After getting a lot of requests to start writing about my life experiences and share the stories I tell friends…I am going to slowly venture out…..based on a true personal experience.
Back in 2010, I spent a summer out in Las Vegas and the other half in Hawaii – between Kauai and Maui. I spent that summer writing my dissertation and figured that leaving Ohio for a summer was a good bet for writing and researching. So, one may ask….how do you decide on Las Vegas and Hawaii?
I went out to Las Vegas as I had a friend out there who worked and planned to get my writing done during the day and planned on 4 weeks to get my research including interviews done during the day and time to walk around at night and sightsee as well as catch a few shows here and there on discount. After 4 weeks, planned to head to Hawaii – 2 weeks in Kauai and 2 weeks in Maui.
So….in Las Vegas, my parents and brother were concerned that I was going to be out of Ohio for 8 weeks and wanted to check in on me so they came out to spend a week – we went over the Grand Canyon on Helicopter, went to see Carrot Top (which I dearly love) and a few other epic adventures. On day 3, we opted to go and see different casinos. In Bally’s, we never go in there…and for whatever reason, my mom wanted to watch the “Price is Right” and she ended up on stage; long story short, she did not win. (not real tv version, just Las Vegas version)
When exiting, my mom and dad headed in one direction and I went to get in line for a massage. My brother was waiting with me. My dad comes over about 15 minutes later and said “you need to come see this” and I am like “I am not leaving this line” and dad was insistent….. I was like this better be worth it…
Dad said “your mom sees Samantha holding hands with some dude” and I am like….um “no way” and get out to the main area and sure enough…..
So, I was 30 and what did I do? I took a picture…and then called my relative (Samantha’s husband) and said “hey, if I know something I should not know, do you want me to tell you?”
My relative/Samantha’s husband was like…”uh….yes” and I asked “where is Samantha?” and he said “she is at a horse show in Indiana”
I was like “um….I am in Las Vegas and she is holding hands with a dude”
He was like “what, and I am like yep, here is a pic” and sent it
So, being the Heidi I am…..I go up to Samantha and give her a hug and say hey, I am talking with your husband, want to say hi? And if looks could kill, I would be totally dead.
Honestly figured my phone was going in the lobby fountain, but surprisingly it was not….so details right????
So, Samantha gets on the phone and talks to my relative/ her husband and said that the horse show in Indiana was cancelled and she was offered a free trip to Las Vegas for Mary Kay (the cosmetics company; no she does not work for them) and the guy she was holding hands with was helping her because her hand was cold.
Give me a break…. so she spun the web of lies……
Samantha was on the first plane out of Las Vegas (and we live in Ohio) and lied through her teeth….my dad, brother, mom and I all witnessed this chaos. My mom was the one who saw her, my dad was like –Heidi, Heidi, Heidi……I was in line to get a massage and was really upset about losing my spot in line…but to be honest, it was worth catching a cheater!
So really, let’s play the odds. What are the odds that I would be in Las Vegas, out there for 4 weeks; one of the weeks with the family; go into the casino at the same time and run into Samantha who is cheating on my relative? I did happen to play the lottery and did not win, though I wished I would have. My parents and brother flew home and I went on to Kauai.
After that, going to Kauai was like a dream…. Kauai has always been a magical place for me – I have been 10 times and just find it so beautiful and not commercialized. I booked a hotel with a balcony and wrote my dissertation. I stayed on schedule with writing and finished 8 days in and had the rest of the time to enjoy Kauai and then on to Maui….for two weeks of revisions and preparation for the defense.
So, you probably want to know what happened…….Samantha and my relative/ her husband did reconcile for a short period of time. There were other episodes of crazy and unexplainable and truth is hard when people are in love….they did separate and go their own ways. So what about that random dude….so he resurfaced later as the next target for Samantha… it did not last long….
I was awarded my Ph.D. in November of 2010 and graduation was in Miami, Florida in January 2011.
*Samantha is not her name – to protect the identity
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XOXO,
Heidi
