He Loves Me He Loves Me Not

I just started reading another Markus Zusak book. The American title is Getting the Girl.  The Australian title is When Dogs Cry.  

So far, the American title fits better, but I'm on only page 18.  The dog part will probably come later.

Oh wait!   I just checked back to page 17, because I wanted to talk about a quote, and I see there IS mention of a dog already. How did I miss that?

Miffy is barking.  Maybe later she'll cry.

Where's the quote?

Found it.

Cameron the narrator has a thing for one of his brother's ex-girlfriends, even though she explicitly expressed her dislike of him. Cameron's brother says, I know.  It makes no difference if she said she hated you or called you a loser.  Y'feel what y'feel.

How true is that?

I'm thinking back through my life. I can't really think of a time that I was in love (or infatuated) with someone that hated me.  But of course, I've had feelings for people who did not have the same feelings.  And I've had feelings for people who didn't notice me, OR who didn't know I existed....uh, because we never even met.

Ah...unrequited Love. 

It's infuriating, but also kind of lovely....in a torturous way.

And how do you get over it?

Is there a trick?

I've managed to do it many times. I probably could come up with a HUGE list of those who did not love me back. I don't love them anymore.

How did I manage that?

I'm trying to think.

Is it time?

Maybe.

Often I think it's a matter of replacement.  You obsess over one person until something more interesting comes along.

I think that's how it worked for me in college. I had one crush after another.

I don't think it helps when we tell someone there are other fish in the sea.

Once you get the feeling, you really just want that one specific fish.  It's not like you can look at a bunch of fish, and push yourself to pick another. But then one day another particular fish comes by, and things change.

It's like the imprinting stuff in the Twilight series.  There's that scene in Breaking Dawn. Jacob goes somewhere...maybe the mall?  He tries to find someone with whom to replace Bella. But it's impossible.

I remember that from college. I was heartbroken over a relationship that didn't work out. Other very appealing guys came my way and seemed interested in me. They were probably a step or two out of my league (above, not below). But as hard as I tried, I couldn't bring myself to feel anything.

So.....

Anyway, the book is good so far. I should go back to reading it.