Just a friend, like those I count in dozens

I know people say men and women can't just be friends, but my friend Jesse and I have disproven that theory with our friendship. I think our secret to maintaining a "just friendship" is threefold: 1. We live on opposite sides of the country 2. There's a pretty good age gap 3. He's a raging right wing nutjob person ('Murica) and I... am not (though I also love America). He calls me a commie on the regular. But we are great friends.

Jesse is in town for work this week and I invited him to come to church with me yesterday. He asked if people would think he was my boyfriend and I said they might, but that they wouldn't think I was so pathetic if they thought I had a boyfriend so that might not be a bad thing. I didn't think it would cause much of a stir.

So he came to church and sat by me yesterday. His theory was correct. It caused a minor stir. I'm not totally vain - I know that people in general aren't that interested in my life. But as the resident spinster in my ward (church), some people were obviously a little curious. I almost hated to disappoint them.

One 13 year old girl came up to me later in the church block and we had this conversation:

Her: Was that your boyfriend you were sitting with!?
Me: No. He's just a friend in town for work.
Her: Oooooohhh! But you guys would be such a cute couple!
Me: Well, we're just friends.
Her: Well, you should be more than just friends. (lots of eyebrow raising here)

An older women came up to me later and we had a similar conversation with a different twist:

Her: Who was that guy you had with you today?
Me: A friend who's in town for work.
Her: He's cute!
Me: Yeah but really, we're just good friends.
Her: Well, that's great! That's how romance should start!
Me: We're just friends. We've been friends for years! Plus, he lives on the other side of the country.
Her: That's ok! He can move here!
Me: But....Ok. (I gave up at this point.)
Her: Now I know that he exists, I know who to pray for.
Me: Ok.

(I warned Jesse that this prayer was happening so he can pray against it if he chooses.)

Then later I got a text from a girl who wasn't at church that day:

Her: I heard you brought a boy to church today!!!
Me: He's just a friend. He's in town for work.
Her: LIES!!! I want to meet him!!!!!!
Me: Ok.

Poor Jesse. The whole thing just really makes me laugh. But here's the downside: when he never comes to church with me again, people are going to think I was dumped!

So I'm putting this out there now: He's just a friend, like those I count in dozens. (Please tell me some of you get that reference?) Really!