A Special Kind of Frustrating

Once upon a time, there was a girl I was great friends with. I wanted something more out of the relationship, she - not so much. But for years I nursed the hope that one day things would work out. And I knew that if I got the chance, I wanted to take her to a good Chinese food restaurant for a first date because I knew she really loved Chinese food.

So when I found out that a guy she was interested in was taking her to a Chinese food place for dinner one night, I was profoundly jealous - not only because he got the girl I wanted, but because he used my great idea (disclosure: this is coincidence, because I never really knew the guy)... but for him, it worked. And it must have worked well, because not long after that, they were getting married (disclosure: yes, I know that it probably took more than a single genius idea to accomplish that. This just makes it sound more dramatic, I reckon).

To watch someone else use the plan you had on a girl you liked, but successfully - to watch the intended effect play out in her life, but with another guy in your place... that's a special kind of frustrating.