My Favorite Ex-Boyfriend

This person made such an impact in my life that I can't forget him - my favorite ex-boyfriend.  He didn't break my heart or anything like that.  He's an ex because we always knew it would not be a long-term relationship.  We just enjoyed each other's company.  We never argued.  We did lots of things together and visited lots of places together from north of the Bay to down south in Santa Cruz.  San Francisco was our favorite city.

We parted ways as friends but lost touch over the years.  Then I saw him on TV one day, which was a pleasant surprise.  I sent him a message.  He responded, and we caught up a little bit.

So why was he my favorite, besides being great company?  He was very down-to-earth and honest. He was very intelligent, talented and professional.  His worldliness was refreshing.

I learned that he had traveled the world as a professional drummer in a music company.  He studied music theory in college in New York.  He also was a professional keyboardist and had written the score for a movie. He played in a jazz band on weekends in Berkeley.   Of course being in Silicon Valley, he was a technologist with business acumen.  He was soon a VP of a company. If that weren't enough, he earned multiple degrees of black belts in martial arts.  He owned a martial arts studio.

He sounds like a dream, right?  But that's not why he's my favorite.  He's unforgettable to me because he treated me with something simple -- respect.  He paid me compliments with so much sincerity that I would glow.  He didn't shower me with flowers and jewelry.  Those close to me know I don't like those things given to me, and somehow he sensed that.  Instead, he gave me advice and filled my head with knowledge.  We had intelligent conversations and exchanges.  He opened up my eyes to having different perspectives on matters, which helped me mature. I became a better person because of him.

Sure I've had other relationships in which I learned lessons and grew as an individual, but my favorite ex-boyfriend had the best impact on me.  My most memorable time we spent together was at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, when we visited with one of his friends who was playing in a band at a concert.  So around the Wharf to Wharf time, when I'm at the starting line at the Boardwalk, I think about him.  He's married now, has a daughter, and is happy.  I would wish nothing less for my favorite ex-boyfriend.