Can something feel very romantic even though you have no romantic interest?

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

Today, I have had a weirdly full day emotionally.

I came back to Suzhou to hand over the apartment keys to the owner and then leave.

It was raining. Suzhou is called The Venice of The East, so it’s often rainy here, so it makes a perfect sense that it was raining on the day when I finally left for Shanghai.

I gave the keys to the owner. Went downstairs, smiled and said “Goodbye, it was nice to know you.” to the concierge that has been very friendly to me and then left.

I wanted to go to the lake, to say “Goodbye” to a place that has helped me overcome the hardest heartbreak of my life. Opened my umbrella and walked to the lake as it was raining heavily, my parents called me and I was talking with them while walking, about 3-4 minutes later, I heard the sound of running footsteps and someone called me from behind

“Wait…”

I looked back surprised.

That was the young concierge who has always helped me. He was running in rain holding his umbrella. He stopped right in front of me, closed his umbrella and said “I will miss you.”

It was such a beautiful moment. I didn’t know what to say. I just smiled, out of happiness, thankfulness and empathy,

he was looking at me naively, dreamingly,

and I think he wanted to kiss.

And yes, I know that would be a beautiful way to say goodbye, but I didn’t feel the same feelings to him, so instead I just said:

“I will miss you too. Thank you for being so sweet to me”

I know I could hug him or kiss his cheek as a goodbye but I didn’t want to, the moment was so beautiful, I had no romantic feelings other than deep appreciation and thankfulness that he gave me the most romantic sensation , that I haven’t felt for a long time.

He gave me a perfect goodbye, not a goodbye of a man to a woman, but a goodbye of a city I loved, a city where I loved and a city, where I felt the most alive. Now I can leave happily and when I remember my last day in Suzhou, that will be a nice memory.

[BoopBoopBeep]

Absolutely. Some of my most romantic moments have been with women I didn't know the real names of or barely knew. The shared glance at a cafe in tikrit when somebody from a different agency wonders if she stumbled into your op or you stumbled into hers. Both of you want to be mad. Both of you take note of who/what the other is. Both of you secretly look forward to tracking them down and tearing them a new a-hole for potentially f'ing something up you put countless hours into, knowing that the "post tearing" phase is some of the most intense there can be.

Fast loading into a helo with a female door gunner, getting to the DZ on a particularly crap mission and she holds your arm unusually long as you dismount.

Changes of mission sending two people in the opposite directions, both wondering what might have been or that moment when you've accomplished the mission and you're sad that victory means you won't be working together anymore.

Getting back to base and having a taste for coffee like it's nobody's business. Finding out they just ran out while you were in line, and a woman before you says only "have mine" and slides her cup into your hand as she holds your eyes. Secretly you're loathing the fact that you have gloves on didn't feel her skin, and when you see her in the chow tent the next morning your eyes lock again. She's sweaty from PT and you're headed to the LZ to catch a bird somewhere else, hoping a sandstorm or that indirect comes in so there will be a reason for the bird to wave off and you'll have one more time to see her. Your eyes lock and she holds the stare, she lets down her hair "to fix her bun" and as she tilts her head forward you can see that she's looking up to make sure you're still watching.

When you're setting up your loadout and she comes from behind you reaches around to take one of your magazines "I'm short... I'll get you later" she says, holding her chest against your back oh so briefly, and as her hand pulls back the magazine and un-encircles you it brushes against your face and you struggle to not make it obvious that your head instinctively leaned into it.

Having coffee with an old friend at a cafe in Hong Kong when neither of you live there, but life has a way of bringing people from small circles together.

Despite how this MIGHT have read, I'd say it still applies. It's not so much that person, the individual, that you find so moving in those moments, it's the role that they play on the stage of life. You have no romantic interest in Janice/Samantha/Rachel (the other person, whoever she is) but there are still those moments that are dancing in the warm rain under a summer moon in their own way. The good ones stay with you. Long after the end of the Act.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

You should start telling bedtime stories to your kittens, they’d love.

I loved picturing all these as if I was there too.

And yep! I agree, it’s not the people, it’s a bit of everything, right time, right place, right mood, right person, right words. And it will be printed in your mind forever. The person just seems to be the one who delivers you what universe had to say to you.

And for me that was wonderful, not that I could see myself being in a romantic relationship with him. Nope. That was just a wonderful way to say goodbye and it felt so right at that time.

I felt like I was in a movie.

[BoopBoopBeep]

I do tell the rescue kittens bedtime stories actually. Sometimes they are about the "good ol days"... especially if one of them dug out some artifact from my past and started batting it around. I tell them about what it is and how I got it.

Those "movie moments" we get are the ones I always focused on when I was holed up in a cave somewhere or lying in an overwatch position watching sweat snowball down the baked and hardened earth. Hold those close to your heart, even if they seem inconsequential at the time. You never know when you'll be somewhere and need to watch a rerun.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

Yep, I know it sounds like I made up the story, but you know what?

