not so super model
Monday July 31st 2006, 11:09
Filed under: blogging

I blamed it on a 5’11 Dutch model but to be honest, it was his fault for liking Dutch models in the first place.

She was glossy and gorgeous and every time I saw one of those ads I’d have to deal with it. A billboard sized it with slim hips and thighs and an airbrushed face.

I’d always think the same thing. “Well. She has to be thin. If she gains weight she’ll look like a man.” I’d say it to myself. Maybe to Eliza, who bore the weight of the whole will-he-or-wont-he (fall in love with me) conundrum. My friend would listen and she’d drink more beer. Not because I drove her to it or anything (although a lesser lady would have succumbed) but because that’s what Germans do…listen over lager.

He was leaving the country every few weeks. To go here or there. The stick in stilettos moved around. And he moved with her. Then he’d come home and confide in his friend.

I’d pretend not to love by pretending to care. I’d bite my tongue and flutter my lashes and wonder ‘If I had legs like her, would he still call me mate?

I soon learned the whole best friend dynamic was highly overrated. Especially when one wanted to lick the other’s face off. I couldn’t help it.

Continued…..


33 Comments so far
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This seems to be such a common plight. This sounds like a situation in the past…I’m dying to know what happened…

Comment by anne 07.31.06 @ 14:06

I was curious as to where in the UK you live. I’ve been there many times and love visiting.

Comment by Morning Glory 07.31.06 @ 17:31

I agree. This story needs to be continued.

I’ve never had a male as my “best friend”, but I can imagine that having feelings for this person could put a terrible damper on the relationship…

Comment by jess 07.31.06 @ 18:55

I’ve had lots of male friends in my time, and probably one or two wanted to “like the other’s face off”. As long as they didn’t tell me about it, I was fine.
In your case it turn into a case of him suddenly really seeing you, as a hot chick and potential girlfriend, and realising what’s been around him all this time. Or you might always be the best friend whom he turns to whenever he has girl troubles.

Comment by violet 07.31.06 @ 21:20

My best friend and I got really drunk and tried to lick each other’s faces of once… it ended when we both started laughing, cause – ew.

Comment by Bre 08.01.06 @ 0:30

Love your blog…keep writing! You’re really great.

Comment by L 08.01.06 @ 3:20

We’ve all been there, right? Fab post.

Comment by Claire 08.01.06 @ 8:15

I hear ya and I completely agree!

Comment by LisaBinDaCity 08.01.06 @ 14:40

This seems like a common conundrum a lot females and even males face. We fall for a good friend…while they’re off in dating land.

Comment by Beth 08.01.06 @ 18:59

Sounds to me like he was completely blind. He could only see with his eyes. His loss.

Comment by Ken 08.01.06 @ 19:30

Ugh. I’ve been there recently too. It’s not fun. I decided that I picked the wrong guy anyway. It’s supposed to be easy.

Comment by Melanie 08.01.06 @ 21:53

wow. i found you via stephanie klein and quite frankly, would rather spend time here than there. your writing is frank and interesting and intellectual. very well done. and thanks.

Comment by natalie 08.01.06 @ 21:57

Tall and thin is not the only measure of beauty. What about deep and compassionate, present and listening? And chestnut hair and soulful eyes? Gifted writer and faithful friend? Anyone who misses your beauty is blind!

Comment by hattigrace 08.02.06 @ 1:08

I’m a model specimen:)

Comment by Miranda 08.02.06 @ 4:08

When are men going to learn that beauty fades but true friendship lasts forever. Let’s hope that one day the blinders will fall off and he’ll see what a treasure he’s overlooking

Comment by Junebugg 08.02.06 @ 9:35

“I’d pretend not to love by pretending to care.”

What a great line. And so true. I’ve done the same thing. Thought that if I listened to the bitching and whining about the new girl, that he wouldn’t know I wanted to BE the new girl…

Torture.

Comment by Erin 08.02.06 @ 15:44

Are all Dutch people tall? It seems so. Maybe it’s evolution, natural selection, almost an entire populace living on reclaimed land – below sea level – for generations. Of course, in NYC, eighty-five feet tall models walk the sidewalks everywhere. And a top agency-scout-friend of mine says, “Yes, they are not so smart. But they are very happy.” I hope it’s the drugs.

Comment by holly hodder 08.02.06 @ 15:50

I’m glad I have been married for the last 21 years. Dating is stressful and complicated. marriage is easier…with the right guy of course.

