I met Louis my junior year of college. The first time we met was in class. Our professor assigned us to groups of four, which she listed on an overhead, and I immediately knew who Louis was. Obviously, this is because Louis is legendary. However, it was also because Louis always followed his class responses with, Yah I don’t know what I’m talking about, or Yea, that’s probably completely wrong.
After class, Louis came up and introduced himself. From then on, we always saved a seat for the other. (Aww...) I immediately felt comfortable with Louis. For some reason, during our group meetings, I found every story Louis told inordinately funny and everything about Louis completely endearing. I even thought his plumbing stories were hi-la-rious. I thought he was so nice and smart and self-effacing and so so FUNNY. He had a man-crush on firefighters, stopped mid-stride for asphalt trucks on any street, got pumped up for tests to Metallica … but wore a snowflake sweater to group meetings. Immediately my huge friend crush developed.
One day my friend crush became a real crush. I waited only a few weeks to tell Louis about this development, which obviously made Louis a sputtering, embarrassed, even more endearing mess. I loved every minute of it.
The best thing about Louis…. Louis has always been very sweet and considerate to me, as friends. He would always hold open doors for me, even though I always opened the other door for myself. One time, he almost held open the door for the entire class, until he realized it was a 600-person lecture. Louis was the only one in class I'd call and vent to, and he'd listen so patiently for as long as I needed. There was never a need to say don't-tell-anyone-I-said-this with him. He was the first person I called when I was stranded at a bus stop at the campus work out center. He was the first person I called when I was at the Champaign airport and had no one to pick me up. He was the first person I thought of when I thought of who I'd miss when I left Chicago for New York. When I told one of my school friends I liked Louis, she was like, Oh that's so great. I could always tell with you guys, he has always been very protective of you.
The thing I admire the most about Louis is he does this for any of his girl friends. He's a truly great decent guy. I love that most about him.
Louis is always kind. Louis has big ears and an easy smile. Louis has a crazy laugh that can just get away from him, and he doesn't even notice. Louis has such an uninhibited sense of humor, and absolutely no qualms about saying anything. When Louis is embarrassed, his entire head blushes, and it accentuates his mohawk nicely. Louis never says guys, he says dudes.
This year, Louis and I will have been friends for six years, and more than just friends for three years. Three years I’ve gotten to hold his hand and say my I love you’s. And he still makes me laugh all the time. I am very lucky.
The infamous snow flake sweater. And the crush begins...
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