When I went to the lake yesterday after that encounter with a concierge boy, there was nobody at the lake, cause it was raining, I whispered “Goodbye Yinshan Lake”, closed my eyes and breathed Yinshan air one last time and suddenly there were fireworks shot from the lakeside hotel.

What could be a better way to leave the city I loved?

When I first came there years ago at 22

I asked “Suzhou, please be kind to me.”

I feel like It had been very kind to me, I have made some of the most alive memories there. Some happy, some sad. But in the end, I have felt the most alive here. I remember looking out of window in our Suzhou apartment when I was 23 and singing the tune of La La Land, “city of stars, are you shining just for me?” - I felt like it did.

Now I wonder if Shanghai will be as kind as Suzhou was for me. I sure hope so. I am a bit scared of what is ahead, but I am also excited. So far, I have been feeling like in a movie.

I do hold these moments close to my heart.

I think it’s all about appreciating little moments, catch them like fireflies and let them shine in your mind forever. That being said, I have never caught fireflies, nor seeing them anywhere after childhood.

Have you seen them anywhere in your woods?

[BoopBoopBeep]

My rescue kittens and I watch them in the garden from the conservatory. I used to see hundreds of them, now only a dozen or so.

[molonski2]

Look , I answered this correctly the very first time , for someone residing in China with due respect you seem to have little understanding of the culture , Im sure this boy is a lovely boy no1 - he is younger No 2 - he is from a vastly lower position , he cannot ask you out , it doesn't work like that , they may not call it " Caste " but that is pretty much what it is ---

Of course , what he needed was for you to leave the complex , he knew you went to the lake , then at least he can approach you ( Have a crack as we say ) , because otherwise its completely inappropriate , its exactly the same here but in a slightly different way , forget " romance " it ALL comes down to economics , and you liked the look of this young boy , its extremely wise that you did not proceed.

Its just a nice moment , you can stroke the ego , but my advice would be understand in Asia , its vastly different and that's what is great about it , don't bring European attitude , don't bring USA attitude , Australian attitude , it doesn't work , life is different here , I deal with this stuff every day , and its all extremely complex.

But , still a nice small moment , but drop that thought , you two are not playing in the same group , be polite , that's it , move beyond , its not actually romance.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

It was a nice moment, I know that’s not a romance, I am not romantically interested in him either. I just enjoyed the whole thing, as it was my last day in that city and felt like that was the best way to end my journey there.

[molonski2]

I think you were to some degree involved , but sometimes , you know , its what can be just can't be , and look you are going to come across this ( with your mindset ) time and time again , but the stuff that works in USA ( OR parts of Europe ) cannot happen in Beijing , madai madai , it will not happen.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

What stuff?

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

I didn’t really do much, I was just always being friendly.

[molonski2]

Stuff = Actions , ideals ( USA attitude - re Asia )

Being friendly to people is good , in that case there is no question to be asked. But Asia is Asia , its different , give it more time. If you watch " If you were the one " with Meng Fei , you will note , it does not translate to Western ideals , never date down in class for example , or the need for constant affirmation ( although there is a bit of that now for sure ) .

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

I don’t believe in classes, whoever I choose can become a god too, cause I will support him to become anything he wants. So, being my partner is a class of its own. Hehe

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

That being said, I understand your meaning.

[molonski2]

No disrespect , it doesn't matter what you or I believe , its how it is , particularly in China and its how it will remain , you will clearly see , best thing is just accept it , and help where you can , the situation will not change , and in China the next 10 years are unlikely to be as buoyant as the last 20 , so the gap will widen. Its just something you have to live with.
I have a series of families and orphanages that I help regularly , little social welfare , where it exists its impossible.

[sheikalana]

It depends on how people interpret things. Some people like to see things when there's nothing to see.

[exitseven]

That is a great story. It is usually the little things like that that we remember forever. I was flying out west and had to make a stop in Chicago. I don't remember exactly how it happened but I met this pretty blonde girl while I was waiting for my plane. This was before 9/11 when airports were not so uptight She was meeting her boyfriend and I was flying out to see my girlfriend. This girl's name was Yvonne. It was totally a chance meeting and if we were not already taken I am sure we would have hit it off. I have not thought of this for years. This site does that

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

Yep. There are so many “what ifs” in our lives. Glad this post helped you to time travel.

[Andres77]

That’s sweet. Add nostalgic.

building good memories is a nice way to go through life.

[Shy_Steve]

Yes it can, That's the beauty of the World you can feel Romantic even when your by yourself.

I have felt that before aswell.

[Friendlybro79]

Based on what you wrote, I'd say the answer is yes.

[Abdulwahh]

Yes they may be that romantic person that likes you

[Bklynbadboy12]

I always feel romantic in the rain

[Bklynbadboy12]

I love your profile pic

[VforVindication]

Do you prefer women?

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

No, I am heterosexual.

[Nerdvana]

Yes, they are called Julia Roberts movies

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

Ahahha, that was really like a movie. Which movie is that by the way?

[Nerdvana]

Notting Hill, Pretty Woman, Something to Talk About, The Runaway Bride, take your pick

[EaterPeter]

I think

[love_conquers_lust]

Yup.