The Uboldi Family: 2 - Black Book, Spanish Class and Soccer Games

If you haven't read my first post, you'll want to read THIS first. The numbered posts are a sequence of events in mine and Marcos' early relationship. Start with #1 and read them in order.

2 - Black Book, Spanish Class and Soccer Games

For those who may not know me, I have a somewhat conflicted personality. I am driven and ambitious, but super tender-hearted. I am direct to a point, but I often fret about what I have said or done after the fact wondering if I should've handled things differently. Overanalyzing is a major problem for me (but that's a different story)!! After my first two encounters with Marcos, I found myself feeling badly about the whole situation. It wasn't so much a "I wish I had said yes to him" feeling, but rather a "I hope that wasn't too harsh" type of thing. The poor kid had two major things working against him. 1. He came off as a total player, which wasn't really my thing, and 2. I had just broken up with someone I had dated fairly seriously and wasn't at all looking for a relationship. Marcos went out with my sorority sister once but nothing came of it (the one who volunteered to go out with him after I completely shut him down). Apparently his focus was still on me. But I was right to worry about our initial encounter damaging his ego a bit. After I turned him down, Marcos was convinced he'd been put in some sort of sorority "black book". It's not true, but it's what he believed. And of course that's the story he insists on telling people to this day.

Did I mention Marcos worked in the Union Building? Remember the building where I attended orchestra class three times a week? Oh, and also the location of the Greek offices, where I spent a huge amount of time? Yep. That's where Marcos worked. I thought I was going to DIE when I found out. Seriously??!! Can't I just move on with my life?

I basically ran into him several times a day. I have a difficult time getting over embarrassing situations like that (overanalyzing...remember?) so luckily Marcos is a much bigger person than I am. Despite being publicly humiliated and "black booked" 😉 by me, he continued to say hi or wave when he'd see me on campus. Before long, the awkwardness had mostly faded and we were becoming friends.

Winter quarter had started and I had a pretty difficult Spanish literature class that required A LOT of reading. I'm not exactly a great reader when it comes to Spanish. I can understand most things I read, but following an entire story - difficult literature - was not easy. Somehow I found the courage to ask Marcos for help me with my homework one day. I had read the story and answered the questions, but I wasn't sure I followed the sequence of everything. I asked him if he could read the story and check my answers before I turned in my paper. These were not short stories - or very interesting for that matter - but he was always willing to help me out. Admittedly I took a little advantage of his generosity. I promise I did my own homework. But it was so much easier to have him read the story and make sure I hadn't completely missed something while I was reading. He still laughs about how he'd read this long story for me, translate and paraphrase it in English, and then I'd simply respond, "Okay, great! That's what I thought it said. Thanks for your help!!" Poor guy!!! Surprisingly, I was clueless about the fact that he might still like me after all the torture I'd put him through. But his kindness, generosity and contagious smile were starting to affect me more and more as we became close friends. I looked forward to running into him and loved seeing him light up when I walked into the room.

During the same quarter, several members of LaDianaeda and Pie Kappa Alpha (one of the fraternities on campus) put together a coed soccer team. The Pikes knew Marcos from around the UB and asked him to play on their team. I went to support my sorority sisters and was shocked when I realized Marcos was playing on their team. Seriously? How is it possible that this guy shows up EVERYWHERE I go?? The truth is I was there to cheer on my sorority sisters, but it was definitely a bonus getting to watch Marcos in action. He's convinced I started to fall for him after witnessing his mad soccer skills. 😂 It was so fun seeing his competitive side, but it wasn't his "mad soccer skills" that were getting to me. It was his heart.

Marcos says...

I would do anything to spend time with MARIA, even if I had to read big, long literary works in Spanish.... for like 3 hours. And then just have her say, "Oh yeah. That's right. I got it. Thanks! Bye."

Really??? Oh well. I really liked this girl!!

Things really turned around when Maria saw me play soccer!! She thought I was a stallion!! Yea yeah!!! I always joke that she was impressed when she saw me play. She says she wasn't, but deep inside I know she was!!!