Sunday, July 4, 2010

Hello From Wilmington, North Carolina!

"Oooo this spot looks familiar, Tom. I think this is the spot where Dawson proclaimed his love to Joey. Quick, pretend to be Dawson and use big words and look all mopey and junk," I instructed as we walked down the streets of Wilmington, North Carolina where the show Dawson's Creek was filmed.

Tom, my lovely husband Tom who does not like imagining things (I always say he's Marilla in Anne of Green Gables ) frowned and said, "No."

"Remind me to marry someone with an imagination next time," I grumbled.

"Remind me to marry someone sane the next time," Tom retorted.

I am perfectly sane. I've just always had a huge imagination. It's the writer in me, what can I say? I'm supposed to be quirky.

We were walking along side the riverfront of the 4th of July. It was packed. People were everywhere. The lines from the food vendors curled to the point where I could no longer see the end. I so wanted a funnel cake but not if I'd have to stand for hours on end to get it.

I have to say, there were some people with questionable attire there. Like this one chick strolled past in the tiniest probably size 0 shorts when she was a size 10. And another kid tried to steal my purse because she "like-it-ed how it was pink." That's great kid but it's MINE. There were some intoxicated twenty somethings walking (stumbling) around saying something about cheese and anus holes. I know. Try explaining that one to your children.

I was surprised that Tom was even out in the crowd. Crowds usually make Tom nervous. He says it's the cop in him and he believes that someone is going to whip out a weapon at any moment and that he'll have to tackle them to the ground like they do in Cops.

But no, Tom came out with me, and I even got him to go out again while we left the kids with their Grandma. He even held my hand which is something he rarely does because "we're married and what's the point?" I actually pulled my hand away the first time because I'm not used to an adult male grabbing it. Children, yes. Adults, no. He went, "Don't you want to hold hands?" and I went, "Oh?" stupidly.

"You know, I won't be here much longer," Tom reminded me and my heart dropped, as it always does when he talks about leaving. (For those who don't know, he's going to Korea in a year. He only has a couple of weeks left before he goes. I can't go because it's a remote base so I'm staying behind.)

"I know," I answered as we walked past a woman holding one of those mini dogs to her chest. She was probably rich and owned one of those gigantic boats that we had seen floating along the river.

Tom volunteered to get me a funnel cake and brave the long and winding line. But it was hot and the air smelled like sugar mixed with body odor so I wasn't in the mood to wait. We kept walking along the streets and I kept thinking that I knew the spot from Dawson's Creek even though it probably had nothing to do with the show.

"Say Joey!" I told Tom as he stood in front of a building that I swore Pacey and Joey shared a special moment at.

"No," Tom said, not even cracking a smile. Getting him to smile is like getting a politician to tell the truth.

I took the picture anyway. We walked a little further and then turned around.

"I'll miss you," I said, but he didn't hear me because of all the people. And because he's tall and I'm not so I basically said the words into his shoulder.

"I'll miss you," I tried again, this time on my tip toes. "Thanks for coming out with me. I know you don't like crowds."

Tom tossed an arm around my shoulders. "Anything for my girl," he said and winked down at me.

Tomorrow we're headed to the beach.

"And you'll pretend to be a guy in a Nicholas Sparks novel?" I asked Tom sweetly. Nicholas Sparks sets most of his books in North Carolina, you see. Actually, he sets a lot of them in a place called New Bern, which is by where we are.

"No," Tom said.

"Whatever Noah," I joked. "Maybe it'll rain so I can leap into your arms and we can make out!"

"No."

Party pooper. Oh well. At least he took me out in the crowd.

That's a big thing for him, believe me.

29 comments:

  1. haha I totally get excited about things like that.

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  2. My husband isn't into PDAs, either. I can usually get him to hold my hand, but nothing more.

    Every once in awhile, I'll pinch his butt or something in public, and he will look totally mortified. I love the face he makes.

    It definitely shows how much he cares that he did take you out and hold your hand. :) Doing things outside of his comfort zone just for you is good. Even though he wouldn't play along. But I think most guys wouldn't. Macho thing.

    Melissa

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  3. LMAO!! I do that when we are in Wilmington, too. And I totally stalk Nicholas Sparks in New Bern- we live right in between the two. *Waving*

    We don't hold hands much any more- too busy trying to keep the kids with us to be romantic!

