Here you go Matt.

Referring to the last entry, entitled "home," I said that Matt would in essence chastise me for not wanting roommates, etc, etc. (If you have not read the previous entry, this one will make much more sense if you read it first, btw).

Here's the real story, and not the Tracey-version written for dramatic, emotive effect.

Matt and I were in a car, discussing life choices, moving places, and all those other issues entailed with being 20-something and single.

At one point, the conversation went like this:

I whined, "I'm just looking for someone to attach to."

Matt was driving, and you should have seen his body language shift. He walled off from me, even though I was not referring to him as specific someone.

I noticed this change in disposition, and inquired as to its source. He, full of said anxiety and hair-bristling on the back of his neck, explained to me how that came across, and wisely instructed me to never, ever say that to a guy.

I have to admit, I was slow to catch on, and didn't in fact get it at first.

I was thinking, "I want someone to share life with, walk with, know, grow..." and all that other sappy, committed, romantic stuff. I didn't understand why my statement was so offensive, and I was in fact offended that it would be offensive. I concluded something like, "Men. So base."

Matt explained. "When you say attach, it gives the picture of a sucker fish, hooking on, and sucking all the life out of you."

His response made a little more sense.

Fortunately, by the end of the conversation, we were both seeing eye to eye, and actually thought along the same lines. We just used different language to initially express it. He and I both agree that complementing one another, and what-not, is, in fact, good and desirable. Neither one of us wanted an enmeshed, co-dependent, sucker-fish esque bond.

So that is my disclaimer for Matt.

I hope you read this Matt. Hopefully I have not embarrassed myself too badly.

-Trace