Punched

I have long had the desire to be punched in the face. Really, I have long had the desire to get in a fist fight, but I also know myself well enough to know that I could never intentionally hurt another person. So, I figured I'd have to settle for only the victim side of the fight without being an aggressor as well.

My dear friend Melanie has long harbored the desire to punch someone in the face. I do not recall the history of such a desire, but I can sure understand it. At some point, while we were in the SWKT computer lab months ago, we discovered our complimentary desires and opted to pool our resources, namely, her fist and my face.

The original plan was to get into a fight on the flight to India, preferably when we were over Portugal so that if we were ejected from the plan that we would end up somewhere relatively close to England. But, because that would never happen, and because it ends up that our flight is a non-stop from Chicago to New Dehli, we had to change our plans.

Well, tonight was the night. Emilee, Andrea, Melanie and I had dinner together one last time, possibly for the rest of this year. We had wraps. They were delicious. Emilee left first to go to ward prayer. At about that same time Andrea's visiting teachers showed up. That left Melanie and I to find something to occupy ourselves with. It started with conversation and evolved into face punching. The scene went something like this:

Location: 1802 N. 460 E. (the pool house) Provo, UT 84604, bedroom 2. I was standing in front of the side of my bed. She was standing between me and the computer where we had formerly checked out facebook and looked up the exchange rate from rupees to US dollars.

Time: Approximately 9:15pm MST

Dialogue: Okay, let's be honest; my memory is not good enough for me to offer an accurate dialogue, so I'm just going to summarize and make assumptions to the best of my ability. Here's what I recall...

I was standing in front of my bed (so that in case the impact caused me to fall backwards, I would have a soft surface to fall back on), glasses off, smiling, looking at a blurred image of Melanie. I was excited about it. Excited about the prospect of being punched in the face, that is, not to be looking at a blurred image of Melanie. Anyway, I don't know that I was fully expectant of it really happening. I don't think that I could have punched someone, no matter how much they wanted it. Well, Melanie stalled a little. I was asked several times if I was sure that I wanted this, and was told several times that she wasn't sure that she could do it. I assured her that I did indeed want this. She asked me where I wanted to be punched. The original idea had been the left eye. But I was worried about the prospect of damage, and so I opted to ask to be socked in the left cheek bone instead.

From my perspective I saw blurry Melanie. Her right hand became a fist. She drew in backwards and then began to propel it forward. Instinctively my eyes closed as I awaited impact, but impact never came. I opened my eyes. She couldn't do it. Again the question of whether I really wanted it and if she could really do it. Apparantly the answer was presumed to be 'yes' on both counts because we tried again. Her hand became a fist, it was drawn backwards, propelled forward, my eyes closed, and this time I felt impact, but it was not on my cheekbone, but rather my jawbone. And it felt as though it were grazing across my face and down off of it with minimal force. Not a direct hit. Not sufficient. I felt it, but it didn't particularly hurt. "Can that count?" "No." So it began again. Hand to fist. Fist drawn back. Fist coming towards me. Eyes close. Impact. Cheek bone. Success!

I was punched in the face! It didn't particularly hurt. The force wasn't particularly great. But I suppose that would be expected. I was impressed that Melanie was able to punch me at all. I know it must have been hard to punch someone, and would have expected the puncher to hold back their strength. But it happened and was a good experience. I don't anticipate it leaving any kind of mark, which is somewhat disappointing. The completion of the mission was really somewhat anti-climactic. I feel akin to Ron (from Harry Potter) when he commented to Harry about how destroying the horcrux didn't feel as cool as it sounded. Harry responded something to the effect of how it never does. And while I realize that me being punched in the face is hardly comparable to destroying a part of the fictitious Dark Lord's soul, there is some connection to...something. After all, Voldemort and I do have the same birthday. Um...anyway, I was punched in the face today and loved it. It was a good day. Thank you, Melanie.