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  4. This was great! Thanks for sharing your moments with us! I know how special they are!

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  5. Have you guys gone to Battleship NC yet? I bet Tom would love that! Wilmington's just pretty awesome all around.

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  6. My hubs is that way with crowds too...but he makes the sacrifice for me!

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  7. My husband likes crowds more than I do. I hate the traffic that goes along with them!

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  8. Oh, he was so sweet, it almost made me cry for a moment, and never mind, opposites (imaginative/not at all)attract each other, I know something about it.

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  9. Ya know, I go to Wilmington at least once a summer, usually more and I've NEVER gone into the part of the city where Dawson's Creek was filmed. We usually hit the beach and come home...HMMM! It sounds like you'll have some special memories...glad you are enjoying your trip!

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  10. It is a big deal! I know because my hubby is the same way about crowds. Have fun at the beach!

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  11. Sounds like a fun time. What a man to offer to stand in a long line to buy a funnel cake for you. I enjoyed having a peek into a real relationship. I predict that this is the kind of post you'll be glad to have in the future.

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  12. I love going places where movies were filmed or books were set and walking through imagining it through the characters' eyes. Builderman would rather be shot in the foot.

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  13. This was cute and bittersweet. I'm feeling veklempt about Tom leaving. I think it gets worse as the time ticks down...three weeks, two weeks, alright, leave already!

    Glad you are enjoying your time in NC!

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  14. You sound like me and your husband sounds like mine. He wouldn't say those things either. And when told about him not wanting to hold hands in public, I wondered if you were married to my husband.

    My heart goes out to you that he will be in Korea. I teared up a little just feeling the love you have for you man.

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  15. I'm going to Holden Beach in three weeks! That's just south of Wilmington...I'm trying to find things to do while I'm there, so if you find anything especially entertaining, let me know!

    I'm sorry you didn't get a funnel cake. Maybe when the crowds go away you can try again?

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  16. Tom is a keeper.

    I really enjoy your blog and I gave you an award on my blog www.grownupforeal.wordpress.com.

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  17. sounds like ya'll are having a blast.. hope the rest of the trip goes well.. have fun!!!!

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  18. Crowds? Eek! Hate 'em and I'm not a cop. He's a doll for going out into the mob to please you. I hate when you talk about him leaving. I can't imagine what that's like for any of you.

    On a brighter note, you've got to have some food at Sweet and Savory while you're in the Wilmington area. Wait until you walk in: you're going to faint when that first wave of baking bread hits you. Here's the link to check 'em out. Enjoy! http://www.sweetandsavorycafe.com/

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  19. My hubby is fairly anti-crowd :-)

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  20. This is so sweet. I love that he will brave the crowds for you but won't play Dawson. I hate hate hate that Tom is leaving.

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  21. Man, you know it's gross outside when a funnel cake doesn't sound good.

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  22. Love it! Have you seen Life Unexpected on The CW? Getting a weekly does of Kerr Smith gives me just enough of Dawson's throwback to hang on to my youth.

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  23. my husband won't hold my hand either - he says he has to hold his arm weird to hold my hand. I'm not THAT short!

    Its great that Tom is doing anything for his girl - well except the imaginiary stuff! have fun!

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  24. Well gee... Tom... Did you get some seaweed to chuck at her?

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  25. My husband is so opposite! He's downright embarrassing to ME! But I am glad you got to have a special time with yours...being apart for an extended time is so hard. Will you get to see him at all?

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  26. My hubby and I are the opposite, he's always the one to grab my hand...it's not that I don't like PDA's, I don't like to be touched. He also doesn't like crowds b/c of his tours in Iraq & Afghanistan...crowds are targets.

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  27. Awww, so glad you got the PDA and the moment together. Something tells me it would have meant less if he'd done the Dawson thing.

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  28. I'm a Carolina girl, born and raised and then dragged to CA near the end of high school. I was never a huge Creek fan before we moved, but after, especially when they started filming the college scenes at Duke?

    Hoo boy.

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  29. {sigh} "Anything for my girl" makes me feel all chick flick inside. That's a nice moment to remember when he's in Korea!!!

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