should have been funny but somehow it was just awkward and weird.

We never went out again.

If I knew then what I know now...

---- inspired by galen's telling of his "so moment"