Just When You've Waited Too Long
He would later tell me that he noticed me the second I walked through the door. Watched me circle the bar, again, again, searching. Saw my hands shuffle through my purse as I paid for a beer, saw me slide a hand under my skirt as I balanced a chilled bottle in the other, as I took an empty booth. He would explain how he had debated whether to approach me, half-fearing that I was waiting for a boyfriend, a date.
I have no boyfriend. I have no date.
How he waited for so long, and when the time was right, when it was apparent that nobody was going to come for me, when perhaps he had drunk enough to calm down, he approached my table.
I can't remember the exact words now, but I think he said something like, 'It looks like you're waiting for something. Do you mind if I sit with you to pass the time while I wait as well?' Or something like that. I was surprised, I'll admit that. I had just been laughing on the phone with Felice about how depressing and lonely it is, sitting by oneself in a bar. The only saving grace of the situation was the fact that I was actually waiting for other people, and I was not wasting a desperate night of angry solitude drowning in a bar. The fact that someone, many people, in fact, were coming for me, made it tolerable.
But I was still bored.
He said his name was Zach and a little light went off in my brain. I never thought I'd be interested in another person whose name began with that letter. (His initials are ZZ, by the way, which is absolutely delightful.)
He looked like Elijah Wood, except not as scrawny. We talked and laughed and he thought I was 23 (that was as generous a guess as he thought was necessary. He was shocked when he found out I was 25. They always are.) I was thrilled that he was 22 and not younger. No more of the children, I swear. (Although I didn't know the last one was a child. I'm serious. Thankfully he was legal, nevertheless.) I complained that I hate 20-year-olds hitting on me because they can never buy me drinks and he asked point blank if that was a weak attempt to weasel a drink out of him and I was embarrassed. It wasn't, but it sure looked suspicious. He moved to get me a drink and I asked if that was okay. He teased me. "You're the only girl I've ever known who asked if it was alright if I bought them a drink." He smiled, and I knew he was happy.
I told him who was coming to meet me and he asked if all my friends were as cute as I was. I knew it was a line, but I let it work. Why fight it? I said, no, they were cuter. He seemed suspicious.
I was almost sad when my friends arrived. I had been having fun. But once my friends got there, I continued to have a good time. I was happy that Zach seemed able to hold his own conversationally and socially....if nothing else, it was a relief. I didn't have to hold his hand during the conversation. (I hate having to do that.)
He likes scary movies. So do I. Now I have somebody to watch scary movies with.
I accepted his offer for a date long before I realized I had been asked on a date. We were talking about the new X-Men movie and he said he wouldn't mind seeing it again and I said I hadn't seen it and he asked if I would like to see it with him and I said yes.
And then I blushed furiously.
I am a dumb girl.
He really does look like Elijah Wood...just hotter.
After my friends left and he and I stayed on at Larry's to catch another beer, he told me that my friends were all pretty and had nice bodies, but he didn't think they were as cute as I was.
Oooooooh, boy, you're dangerous. You know all the right happy buttons to push, don't you?
I've never had anything happen like this before and I really like it. I'm so giddy and nervous and it's wonderful. Before the end of the night, we'd planned two dates for the next week.
We went out today for the first time.
It's different when you're 100% sober. (Although he still looks like a hotter, better-formed version of Elijah Wood. He has the bestest nose ever.) I met him at Betty's (I'd never been there before but I loved it--it was full of pictures of Betty Page and had Varga pictures EVERYWHERE!) He had already ordered a beer and was working on some spinach-cheese dip and pitas. It was 4:30. We ate and talked for over an hour and a half. His lesbian friend came by (I know, I know, I shouldn't point out that she's a lesbian because it doesn't matter but, what, would you rather I say 'his black friend'?) to pick up stuff he was carrying for her. Some sweaters and magazines and whatnot. She seemed nice.
I had Fin Du Monde and sping rolls and was a happy camper. Things were awkward at first...lots of pauses and not knowing what to talk about....but we started doing better the more we drank and suddenly we were having a really nice time.
