Have you ever had one of those memories that just sticks with you, no matter what? Even more, have you ever had a good memory like that that just suddenly comes to mind, and keeps coming to mind over and over again?
I have, and it's one of those that makes me as giddy to think back on it as I was the day it was happening. Here, let me back up and tell all about it. (Apologies in advance to Justin for the sappiness. It just feels so wonderful to remember! Also, apologies for length, I just want to share everything I can!)
So back when Justin and I first decided to be a couple, we started talking about having me visit him in the part of L.A. (Sherman Oaks) where he lived. Well, things didn't quite go as we planned, but once he had moved to his current place in Sylmar, I was *finally* able to go see him. (The big hangup about visiting? My parents wouldn't let me take the car I was driving and go see him, and it was too late to catch a train up without paying through the nose.) He and I planned out a route that I would take to go up that first time, and I was extremely excited. It would be my first visit to L.A. that wasn't simply passing through LAX, and I couldn't wait!
The plan was all set. I would visit him the weekend of July 16th. I would leave the car with my sister, she would take me to the Sprinter station in Escondido, I would ride it to the Oceanside station, and I would catch the Metrolink up the coast and through L.A. Well, things almost don't work out. See, Justin called me when I reached my sister's, and I got so distracted talking to him that my sister was late getting me to the Sprinter station. I missed the train I wanted to take, and had to wait for the next one, which cut my time buffer considerably. It wouldn't have been such a huge deal, except there was a long line at the ticket kiosk when I reached the Oceanside station. I waited my turn, bought my ticket, dashed down the stairs and under the tracks to the opposite side, and literally caught the train with a minute or two to spare. Good thing I didn't wear my high heels to travel in, I'd have never made it.
And what a beautiful ride it was! I hadn't been on a train ride up from Oceanside since I was about 13 years old. The weather was gorgeous; the mid-afternoon sun shining made everything absolutely beautiful. There were no issues from Oceanside to Union Station, and I remember how amazed I was when I first saw the L.A. skyline from the train. I felt small, and I marvelled at the sight. Getting off the train with time to spare to nab my connecting one, I asked which platform it was on, found it, and settled onto it after confirming it was the correct one with the conductor onboard. Once I did, I called Justin to let him know I was starting the next leg of my trek; I got his voicemail and left a message. What makes this funny is as soon as I hung up, I saw I had a new voicemail myself. Take a wild guess as to who it was. As soon as I'd finished listening to it, my phone rang, and it was Justin. We connected, made sure we were on the same schedule, and about that time the train was leaving. Once I was on my way, I changed from a shirt and shorts to a pretty blouse and miniskirt combo I'd told Justin I would wear (hey, it was easier to travel that way). I got off at Burbank/Bob Hope Airport, and instantly made it to the shadiest part of the station. I got out my phone, and was about to call Justin when I happened to spot him walking toward me. He gave me a big welcoming hug, welcomed me to Burbank for the first time, and started showing me around.
And that began one of the best weekends I've had in a long time. I met some awesome people, met his parents, saw a new area, and had a lot of fun. I really don't know how else to quantify it; it was all absolutely incredible. Even looking back, it's one of my happiest recent memories, one that paved the way for several more.
And I think I'm all out of fluff for one night. Still, it felt good.
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