A hand tapped on my shoulder and a voice positively said, "Dodol Surodol dot blogspot dot com!"

Okay, I had been called many different names, some funny, most not, a number with traceable origins, a few completely out of the thin air. But to be called a Uniform Resource Locator? That had to be a first.

Annoyed, I looked up from the copy of The Da Vinci Code and into the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen. The cutest eyebrows I'd ever stared at. The most handsome nose I'd ever beheld. The...

"You are Dodol Surodol dot blogspot dot com, right?" The voice was less positive now.

"Err..." Quick, something clever! Something from a movie, maybe. "Depends... Who's asking?" Phew.

"So you are!" A hand -- a very smooth hand, I now noticed -- was extended. "Hi, I'm Kris. I Biscuit dot blogspot dot com."

Is this how kids these days do it, I wondered, shaking the offered hand. "Mike. Good seeing you. Or, should I say, good seeing you dot com."

The most attractive mouth I'd sighted let out the heartiest laugh I'd ever heard -- well, sort of. "You're funny. Fancy to finally meet you in person, the mysterious Mr. Dodol Surodol. Hang on, I have to let Jen know. Girl won't believe this!"

I watched in silence while the smooth hand and its smooth fingers made a quick work of the cellphone's keys. "There!" She looked up and gave me the sweetest -- last one, I promise -- smile I'd ever witnessed. "Sorry about that, Mike, but you're just so full of mystery. You're just, like, the most mysterious blogger ever!"

"How did you..."

"Recognize you? From that photo on your blog, of course. You know, the one showing the back of your head?"

I looked at her. "You recognized me from a photo showing a head from behind?"

Kris shrugged. "I'm a hairdresser. I scrutinize heads everyday." That smile again.

"Oh" was all I could muster.

Later, as we were having coffee at the bookstore's cafe, I begged my new acquaintance, "Please, if you don't mind, let noone know about me being, you know, Dodol Surodol dot blogspot dot com. Please?"

"Really? You mean that? I mean, yeah, of course, I won't tell anyone. But mind telling me, why so secretive?"

"Secretive?"

"Sure! Your anonymous blog. The way you never let anyone know your real identity."

"You think anyone knows who I am?"

"Not as far as I know." Kris took a sip and regarded me. "You work hard to keep it that way."

"Well, you know, I just prefer the anonymous me. My alter ego, if you will. It gives me... Freedom. That's it. Freedom to express my opinions. People perceive you better when you're a stranger to them. Err, am I making any sense at all?"

Kris laughed. I just loved how her eyes narrowed. "A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house," she recited. "I think I get you."

"Err, something like that."

"Well, Mr. Dodol, since I caught you red handed, sort of," she smiled mischievously, "why don't we make ourselves a deal. I'll keep your secrets safe, and... You know what, I'll even tell Jen I was mistaken earlier." She held her phone out. "In return, you tell me everything about your mysterious self." The smooth hand wiggled the phone. "Well, Mike?"

I nodded without thinking. Kris winked and started pressing some buttons.

***

Kris and I started going out soon after. Jen joined us sometimes and Kris, true to her word, never let out even the slightest indication of Dodol Surodol and me being the same person. I liked her more and more each day. She was funny, always teasing, never going overboard. I tried my best to be my real self when she was around. Not the easiest task when you were so used to keeping things deep inside.

"You know, Mike. Between us, between Mike and Kris, we're like the exact opposites," she said one day, her head on my lap, I playing with her shoulder-length hair.

"Are we, now?" I smiled.

She looked up and caught my eyes, her own still as beautiful as I could remember. "Yes, we are. The extrovert me meets the introvert you. The outgoing Kris and the reserved Mike. Me careless, you meticulous."

"The computer savvy me, the can't-tell-a-Mac-from-a-PC you."

"Oh, shut up! How was I supposed to know there was no right-click on Mac?"

I kissed her forehead. "It's all right, dear. You're pretty, they'll look over it." For my trouble I received a palmful on my arm.

"You're so different from your blog's author." She slipped a hand in mine. "I must confess, before meeting the real you, I had a girl crush on you. Well, not the Mike you, the Dodol Surodol you. You realize how popular you are out there? At one time curiosity was so bad it almost killed us."

"Us?"

"Your readers. Who know of bits here and there, but never the author's real identity. I must say you've been doing a solid job covering up. How do you do that?"

I tried my best to appear smug. "Well, a little white lie -- call it misdirection -- now and then helps. I hope noone ever finds out." I gently brushed aside a few strands of hair on Kris' forehead. "It just occurred to me. You're the only one alive, other than me, who knows Dodol Surodol's true identity. I hope I won't have to kill you for that."

"Ha ha, very funny! Anyway, my first time reading your blog instantly made me a fan. Your fan, how about that! Or, I should say, Dodol Surodol's fan. You're nothing like him in real life. Or at least my impression of the guy behind those blog entries."

"Sorry to disappoint you," I stroked her hand, still as smooth as ever.

"No, not at all. Well, this is weird, but I think I now like the Mike you better. Funny, isn't it? I mean, you two are the same person. I feel like Lois Lane falling for both Superman and Clark Kent and in the end finding Clark Kent more attractive."

I cleared my throat. "You know, technically, Superman is the real thing. It's Clark Kent who's the alter ego. By the way, do you know what Clark's middle name is?" She gave me a face. A pretty one, of course. "It's Joseph."

"Clark Joseph Kent," she rolled it around on her tongue. "I don't like it."

