A Story. In Parts. (III) in Open Diary 2001-2018 (Pre-Prosebox)

(Part 3 in a continuing series)

OK. Last left off, I’d met the stranger (discovered he was a neighbor!) at a concert. I’d given him my number and he told me he wanted to see me…soon.

He called and left a message on Sunday evening, and I wasn’t able to return the call until even later. And when he didn’t answer, his voice mail was full. So blah. I was hoping it wouldn’t be so complicated. I sent him a text the next day telling him that his VM mailbox was full and that I couldn’t leave him a message.

A few days later he called back, telling me (again) that he wanted to see me…SOON! Um, so, right. We made a lunch date for the next day.

To say that I was nervous is a severe understatement. I was petrified. I put on my somewhat slinky, yet oh-so-professional black dress and the black pumps that mean business. A few accessories, a flip of the hair, and voila! I was in no shape for a date, but what the hell…I had to suck it up for the hot neighbor, right??

And then I had to ask my boss if it was OK for me to go out on a lunch date. OF COURSE she was fine with it, but my nerves were killing me, and you never know when a meeting is going to be called at noon. Very hard to break away for lunch at my place of employment.

He met me at one of my favorite Mexican places close to work. Brought me a CD to listen to later (LOVE THAT!!), looked ADORABLE (and handsome to boot!), and we sat down to a nervous first get-together. It was short and sweet and he quickly told me about the divorce he was in the middle of (only because I asked), and I told him of my recent broken engagement, and oh yeah, we were off to a roaring start.

Conversation turned to art (his painting) and travel (my business, his pleasure), his kids, my lack of them…yada.

And it was quick and relatively painless, and I don’t know…I had no idea how it went. All I know is that he DID call me later to make sure I was listening to “the greatest CD ever made”.

Gawd, this is so boring…but I need you to know the humble beginnings so that you can compare and contrast later.

You’ll see.