Comment by marsha 08.02.06 @ 15:51

Who hasn’t felt that?

Comment by InterstellarLass 08.02.06 @ 16:28

Holly, I’m always struck by how tall the women are in Holland. But maybe I just noticed the tall ones more because I was always looking for her.

Erin, thank you.

Hattie, sweetheart as ever. :)

Comment by Buffy 08.02.06 @ 17:56

Ohhh. Listening over lager. I love it.

Unrequited love. It is the genesis of many a beautiful poem, book, song, heartache, eh? It’s only hit me once in this lifetime, and I got knocked into a pit the size of which is visible from space. I guess these days I err with caution and don’t allow myself to fall until undying love has already been pledged. It’s not an easy way to live either. This whole dating thing is so dang hard.

Comment by Deanna 08.02.06 @ 18:47

Been there. And it is awful. Thank goodness for your Eliza, and all of there other Elizas out there. What would we do without them?

Silly

Comment by Silly 08.03.06 @ 0:05

you know i have written of this at length. i have come to realize that most of us are not supermodels, but we are all deserving of happiness and love.

xo

Comment by amanda 08.03.06 @ 15:11

I’ve had my share of male friends who I had crushes on but never a best friend. I’m guessing this could be particularly difficult. Can’t wait to hear what happened.

Comment by themarina 08.03.06 @ 17:28

You know, after reading this I realized that the overwhelming,burning feeling of desire for that “best guy friend” was actually me wanting to “lick his face off”. I never knew it until now. Thanks Buffy. :-)

Comment by Fitzgerald 08.03.06 @ 18:02

Thank you for writing this because I have so guilty of letting many of my “guy friendships” spiral into “guy crushes”!

Comment by Serena 08.03.06 @ 21:41

[...] I blamed it on a 5′11 Dutch model but to be honest, it was his fault for liking Dutch models in the first place. She was glossy and gorgeous and every time I saw one of those ads I’d have to deal with it. A billboard sized it with slim hips and thighs and an airbrushed face. Continued…….. [...]

Pingback by not so super model pt2 - plain simple english 08.04.06 @ 10:13

Oh I have so been there. And you’re right about pretending not to love by pretending to care. If you care about his relationship (and not just its demise), well then obviously you don’t want him for yourself. But even though you don’t want him for yourself, he has to come to the realization that he wants you for himself. And then of course you’ll realize that you want him too. Happily ever after…or that’s the way it’s supposed to happen. Great story.

Comment by Liz 08.08.06 @ 13:01

[...] I started out at the end of a chic lit binge and my writing mirrored this. If I’m honest, and I often am, I’d say this is me. Because I am woman, amongst other things, and relationships and streams of thought and the odd ‘does my bum look big in this’ makes sense to me. In many ways supermodel is the most real thing I’ve written here. Not just because I lived it. Breathed it. Gained and lost thirty pounds because of it. But because that’s just the way I talk. When I’m not in academic mode. When I’m on the phone with my sister, sounding shocked and annoyed and pitching my voice up and down. I’m all about ‘Sure, she had a lot of teeth, but so did my horse!’. [...]

Pingback by once upon a time. in a land far away. - plain simple english 11.07.06 @ 7:47

[...] And Kate, who spent three years loving a man who didn’t love her back. Who didn’t want her to stay but wouldn’t let her go either. More me. Some will know how that turned out. For those who don’t…I’ll tell you about it some time. But not now. No Comments so far Leave a comment RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI Leave a comment Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong> [...]

Pingback by the holiday - plain simple english 01.16.07 @ 18:01

Great. Really great. I’m a newish reader who really feels your writing. Many nice details in this piece like Mr. Best Friend unknowingly leading you on with “I do wish she were more like you.” I snickered at the reference to the song ‘I can’t make you love me’ followed by your friend’s unfortunate advice, “Well, it’s bunk.” Guess Bonnie was right after all. Sad but true.
And what happened to the high heels? Still under the bed ;) Put those puppies on.

Comment by Cristi 01.17.07 @ 2:15

[...] (Footnote: Peter = this guy. ) 2 Comments so far Leave a comment [...]

Pingback by i’d kiss him. if he’d let me. - plain simple english 04.03.07 @ 19:10

[...] cheesy. But it’s true. Just like Madagascar and Jasmine always reminds me of him. The places you’ll be from…always reminds me of you. No Comments so far Leave a [...]

Pingback by move it to the exits - buffy holt 06.30.08 @ 18:01



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