She knew I had just started. "Do you know that in every episode of Seinfeld there's at least one Superman reference? Jerry is a big fan. So are Jon Bon Jovi and Shaq. Their tattoos..."

She laughed. "Enough, Trivia Man! Now you sound like your buddy Mr. Dodol Surodol."

"Speaking of trivia," I decided to tease her some more, reversing our roles for a change, "do you know that trivia means 'three roads' in Latin? Where three roads met, the Romans put up a notice board to give people, you know, little bits of information."

The most beautiful girl I'd ever met gave my arm the most painful pinch I'd ever felt.

***

"Hey, where are you going?"

I stopped typing. "Nowhere. What's up? How's my baby today?"

Kris put her bag on the computer table and sat on the arm of my chair. I tried to kiss her cheek, but she leaned forward and started my Firefox. I got her shoulder instead. Nothing to complain about. She started typing.

"What's that?" I peered over her shoulder. It was http://dodolsurodol.blogspot.com. "What about it?"

She read out loud. "To my frequent readers, whose number is really never even nearly as large as I always pretend it to be..." She looked over at me. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, the ever smart Dodol Surodol." I made an innocent face. She continued, "I will be AFK..." She stopped and gestured questioningly with her hand.

"Away From Keyboard," I duly complied.

"...for a while. No worries, I'll be back -- maybe with vengeance, who knows. Till then, take care, Kiddos, and see you around. In a few weeks."

I still had my innocent look on. "Well?" Kris demanded.

"Uh, I just felt it would be nice to take an occasional break. You know, on hiatus kinda thing. You bloggers love that word, don't you. Hiatus."

She studied my face for reactions. Upon getting none, her expression turned concerned. "You all right, dear? Something wrong? You know you can always talk to me. That's what I'm here for."

I gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm very all right, dear. Why would I lie to you?"

"I don't know. Why would you?"

That's so women, I thought. A question is a perfectly legitimate answer to another question. So long as it's their question. Doesn't work the other way, of course.

Time to cheer her up. "You mind getting me something to drink, hon? The sooner I finish this presentation, the sooner we could go to the movie."

"Give me a kiss."

When she was back from the kitchen, I was on one knee and holding my right hand palm up. On it, the most expensive thing I'd ever purchased. A diamond engagement ring.

Kris barely managed to hold on to the glass; she spilt the water nonetheless.

After we finished drying the floor, she said yes.

***

A few days before the wedding, Kris once again stormed into my room, started Firefox, and pulled the mysterious Dodol Surodol's blog. It showed up within seconds, thank God for broadband. "What's this?"

I read, "When I started this site, it was the intention to have a place to let off some steam, to share some thoughts, and, if I was lucky enough, to bring smiles to people's faces. Well, looks like I've got more than I bargained for, I met a lot of nice people along the way."

I looked up. "So?"

"Go on, will you."

I shrugged. "Too bad I can't afford to make this friendship real -- as much as I would like to. So, guys, thanks a bunch for the memories. Please keep this blog-world alive, you guys rock."

I intentionally paused for effect. Kris finished it for me.

"Peace, y'all and who knows, I might still see you around a few more times."

I gave her a pat on the back. "Nobody can produce such dramatic effect better than you."

"Explanation, please. This ain't one of those Dodol Surodol's notorious jokes, I hope."

"Boy, this blog thingy really is important to you, isn't it? Come on, it's normal for people to stop blogging. People have other commitments. Me, for example. I'm having a wedding soon. There's too much stuff going on. Don't tell me blogging is more important than our big day."

"But you blog so well. It's such a waste. You know, I hate to admit this, but sometimes I would pretend as if I still didn't know the real Dodol Surodol and I were just another fan -- big fan -- of this guy. This guy..."

"This guy you're about to marry." I smiled. "In four days." I took her hands.

After the briefest of pause, she smiled with me. And before long she let out that hearty laugh -- still the heartiest I'd ever heard. We hugged.

"Stupid me. I fret over some fictious character while I've got the real thing here."

"Err, real thing dot com?"

"No, silly. I love you dot com."

My soon-to-be wife let out another of her famous laugh and we kissed.

***

I slipped under the blanket next to Kris. "She's finally asleep," I told her. "I almost gave up."

Kris turned to face me, putting her head on my chest. "You should've told her a story."

"I did. She enjoyed it but stayed awake. Even more awake, I think."

"Well, tell her another story, then. You were my favorite blogger not too long ago, you can put a two-year-old to sleep."

"Thanks. I don't know what that was intended as, so I'll take the liberty to accept it as the most flattering compliment."

My wife chuckled. "Anyway, I did tell her three more stories. Three, I ask you!"

"And when she was finally asleep, you didn't know whether it was thanks to your stories or in spite of."

I stroked her cheek. "Err, that a compliment?"

Kris kissed me. "It is. Good night, Mike."

"Good night, dear."

In the next few moments I watched her sleeping and not for the first time counted my blessings. How lucky I'd been, I reflected. I thanked God for this beautiful wife. For our beautiful daughter. For our beautiful life together.

And, as importantly, for one Mr. Dodol Surodol, the mysterious man I'd known only from his blog entries. I had never seen his face nor, I thought, would I ever. I wondered if one day we would pass each other on the street, unbeknownst to either of us. If the angle was right, though, Kris might have a chance of recognizing him -- from the back of this man's head, she was good at it.

Or so my beloved wife had thought.

Current music: MC Hammer - Have You Seen Her?
Current mood: happy