Speaker 1: Theme party of the podcast episode three, first and Last
by Netta lja Ed.
Speaker 2: We met at the game store. You noticed me first,
and we ended up playing at the same table you've
told me. My scarf caught your attention. My books kept it.
We didn't exchange numbers. Unfortunately, I had to step away
from D and D to study for an exam. I
distinctly remember the look of confusion on your face when
I said goodbye to the group, explaining why being gone.
One day, I was gushing about critical role in the
game shops discord server when you asked to message me directly.
We hit it off right away. You gave me a
reason to laugh every day. I was in a dark place,
processing my dad's death while also starting out as a
state all while dealing with keeping an estranged family at armsland.
On the first night, I returned to D and D,
still reeling from everything that was happening and unsure of
my test results. You surprised me by asking me out
of course, I said yes. For our first date. We
had hot pots, eyes flash broth on your white and
black shirts. I'm such a klutz. You must not have minded. Though.
We spent five hours together and somehow it felt like
no time at all. For our second date, you tried
to teach me how to longboard. I had never tried
anything like it before. Our biggest mistake was starting out
on a slope. You held my hand trying to guide me,
but I still ended up flat on my back, laughing
while you chased down the board. On the third date,
we went to your house. I'd never been alone with
a guy at his place before, and I was so
nervous I bounded up the sandwich I'd had for dinner.
You never made me feel bad about it, though, in fact,
you had an entire game plan for how to make
me comfortable and more open on our dates. You explained
that it was things like sitting against a wall at
D and D, so I didn't feel trapped actively building
up the relationship through discord first so it didn't feel
like you were a stranger when we met up again,
creating situations where holding hands wouldn't be awkward like longboarding.
The amount of thought you had put towards me was
unbelievably flattering. We had our traditions. Once a month, we'd
have game night with your friends from high school, though
we usually ended up doing more talking than playing, much
to our chagrin with all of our busy lives. We
even scheduled a night each month to watch TV together.
Whatever the hot news show was, our group devalored it.
Eventually we started a yearly tradition. Of course, you got
put on the spot to give this event a name,
the Nanual Bonfire, So silly. Everyone had a blast and
all enjoyed the s'mores, and since I remember to pick
up the halal mushmallows, I did too. During the summer,
we would go boating with my family friends. I had
been trying to awake surf all season, but I still
couldn't get up on the board. Of course, you got
up on the first try. I was so impressed and
so proud. It was the perfect thing to show off
to everyone. We'd go hiking, just the two of us.
You'd turn it into a marathon, running me ragged mister
guide at the cross country in high school. You always
pushed me to do more than I believed I could.
To celebrate you getting a new car, I arranged a
National Park weekend trip for just us two. We experienced
all four seasons in those few days. Driving up, we
roasted from the heat despite the air conditioning. Luckily, we
found a little waterfall to splash around in. The next day,
we drove one hundred miles east where we hiked through
ten feet of snow to see the sulfury hot springs. Okay,
I trudged, you breezed right through. On the day we
headed back, it was deliciously cool. We got a two
of some amazing caverns. After we got home, you surprised
me with a thank you. You hugged me from behind,
a simple gesture that I had mentioned before, felt extra
nice to me. Still using that game plan from when
we first met. During the winter months, we loved the
snowboard I'll never forget when you took me to Tahoe
to see snow for the first time, so magical and
felt so surreal. It felt that way every time we visited.
Every year, I urge you to enjoy the more difficult
slopes while I worked on the greens and blues. You
had joined me. Afterwards, after three seasons of you patiently
teaching me, I finally felt like a real snowboarder until
I fell and broke my arm. It was strange to
see you so unsure of what to do I had
to tell you how to get help at the hospital.
You were back to your usual self, cracking jokes and
distracting me from the pain. We got to see what
would be like to live together for the next three weeks,
as you took care of me at your place, I
relied on you for basic things like getting around and
feeding us, even though you could not cook. Despite all
the extra work I made for you, you confess that
it was nice having me around. When you were with
someone for a long time, you'll eventually develop some holiday traditions.
We loved Halloween, but after hanging out candy for several years,
we decided to go out with your friends for a change.
We suffered Star Wars characters, but I went as Han
Solo and you went as slave Princess Leah. That night,
you were the center of attention every time we walked
into a new bar. The reactions alone made it worse
for you to freeze your butt off. The holiday season
is busy, so of course your friend group arranged an
annual tradition of a get together combining Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Thanksgiving miss it was pot luck. Oh and one year
my mom helped by making a lentil suit for everyone,
and I made Egyptian goulash at your place. It's a
deliciously layered buttered philade with cheese and brown leafs sandwiched
in the middle. Unfortunately, it wasn't very crispy. I used
too much Ghei woots. It didn't matter, though everyone loved it.