I drove him to work at around 6pm. When he gets off work, he'll call me--if it's not too late--and we may watch a movie at my place. *^_^* Tee hee. We'll see what happens.
However, I don't want things to move too quickly. Things go downhill fast if you do.
Goodness, he is a cutie....
I have no boyfriend. I have no date.
How he waited for so long, and when the time was right, when it was apparent that nobody was going to come for me, when perhaps he had drunk enough to calm down, he approached my table.
I can't remember the exact words now, but I think he said something like, 'It looks like you're waiting for something. Do you mind if I sit with you to pass the time while I wait as well?' Or something like that. I was surprised, I'll admit that. I had just been laughing on the phone with Felice about how depressing and lonely it is, sitting by oneself in a bar. The only saving grace of the situation was the fact that I was actually waiting for other people, and I was not wasting a desperate night of angry solitude drowning in a bar. The fact that someone, many people, in fact, were coming for me, made it tolerable.
But I was still bored.
He said his name was Zach and a little light went off in my brain. I never thought I'd be interested in another person whose name began with that letter. (His initials are ZZ, by the way, which is absolutely delightful.)
He looked like Elijah Wood, except not as scrawny. We talked and laughed and he thought I was 23 (that was as generous a guess as he thought was necessary. He was shocked when he found out I was 25. They always are.) I was thrilled that he was 22 and not younger. No more of the children, I swear. (Although I didn't know the last one was a child. I'm serious. Thankfully he was legal, nevertheless.) I complained that I hate 20-year-olds hitting on me because they can never buy me drinks and he asked point blank if that was a weak attempt to weasel a drink out of him and I was embarrassed. It wasn't, but it sure looked suspicious. He moved to get me a drink and I asked if that was okay. He teased me. "You're the only girl I've ever known who asked if it was alright if I bought them a drink." He smiled, and I knew he was happy.
I told him who was coming to meet me and he asked if all my friends were as cute as I was. I knew it was a line, but I let it work. Why fight it? I said, no, they were cuter. He seemed suspicious.
I was almost sad when my friends arrived. I had been having fun. But once my friends got there, I continued to have a good time. I was happy that Zach seemed able to hold his own conversationally and socially....if nothing else, it was a relief. I didn't have to hold his hand during the conversation. (I hate having to do that.)
He likes scary movies. So do I. Now I have somebody to watch scary movies with.
I accepted his offer for a date long before I realized I had been asked on a date. We were talking about the new X-Men movie and he said he wouldn't mind seeing it again and I said I hadn't seen it and he asked if I would like to see it with him and I said yes.
And then I blushed furiously.
I am a dumb girl.
He really does look like Elijah Wood...just hotter.
After my friends left and he and I stayed on at Larry's to catch another beer, he told me that my friends were all pretty and had nice bodies, but he didn't think they were as cute as I was.
Oooooooh, boy, you're dangerous. You know all the right happy buttons to push, don't you?
I've never had anything happen like this before and I really like it. I'm so giddy and nervous and it's wonderful. Before the end of the night, we'd planned two dates for the next week.
We went out today for the first time.
It's different when you're 100% sober. (Although he still looks like a hotter, better-formed version of Elijah Wood. He has the bestest nose ever.) I met him at Betty's (I'd never been there before but I loved it--it was full of pictures of Betty Page and had Varga pictures EVERYWHERE!) He had already ordered a beer and was working on some spinach-cheese dip and pitas. It was 4:30. We ate and talked for over an hour and a half. His lesbian friend came by (I know, I know, I shouldn't point out that she's a lesbian because it doesn't matter but, what, would you rather I say 'his black friend'?) to pick up stuff he was carrying for her. Some sweaters and magazines and whatnot. She seemed nice.
I had Fin Du Monde and sping rolls and was a happy camper. Things were awkward at first...lots of pauses and not knowing what to talk about....but we started doing better the more we drank and suddenly we were having a really nice time.
I drove him to work at around 6pm. When he gets off work, he'll call me--if it's not too late--and we may watch a movie at my place. *^_^* Tee hee. We'll see what happens.
However, I don't want things to move too quickly. Things go downhill fast if you do.
Goodness, he is a cutie....