Would it be wrong to date someone that is 19 if they are still in high school?
Ford bumpers are stronger than the soft fleshy door of a Mercedes - but I have to admit I would have been skeptical to say that had it not been tested. On Friday a guy rounding a corner too fast managed to run his door into the bummer of the car I was driving.
It also wasn't so thrilling getting up at 6:00am on Saturday to catch a plane. But I was going to Vegas for my sisters wedding, and once I was up it wasn't half bad to see the run rising. The original plan was for there to be a small wedding next summer, after she and her fiancée had moved to Vegas. They changed they're plans while visiting and looking for houses. I guess it's easier for them to buy someplace if they are legally wed, and he needs insurance. But I think it was more that they wanted to avoid the planning/paying for a wedding.
While my sister and her best friend were getting their hair did, I had to find a way to amuse myself. Being Vegas you'd think that it shouldn't be to difficult - but it was 10:00am and my body was completely rejecting the idea of drinking. I use to love the tables, but I think I've pretty much lost most of my desire to gamble. This makes the second time I was in Vegas and didn't feel like playing cards. Instead I hit some penny slots with my mom way off the strip. Oddly, just hanging out with mom was fun. It was a rare time we didn't talk about politics, work, money, or all the usual stuff. She was asking me really in-depth questions about my goal to go back to school. She wasn't been condescending or put off about it either, and it was a very refreshing change.
At about the point I was to 7300 pennies, and I caught myself telling myself I could hit 10,000. That's the real danger or slots - it preys on the desire to reach a goal. And the people that are bad at math. I stopped at 8,000 and some pennies - 5,000 more than when I started. That gave me time to get to the chapel in time to look for a random celebrity pulling a Britney Spears. But the chapel was a nice, plain place. Even though it was Vegas, there was no Elvis or drive thru.
I had an ephemeral thought about my father, but the surreally of my sister walking walking down the isle washed the thoughts from my head. The ceremony was nice and Vegas fast. Afterwards everyone met up at the hotel bar and then had dinner at a nice restaurant. The kindly older brother of the bride picked up the
tab before he had to step out to take a phone call. Its amazing how easy it can be to get into someone's hotel room, particularly when you share the same odd last name as the person that made the reservation. On the bed before leaving to catch my plane I left a bottle of Champaign, some chocolates and a few other items my sister's best friend bought.
I would have also been skeptical to say that the Vegas airport would be busy on a Saturday night. After all, who goes to Vegas and flies home on a Saturday night? Seemingly, a lot of people, and most of which are drunk. I arrived at my gate just in time to see two men nearly go to fisticuffs. All I heard before airline personnel and the police stepped between the two was "You don't talk to a woman like that!" Then the drunker of the two, I'm sure to the delight of his fellow passengers, was escorted on to the plane.
I sat down in an open chair to wait for my flight.
"Wow, looks like I missed the excitement." I ostensibly said to no one.
"Yeah, I live in the City and nothing this exciting ever happens." Responded the attractive woman sitting a couple chairs down.
"What happened? I only saw the end."
"This drunk guy started screaming at the woman at the desk about how he ordered an aisle seat but got a window seat. He called her a bitch and a c*^&. Then the other guy started being macho. You pretty much saw the rest."
"Nice. Where do you live in the City, I see drunk people acting likes asses all the time."
"I actually live in Redwood City."
"Oh, I work down there."
"What do you do?"
They then announced that our flight would be delayed indefinitely, and I wouldn't get home until 4:30am
Almost no one understands what I do. She was no exception. But in part of describing my job I mentioned fundraising. This interested her because of a program she was involved with where a group of high school girls with the help of some advisers chose a cause and worked to raise money and help the cause. The program is designed to develop leadership skills and an appreciation for community. The group she was working with had chosen to help raise money to buy wheelchairs for children that needed them in Mexico.
Our conversation turned back to the City when I the time our plane should have landed passed and I called my ride to let them know I would take a cab. I learned that the guy that was sitting next to her, who I thought might be her boyfriend, was her actually her brother, and we compared where he worked and I lived.
I should explain that this woman is beautiful. As I learned, her mother is half Mexican, and I attribute that to her light skinned Latino complexion, and dark dazzling eyes. She has flowing silky hair that flowed midway down her back, and perfect teeth. Her eyes mimicked her personality; considerate; kind; caring. Another woman that spoke almost no English needed help, and she propitiously intervened. Had I been smoother, when she mentioned that she didn't get into the City as often as she would have liked, I would have invited her out.
Of course asking her out in front of her brother would have been awkward. Even more awkward would have been asking her out and then learning that she is nineteen. I suppose technically there is nothing wrong about going out with someone that is nineteen. But when I found out how old she was all I could think of was the ridicule I would take from my friends. Even though I was shocked, after talking a while longer I thought, maybe it would be fun to go out. Weird and possibly creepy yes. But it also seemed like something they'd make a movie about, and it was after 2:00am and I was slightly delirious. In the context of talking about fundraising I had given her my phone number, and I decided that if she called I would see where things went.
It seems remarkable, that we had been talking for almost three hours and I didn't really know what she did. So I asked. Actually I asked her how much advisers to the girls program made. They were volunteers. So I asked what she did, or if she was in school. Being in school, I asked her what she was studying. I'm not exactly sure what her answer was, the only thing I remember was her saying "I'm still considering what college to go to after I graduate."
I had only had about 5 hours of sleep in a 48 hour window, but three facts were very clear in my head. She's 19. She's in high school. She has my number. I tried to be encouraging about her graduating, and gave her some line about following her dreams and it leading to happiness. But all I could think of was "My God - She's 19." She talked a bit more on schools, and thank goodness her brother showed back up, cause I talked to him for while about the college he was attending. I have never tried to be older than I am, but in ever case I tried to sound like your dad would sound giving advice. If you didn't know me, you'd have thought I was 50, full of wisdom, and some tribal leader someplace.
At around 2:30am, the plane finally landed, and we were able to board 15 minutes later. It was fortunate that we were in different parts of the plane, and the last thing I told her before taking my seat was, "make sure you have an adviser or program leader call me about fundraising. I would love to give you a hand, and maybe I could speak to you whole group." I think it was the biggest 'please don't call me' plea I've ever done.
So far, so go. No word from her.