Did I Just Marry A Stranger? An American Arrangement

We haven't seen each other in years, but we got married last week… Initially, I was nervous, but I have a knack for doing ridiculous things. My mom, a bridesmaid, and I picked my soon to be husband up from his parents house, shortly after his arrival. I was so nervous. Luckily, he looked way better than the pictures. Unlike most marriage pact stories you see online, we never dated. In many ways it was an arranged marriage, just an American one.

When people would ask about him I would say, I don't remember much about him. He'd been married for 9 years prior to his divorce, and before that he became a gaming junky, and I went boy crazy. I never forgot sleeping head to toe, watching Marx Brothers, or old spy movies… but I started to think, will he be the same guy. We talked on the phone and I told him I was different from when he saw me last. I had been in several terrible relationships, recently left an uncomfortable job, and survived several forms of cancer. He said he too had grown a bit disenfranchised by the world. He welcomed me to join him in whatever fantasy we liked. We could turn our home into Candyland if I liked. Anything.

At our wedding, we took every opportunity to get a few moments alone, he was recently out of a break up, she was there, and I was still catatonic because even with all my friends and family present… I still couldn't believe what was happening. Some of my younger friends said I was crazy. They said, you don't look in love. I'm not. I love him, but, it will take some time to be "in love," I replied. I think my appreciation for other cultures, made it not seem as strange to me. Just different. If it doesn't work, he can always get a divorce right?

I haven't seen him since the wedding, as in 3 days I will be joining him in a whole other state, totally uprooting and moving my life to be with him, from the city to the country. He's been on the road with his ex, helping her move. Somehow I was ok with this. Maybe if we were "in love," I would be more jealous, but, I'm not. I'm just nervous about getting to know him, what we will argue about, and what we will do together. We've only spent about 6 hours together total and we've been married for a week. There are traits about him that never seemed to change. He's still decisive, orderly, and notices/appreciates when I pay attention. Something I was admittedly not as good at providing mostly due to my dedication to working.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I feel like my crazy stories will turn into some amazing film or novel, and that's why I continually ignore the most obvious opportunities for reason, in non-technical applications. Who knows? I only want to pay of my debts, and avoid being killed. Attainable goals. I can wait on my Pulitzer.

Did I marry a stranger? Maybe. Though, I am very excited to see what comes next.