by Shandi Pace
Jimmy has small crushes here and there during adolescence but he was never able to turn them into something more. He was immediately friend-zoned because he was the “heavy kid.” Jimmy was the one that they knew was safe to confide to about other boys. He didn’t have a lot of confidence as a child and even if a girl did show interest in him, he likely wouldn’t have done anything anyway.
High school was all about first dating experiences. All of Jimmy’s friends were dating throughout this time. Jimmy, on the other hand, didn’t even consider dating. He was overweight, had no self-confidence, and no clue on how to talk to girls one-on-one. To try would be to fail.
By the 12th grade, Jimmy had established a decent friend group that included boys and girls. There was one girl, in particular, he got along with well and found himself gravitating towards: she was thin, pretty, with blonde hair.
One day, this girl was sick from school when Jimmy was encouraged by friends to give her a call. After that phone call, his friends told Jimmy how excited she was that he checked in on her and that she liked him. After that, Jimmy got the courage to ask her out, and she said yes. This girl eventually met someone else and dumped Jimmy. He was devasted at what happened, even skipping out on prom to avoid seeing her with her new boyfriend.
College was another story for Jimmy. He was still a combination of overweight, had a lack of confidence and now with a broken heart. Over time, Jimmy started exercising and gained more self-confidence. Eventually, he discovered online dating. He realized there were a lot of girls out there that were lonely and wanted companionship. His brain and sense of humour went a long way, landing him his current wife and the mother of his children.
Jimmy is a long way from where he was in college, both physically and mentally. Being in a good headspace has translated into a healthy career and a healthy family life. He looks back on those days with no regrets.
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