My Peanut

The first guy I met at Hampton University. Our meeting was so cute. It would be the story we told our kids if we ever got married. We met during freshman registration. Now students register online, then we had to stand in line for hours.

This being the first week of school I only knew about 3 or 4 people including my roommate and none of them were in my major. The entire school of business was registering at the same time. While standing in my line socializing with some girls in my major I lookup and see a guy in a pastel pink and white polo shirt in horizontal stripes. My first and only thought was, “He must be very secure in his sexuality to wear pink.”

I finally got through registration and somehow we finished at the time. We had our first conversation on the long walk back from the Convocation Center. I only remember a few things about that conversation. We talked about me being from Oklahoma and he missed his mom which I thought was incredibly sweet. It was one of the best first conversations I’ve ever had with a guy. He was funny, the conversation flowed very nicely and it was relaxed. It was only later that I realized how cute he was.

He was and is the biggest crush I’ve ever had. My knees literally would get weak when I saw him. I remember almost collapsing in the cafeteria when I spotted his white tee. I had to grab the railing to keep from falling. I’d find ways to go over to his dorm using my now roommate Larry as my excuse to be in a male dorm since I knew him from high school. Funny thing was I rarely called Larry when I got there. Hmm.

That second semester he got a girlfriend and I started talking to someone. My crush feelings faded. The next year it developed into an internet friendship. We rarely hung out but we talked on the internet all the time. It was the greatest thing and I just felt a connection to him. Throughout the other girls and guys we went through we remain homies.

When he pledged we fell out of contact, but I understood under the circumstances. Then with Greek letters comes more popularity and the inevitable groupies. Y’all know I ain’t no groupie, so I fell back. I gave him the name Peanut because I didn’t really like his real name and his lil peanut shaped head. It’s not cruel, it’s endearing. He answers to it. Even my friends call him Peanut. Nevertheless, he’s my Peanut and always will be.

He revealed to me years later that he had a crush on me then too, but somehow we never got it together. It’s probably best that way. That doesn’t matter; I can say without a doubt that I love him like family. It’s not the same, but it makes me happy whenever I see him. Good memories.