7 Stories: The One That Got Away (suggested theme)

Some ideas to get you started on your story (theme “The One That Got Away”):

My sophomore year in college I spent a semester in Madrid on a program through my school and another that partnered with us. I really hit it off with a girl from my school I hadn't known before, and we became very close. She started going out with a guy from the other college, and after a while I started going out with his best friend. At first it was fun to have a boyfriend and another couple to hang out with, but it didn't take long for me to become disillusioned.

My boyfriend already spoke fluent Spanish which he'd grown up speaking with his mother, so he wasn't interested in language immersion the way the rest of us were. Instead, he liked to go to American-style burger joints and discos that played American rock and roll. For me that got old really fast. On top of that he was more interested in himself than in me or anyone else for that matter. All in all, he was a jerk, but I was new to having a boyfriend, had zero confidence, and didn't know how to get out of it.

One evening I was on the subway on my way to meet him and wasn't looking forward to it. In fact, I was dreading another mind-numbing evening which I considered a waste of precious time in Madrid. Two young guys were sitting across from me, and one of them started batting his eyelashes in a way reminiscent of Rudolf Valentino in a silent movie. His friend was mortified and apologized for his pal's flirtatious behavior. I thought it was funny, and we started chatting.

They were Argentinians studying medicine in Madrid. We laughed and had a long conversation because I had many stops to go. They asked where I was headed and I said to meet my boyfriend at an American burger joint. They looked at me in disbelief since I could do that at home, so why waste time on that in Madrid. They invited me to join them at a restaurant where they were meeting some Spanish friends and after dinner making the rounds of the mesones, taverns where young people met to drink wine, sing and play guitars. I could think of nothing I would rather do.

So did I get off the train with them and have a fantastic evening? No. I almost did but in the end couldn't do it. In those days under Franco, the Guardia Civil was everywhere and it was safe even for 19-year old girls like me to walk around at night, so I wasn't worried about safety. I've thought of this chance I missed, and the only thing I can come up with is that back then there were no cell phones, and if I hadn't shown up at the burger place, they'd have no idea where I was or what happened to me. Or was I just lacking confidence in this instance, too?

The good news is that I broke up with the boyfriend I didn't even like. I'm very happy the way my life has turned out, but sometimes I wonder where and who I'd be if I'd followed the impulse to hop off the train and take the Argentinians up on their offer. I can still picture them and the prospect of an evening in Madrid that didn't involve English or burgers. Too late now, but it's a reminder that sometimes it's worth taking a chance.

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