Any discernible talent?

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I first encountered Annalisa via a series of photographs on Tinder. Beyond the immediate physical attraction she inspired, her profile engendered a rare sense of optimism. Tinder is not without its sociological lessons, and what struck me about the profile Annalisa had curated, was the lack of cohesion and fidelity to a desired persona. Rather than a series of carefully selected personal propaganda photos that most narcissistic millennials are only to able to string together, Annalisa had included some rather unflattering photos, and one especially tactless photo of her in her highschool graduation dress. This was an encouraging sign, as it showed a modesty which I would later learn was a lack of self-esteem. In hindsight, her apparent lack of a cohesive identity was also a subtle reflection of a scattered mind, a caution I wouldn't have heeded even if I knew. It’s true, her instagram wasn't without a certain polish, rolling out all the aesthetic ploys and fashion trends slavishly reproduced by the portion of Winnipeg’s middle class that fancies themselves artists (oversized faded denim jackets, posing beside cute graffiti in far-from-dangerous back alleys, close up shots of succulents and/or ferns, and lastly but most ubiquitously, septum piercings). However, as a perennial outsider to the “scene,” and in response to the stark drop off in Winnipeg's dating pool, I’ve always tried to cast my lot with those middle class try-hards. As is abundantly clear, I’ve always hated the these wealthy but originality starved scenesters and never felt my lack of societal clout to be something I should resent. On the other hand, I’ve always hoped the ring nosed culture queens would dig me for my self-perceived uniqueness. Of course, in my own right, I was deluded into believing the cultural middle class would admit outsiders with anything short of perfect conformity to their dull ethos. Annalisa appeared to be of this milieu yet not of it, which excited me on a level I wouldn't have been to articulate at the time. And so it came to be that at the tender age of 24 my first steady thing, and my first heartbreak was predicated by two right swiping thumbs.