The kitchen was one of the places where I could
happily outshine you. That same year, for the white elfin
gift exchange portion of the evening, you were able to
outdo me once again. I went way overboard with my gift.
I added too many things and nobody could decide if
they wanted it all or not. You went with the
targeted approach of finding a personalized gift for a friend
that they couldn't resist. Last year, Christmas time meant driving
to your parents' place each day. On Christmas Eve, we
wrapped presents with the insane amount of wrapping paper. Your
mom has some bit even older than you. Breakfast on
Christmas Day was sausage and gravy on homemade biscuits. Since
I don't eat pork, he thoughtfully asked what I would
like instead and made me some over easy eggs. Afterwards,
I worked on a puzzle with your family. You wouldn't
since your color blind puzzles are annoying to you. One
thing I wish we could have done together would be
to celebrate Ramadan. I wouldn't make you fast, but you'd
have to listen to me complaint of wanting to eat
this or drink that, fantasizing about what tonight's meal would
be and planning for the next. I would definitely want
kuftaburgers and fries. I would have to be the grill
master again. Since you're color blind. You would have a
hard time telling when the burgers were done. But you'd
be my sous chef doing all the chopping because apparently
I can't cut something without also cutting myself. As far
as the holiday, I drag you to visit my family,
you'd promise to not go with my brother too much.
My niece would be happy to see you. You've had
a soft spot for her ever since she called you
a princess when you first met. You were always willing
to spend time with my family, even if, even if
there seemed to be an invisible wall between you and them,
since they aren't a national holiday. If or Aidladha fell
on a weekday, getting together with family and family friends
would have to be put off until the weekend. Those
get togethers would always be a pot look. Mom would
make everyone different types of Egyptian style mashi, different kind
of rolls stuffed with herb rice, cabbage, grape leaves with
added lemon, and veggies like bell peppers, zucchini and eggplant
with herb rice. You would have an easier time mingling
because the house would be full of people. You know
how to motivate me. The only reason I'm comfortable in
the water is because you taught me how to swim.
You know how to calm me down when I'm anxious.
You're the reason I pass an important exam to get
into school. You know how to get me to smile
and laugh. You would go the extra mile to bring
joy to my day. You put so much emphasis on
my happiness. Those are some of the things we would
have done for the rest of our lives. I hate
the circumstance we're in. There's deep love and friendship, but
because of who we are, these traditions we've made together
and the ones we haven't even begun, will never be
more than what they are now. You fear your love
will turn into your resentment. If you say the words
I need you to say, our union would be based
on a lie, because you'd be like me on the surface,
but not any deeper, fearing you wouldn't be the man
I deserve if you didn't fully believe. I've told you
I don't need that from you. I know who and
what you are, and I accept it. But you know
I cannot marry someone who isn't Muslim. You are so
cold when I asked you one last time to take
a leap of faith. I understand your reasoning, and I
can't be angry with you in this one most important thing.
I wasn't enough for you to make the effort. I
can't wait for you anymore, and you don't want me
to wait, despite you starting to look into it. I
hate that you making the choice appears easy even if
it isn't.
Speaker 1: It sucks.
Speaker 2: It sucks so much. It's not your fault, it's no
one's fault. I don't want someone who feels like they're
being coerced to be with me. We both deserve to
be with someone who wants us fully well. They'll always
be in each other's lives. I must hold my best
friend at a distance and eventually create new traditions without you.
Speaker 1: Firsts and Last was written by nedda elsa Ed and
Maretta Mose, starring nedda El Sayed as the narrator. This
episode of Theme Party of the podcast was directed by
Jordan Autumn Kalina, Sound design and engineering by Jamie Lewis,
with additional music credits in the show notes. Production coordination
by Moreta Mo's, story development by Alissa Esteban. The theme
song for Theme Party the Podcast was composed by Bad Machine.
Episode art by Alissa Esteban. This episode was produced by
Netta Elseyad. The executive producer and host of Theme Party
the Podcast is Mereta Mos. If you've enjoyed this episode,
please consider supporting us on Patreon by visiting Patreon dot
com slash Lengthy Tangent. Learn more about this episode and
all of our shows at lengthy tangent dot com and
follow us on social media. Our theme for this season
has been family traditions. I've been Mereta Mo's and this
has been Theme Party the Podcast. We'll just edit that
part out Lengthy Tangent