The year was 1995. I was 16 and was had been a big fan of going "online" and posting on BBs about music. All you could do was post comment threads and kinda email people, and it was very primitive. I loved it. I challenged other Nine Inch Nails fans to trivia battles, created a little alter ego for myself, and met a lot of interesting people. One guy I met, Cobalt, was in a band in Detroit, was an artist, and seemed super cool. I gave him my home address and we started exchanging pictures and mix tapes (1995!!) and very flowery sentiments. He was quite handsome. We made plans to run away together, but we both seemed to realize that this probably wouldn't actually happen. It was all very romantic. So imagine my surprise when I get an message from him announcing that he was driving through the state where I grew up and had booked a hotel room in the town where I lived.
Without a moment's hesitation, I drove to the hotel. Even now I cringe when I think about it. I knocked on the door, he opened it, I walked in, and....... it was the most fucking awkward experience I've ever had. We seemed to hate each other on sight, and kinda made small talk and weirdly argued for about 20 minutes. This was not the romantic experience I had been hoping for. I got up to leave, and he came over and hugged me goodbye. I turned around, got into my car, and drove home, shaking, as it had just occurred to me that I could have been raped or kidnapped or killed.
We never spoke again. Apparently we were better off cooing at each other electronically. Cobalt, if you're out there, thanks for not hurting/raping/kidnapping/
killing me. My mom would thank you too, if she knew.
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