So cliché but I really thought I was in LOVE with that caramel skinned, green eyed Adonis. I met him on a trip to Puerto Rico. He was a Lifeguard and spoke perfect English and Spanish. He was well traveled, smart, independent, sarcastic…just the way I love ‘em – and with a lifeguard’s pecs ta boot! Hey, I come from Ohio and had NEVER known anyone who was perfectly bilingual – much less bilingual AND hot!

We spent four days together in non-stop soul talking. I came home to New York, obsessed. Five weeks later, I visited him again. This time, hot talk was accompanied by HOTTER sex. I was soooo close to giving up my life in NYC to live with him, sell coconuts on the beach and have his coco babies…

Back home weeks later, I was checking his Facebook page. He posted a gorgeous snippet of poetry, dedicated to a beautiful woman who had saved his life – shortly followed by another post from the beautiful woman thanking him for the poetry. uh oh…not me…

OUCH!!!!

Dumped on Facebook! I didn’t need a conversation. It was OVER.

It sucked. And, after I stopped crying all the time… I pulled my shit together and became fully focused on teaching myself Spanish… for another year, then two. I steeped myself in the language, traveled South American for 7 months and then 9 months in Mexico. I decided that I wanted to be all the things that I loved about HIM…a strong, independent, fierce, bilingual globe trotter…

I have become all that – and more. Gracias, Señor Lifeguard!

–Mary Shafrath