I'm going to Texas?

If you had told me, in the winter of 2006/2007 that on August 14, 2009--the day after I turn 18--I would fly to Texas to visit pirateoftherings, I would have said, "pirateoftherings? That one in the At World's End thread with all the spoilers?" and then I would have laughed.

Actually, it's mostly her fault.

In February of 2007, I started the fantasy RPG Phantom Grey. Its beginnings were inauspicious. I got the idea from the grey paint color of my uncle's new car. I wrote a cool little intro about a mysterious rebel dude who called himself Phantom Grey--Robin-Hood-esque--and left it entirely open for people to join with their own characters.

Sometime toward the end of February, potr messaged me on MSN about Phantom Grey. She wanted to join, but she wasn't sure about a character, so I offered her the role of the character who, at that point, was the princess-in-hiding. Later, her other character, Kjan, was born. Kjan is a very singular character who lives on in fame, not least for the phrase, "This could be minorly problematic." He became the Phantom's second-in-command, and we started off with a bang.

After that conversation about Phantom, I don't think there was ever an instance where both potr and I were online in which we DIDN'T talk. Or, more correctly, in which she didn't accost me (not to say I objected). At first I think it was mostly about the RPG, but we discussed other things; we learned that we were both Christians, talked about our families, got to know each other a little better. It became a daily thing. Every evening we'd go, "So when will I see you tomorrow?"

I think it was May of 2007 when she had to go on a missions trip and wouldn't have internet access for a week. She asked if she could call instead. Melda's reaction: "Whoa talk to someone I know on the internet ON THE PHONE? WEIRD. I'll ask my mom..." We had a few phone conversations that week, which made me hyper, and continued to talk on MSN every day and occasionally call, skype, and more recently webcam. That's been going on for two and a half years now.

I have referred to 'my friend Jamie from Texas' with increasing frequency in conversation with people I know, over these last two and a half years, to the point where they still think it's odd that I'm so close to someone I've never met in the flesh, but they're good with it otherwise. As long as she's not a creepy stalker. I feel no hesitation in saying that my potr is one of my best friends. My mom thinks that if needed, she could impersonate me--the quote "You'll always be my friend--you know too much' applies. Our daily conversations have become such a staple that I occasionally refer to them as 'my potr fix' in a similar vein as 'my caffeine fix'. My mom often asks, "Are you talking to Jamie?" when I'm sitting with my laptop, and when I respond in the affirmative, she says, "I thought so. You always smile like that when you're talking to her."

As of recently, we've embarked on co-writing a novel together. It'll be called Phantom Grey, and we started it after the RPG finally died. Mostly, though, we just talk.

Melda says: (4:58:22 PM) I'm just basically disgusted with this weather
Melda says: (4:58:27 PM) I actually want to come down there :P
pirateoftherings says: (4:58:35 PM) hehe
pirateoftherings says: (4:58:37 PM) please do?
...
pirateoftherings says: (5:07:39 PM) roundtrip to DFW is only 581 Canadian dollars (A)
Melda says: (5:07:49 PM) lol
Melda says: (5:08:02 PM) pretty good price all told
pirateoftherings says: (5:08:22 PM) melda should do it
...
pirateoftherings says: (9:51:13 PM) who is melda visiting in August?
Melda says: (9:51:17 PM) wait
pirateoftherings says: (9:51:21 PM) (you're on a roll, don't break it)
Melda says: (9:51:49 PM):P
Melda says: (9:53:50 PM) melda was actually considering it
pirateoftherings says: (9:54:10 PM) she should
...
Melda says: (10:00:37 PM) well, I guess I could work library stuff out
pirateoftherings says: (10:00:58 PM) you could
pirateoftherings says: (10:01:15 PM) i have to look at my schedule too :P
pirateoftherings says: (10:01:19 PM) but at least consider
Melda says: (10:01:47 PM)yeah
Melda says: (10:01:53 PM)no idea what my parents will think :P
pirateoftherings says: (10:02:09 PM) "Hai I'm gonna go see potr for a weekend k'bai."

Yesterday:
Melda says: (4:50:47 PM) melda officially has bought tickets
pirateoftherings says: (4:56:10 PM) (aiee)
pirateoftherings says: (4:56:27 PM) :D
Melda says: (4:56:32 PM) okay, so
Melda says: (4:56:38 PM) flying with Delta
Melda says: (4:57:02 PM) leaving Edmonton at 8:00 am with a layover in Minneapolis, arriving in Dallas at 5:18 pm
pirateoftherings says: (4:57:11 PM) uh-huh
pirateoftherings says: (4:57:27 PM) feasible
pirateoftherings says: (4:57:31 PM) what's on the 18th?
Melda says: (4:57:59 PM) leaving Dallas at 5:45 with a layover in Minneapolis (again) and arriving in Edmonton at 11:31 pm

Yep. I'm going to Texas.