Snarky Doutzen: A Pacific Passion

I stare at the clock above the bar. It's 4:13 and I'm only three drinks in, but I can feel the buzz starting to take hold. I've been here for two hours, at least. The bartender knows me well enough to keep my glass full without my asking. His name is Mark and he's a friend of mine.

This hotel bar had been my home away from home for the past few weeks. I can be seen here on most nights although there's usually a group of others with me these days. For obvious reasons.

It's a Thursday night, so they're not here yet. Probably just as well, though. They get rowdy and that might ruin the vibe I'm trying to build up before they show up. Mark knows them too... we all went to college together and have stayed close since graduation. He keeps an eye on me while he helps other patrons, but he doesn't ask about it unless I do first. Tonight, I'm not ready to rock his world quite yet, so we chat about his kids, his work schedule, and whatever sports game is on TV.

I am thinking about Doutzen Kroes again, though. The four of us met her years ago - at a gallery opening for one of our friends' parents who were artists - but Doutzen was the only one who really stuck out in our memories afterwards. She was a startling beauty - tall and lithe with long blonde hair and eyes that made you want to fall into them like a pool of water - and she had this energy about her that always drew you in when she was talking or laughing or even just standing quietly with her hands crossed over her chest while everyone else talked around her. Our friend's parents knew her through their art gallery business, so they introduced us, but none of us could make small talk with her at all - we were all tongue-tied teenagers who couldn't believe someone like that would be interested in speaking to any of us! We hung around near her like timid puppies until she bid us goodnight after dinner was served and left the gallery with her friend, some older woman who reminded me of my mom when she dresses up nice for work functions or church meetings (hers are more boring than anything; dull colors, slacks or skirts).

We never spoke again after that night... well, not until about two years ago when I happened to catch Doutzen on TV when I was home sick on some random afternoon off work... sporting events don't count as sick days so it wasn't football or basketball. This was soccer - men's soccer - so it wasn't even women's soccer... which is probably why I didn't pay much attention at first because it seemed weird that they'd play *for* money while they're supposed to be representing their national teams... except this game changed everything for me because it suddenly made sense what these guys were doing: they were playing for Doutzen Kroes! All those years ago I hadn't recognized the name at first because she was using her last name instead of her first name when we met her; apparently she didn't need an introduction anymore since people knew who she was now!

I started watching it whenever I could then - women's soccer has really taken off over the last decade and there are plenty of games being broadcast nowadays - and occasionally stumbled across Doutzen again when she was interviewed during one match or another. She was married now... having tied the knot with some guy who used to play pro ball himself back in Holland (he retired a while back), and they had twin girls (also girls!) who were only a few months old when I saw pictures of them online along with their proud parents posing with them showing off their babies' little outfits! They weren't born until after marriage though - weirdly, belatedly realizing that they'd already done *everything* else together except walk down the aisle on their own terms... learning from mistakes others before them made along the way no doubt! LOL

They both looked so happy together... especially him since he had given up the sport (and its lucrative career) to settle down with Doutzen Kroes in Europe where he would never be able to play professionally again if he returned to America! He spent most of his time coaching kids now instead; helping to train future players so that something good could come from his previous life in sport than nothing at all! I always wondered what happened between them; how things ended up working out between him and Doutzen Kroes since things obviously hadn't worked out for them prior to meeting each other! Apparently he had hurt Doutzen deeply once upon a time during their courtship... badly enough that she swore off men entirely afterwards until finally warming back up later on towards him! Not exactly romantic stuff (who knows why anyone would cheat on someone as beautiful as Doutzen anyway?!), but sometimes love doesn't need to be either romantic or sexy or even fun all the time - sometimes it just works out despite everything going against it because two people know deep down inside that it has to happen regardless of what might stop it from growing stronger day by day! That's kind of how I see my relationship with my girlfriend and our friends now anyway: we've been friends forever but now we're also dating each other too... kind of crazy having sex with your best friends isn't it? LOL But it works somehow! So maybe 'dating' is more appropriate than 'sleeping' with each other when referring to our current relationship status? Or maybe more simply: being together? Anyway...

Doutzen is still single now though... waiting for Mr Right like we have been right here waiting for another chance at being with her again someday soon! We've tried contacting her through various channels over the years (her husband tried too after their wedding), but either she hasn't heard from any of us or else has chosen not to respond. Maybe that curiosity about why she picked someone like him over any one of us will finally get answered if we see her again someday soon? Can't wait!