When good efy counselors go bad

6/21/2012 The Romantic 1 Comments

Just in case you haven't "liked" us on facebook yet, I'd once again like to apologize for my current MIA status. My computer has a nasty virus. And so I can only communicate to you all via snatched moments on the public library's computers.You didn't miss much during the last few weeks. Just the awkward conversation I had with my ward's resident Mr. Collins; in which he proceeded to tell me how he didn't think Jane Austen was "that big of all deal" given the fact that all her plot lines are "pretty much the same". Poor fellow. He had no idea who he was dealing with. I decided to just smile and nod, feeling no need to cause a scene at the big annual ward luau.

And then there was last week. When I was unexpectedly hired to work at efy. It was more than I could've hoped for. And I could go on for hours and hours about the amazing experiences I had. But that's for a different blog at a different time. Here's the blog where I tell the story of my dear, dear co-counselor. We spent the week working well together. There was no flirtations of any kind. It wasn't until Saturday when he started sending me texts. You know the texts I mean. Vaguely flirty, with all sorts of implications and teasing. Naturally, being the recently returned RM that I am (who looks at every man I meet as potential FEC material, because maybe Heavenly Father put me in that position), I flirted back. Even that first day, I was freaking out. He was a good guy, but something didn't sit right.
"Benji's texting me! I don't know what to do!" I texted to a fellow counselor.
 "UMMM GO FOR IT! He's funny and cute!" she replied. 
So, with some trepidation, I "flirt texted" back. The next day, I learned that one of my mission companion's room mates knew Benji. So I texted my old companion, "Sooo... my co-counselor from last week knows your room mate." That's when things turned sour. To make a long, mostly textual, story short, I learned that dear old Benji and been skyping and texting my old mission buddy's room mate for several months. Promises of visits across states, and marriage had been mentioned. I was mortified! Non-comittal flirting can be fine. But not when you're already involved with someone else. But especially when that someone else is a poor innocent 18 year old. And even though I probably wouldn't choose Benji as a suitor, I felt a moral obligation to help out this poor innocent 18 year old. I had a choice. Confront him, or just let it go. I decided not to make contact unless he initiated things first. The next day, Benji texted me asking if I was going to a dance on Friday night. When I mentioned the distance he would have to drive, he answered back with a, "I would come all the way just for you" (insert eye roll here) So I called my mission companion wondering what to do. I've never been one for confrontation and the situation would only become muddier the more time went on. She handed the phone off to her room mate, who had some very interesting things to tell me. Including a not so nice off handed comment he had made about me behind my back. That was it. Poor Benji never saw it coming. Essentially, I told him what I had learned. And that while I had enjoyed our week working together immensely, and would like to be friends, I just couldn't tolerate that kind of behavior. I feel like I was dignified and mature while still standing up for myself and the other girl involved. But then yesterday, I had doubts. I began to second guess myself. Did I do the right thing? Did I make the right choice? Maybe I was too harsh... Maybe I should text him after that thinly veiled angry facebook status was plainly directed at me. And then I found out that instead of just two girls, dear old Benji was stringing three of us along.
 I think it's time for a man fast...
Or at least an asian man fast.
 xoxo
-the Romantic