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First First Date
I'm not much of a dater. Since my last breakup nearly four years ago, I've probably been on literally a handful (minus a thumb) of actual, real, honest-to-goodness, not-just-hanging-with-a-female-friend dates. So, both myself and the person I had dinner with last evening were in a bit of a quandry as to whether what we were doing met the definition of "A First Date".
THE SETTING:
A cozy, dimly lit bistro on Capital Hill. 7:00 p.m. Tuesday 18 Feb 2004. The Waiter has just screwed up HER order and backed away, genuflecting in profuse apology.
ME
Well, we've known each other about -- what nine years or so?
HER
Right, but there was that gap of about four years there --
ME
Okay, but in any case --
HER
Call it nine years then.
ME
And of course, you were married that whole time.
HER
That reminds me. I have a divorce councelling session tomorrow! Gawd, I just want to get the paperwork signed, signed signed!
ME
But, you still love him, right?
HER
Oh, I'll always love him, it's just that I'm not, you know --
ME
-- IN love with him.
HER
Exactly! But, we were together for so long, I just feel like I need time to figure out what kind of person I want to be before I get into another serious relationship.
ME
That makes sense.
HER
Which is why things with ___ (__ who shall remain nameless, is somebody she's "seeing") are sort of, well complicated.
ME
So, the rumors are true!
HER
Oh, puhleeze! It's not like it's a big secret or anything!
ME
But, you're here tonight, with me.
HER
Yeah, so what do we call this?
ME
You mean, is it a "date"?
HER
I'm not sure -- it's been a long time for me...
ME
Me too, but as best I recall, you ask somebody to dinner, chat, talk about your lives -- that's pretty much the definition of a "date".
HER
Oooh, we're on a date!
So, once we had that point of protocol established, things went pretty smoothly. We even agreed to have another "date" sometime in the near future. But, of course she's still seeing ___, so there's already a bit of the old sabot in the machinery as it were. But on the other hand, you know somebody for this long, and things just sort of have a way of working themselves out for the best, no matter what.
I knew it was a good date, however, when I returned to "The Red Ranger" (new name for my '75 VW bus), and the darned thing wouldn't start! And this after having just got it back from a tune-up earlier that same evening!
As the AAA tow truck lugged us both home, I just chalked it up to some Karmic balancing; evidentally I'd used up so much good Karma earlier, that the universe just had to give me a bit of the old "not so fast, mister!" treatment.
Posted byCOMTE
on 12:22 PM
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