|
Nights at the computer were what I was living for, the only adult affection or attention I would get at home. After a year online cyberring lost its fascination with me, and deep conversations took its place. 1800 miles away, Yvonne and I became the dearest of friends. We gravitated toward one another, and I took to purchasing phone cards to talk with her so her number wouldn't appear on the phone bill at home. Though she was dating at the time, I could tell she was unhappy by the way she'd push him aside to chat with me. We were sure we were falling in love with one another. I bought and sent her a gift for her birthday in November, and for Christmas made a set of runes for her. I suggested we meet, if only just once. Her heart dropped, excited at the thought. I made an excuse at home to spend a weekend away in April, 1999, and bought an airline ticket to Edmonton on a credit card in my name only with the billing address of a post office box of which Debbie didn't know. To keep things on the safe side (you never know what kind of character you might meet online), Yvonne booked a hotel room for me in a town between her house and the airport, two blocks away from a police station. (The precautions weren't necessary on my part, but it does go to show she was a smart lady.) I could tell she was nervous when she picked me up at the airport. We sat in my hotel room as she gave me a card and a few gifts, a thank-you for being such a good friend to her. Still with nervous tension between us, I asked if she'd like to go for a walk. Doing something physical, even something so slight, was enough to put us each at ease. From there, supper went well, and conversation was as easy as it had ever been over the computer or the phone. Sparing details, Yvonne stayed the first night in our hotel room, we stayed the second night at her house, and we had a very tearful goodbye at the airport the next day. |