First, a little background: Jason was working at Bruno's (which was soon to be out of business), and I was working at Ethan Allen (not very happily). Our jobs and new job searches were not going very well, and we were tired of our home state. Jason started talking one day about moving somewhere new, most likely Dallas (which also happens to be a city I had been trying to relocate to for years). One day, in the parking lot of WalMart on 23rd Street, with butterflies in my stomach, I said to Jason, "Please take me with you to Dallas." UHHHH, huh?? It was a very bold move on my part, considering we were "just friends," and not committed to each other in any way at the time. He said maybe later, but he wanted to go on his own at first to see if he could do it. One of those "man quests" or something, right? I wiped my tears away and said, "Okay."
Time went by... we talked more and more about moving... while we kept hitting dead ends in OKC. I think he was starting to like the idea of taking me along... plus I told him that if he didn't take me, I would move somewhere else out of state within a year. As each day passed, the idea sounded more and more appealing.
Then came that fateful Saturday. We were both working of course, because when you're in retail, on commission, it's a cardinal sin not to work Saturdays. While I was researching Dallas apartments that morning (always the planner), Jason texted me...
"Do you wanna go?"
(Butterflies in my stomach again) "Go where? To Dallas... Yes!!"
Here was my thought process, "Okay, we have a lot of planning to do, maybe we can move down there within a month. Maybe?"
Here was Jason's thought process... "Nope, it's time to go. TODAY. I'm quitting my job right now. Go quit your job and pack your stuff. We're leaving today."
Uhhhhhh.... whaaaatt??!
It took some coaching and encouragment from Jason as well as prayers and swallowing the bulls that were charging through my bloodstream. But I did it. I quit my job. On a Saturday. Packed up my desk and left. Went home and packed some essentials. With a million questions running through my mind... Where would we stay? How would we eat? (We had very little money) What about jobs? An apartment? How would I tell my family and friends? We obviously had a lot of figuring out to do. But first things first, we packed minimally, loaded the car, scrapped together what money we had, and got on the road. Oh yeah, and don't forget the skateboards.
The funny thing is, things just seemed to fall into place in ways they never did for us in Oklahoma City. We were ready to sleep in our car, but managed to find family friends to stay with. Like idiots, we applied for an apartment in Dallas before we had jobs (great idea, right??), but somehow we got approved. I got someone to take over my lease on my apartment. We sold nearly everything we owned or gave it away over the next two weeks to help us with our venture. We were very blessed with the help and support of family and friends.
Not that things were totally easy...Two weeks after the initial OKC departure we moved. We tried to get a U-Haul Trailer on a Friday night at 5p (like the idiots we are)... but somehow, we found one (and somehow still made it to the Muse concert?!) The next afternoon, we headed out... saying tearful and scared and happy goodbyes to our home state.
MUSE. Probably the Best Concert Ever.
We made it to the leasing office at 5:01... only to run into Ethel walking out the door, who said they closed at 5. (But Milly told us you closed at 7!!) She had no sympathy for us, telling us she had plans and to come back tomorrow. But we don't have anywhere to stay!! After some pleading and some tears and mentioning Oklahoma, she remembered us and graciously let us in. Bless you Ethel!!
After some scrambling around, we signed the lease and received the keys to our new abode. Talk about needing some stress relief after that! But we were happy as two clams to finally have made it to our little apartment in Dallas.
Jason in Deep Ellum
Bianca in Deep Ellum
