Things are back to full-speed. In fact, there's as much going on now as there ever has been. I've now completely recovered from my terrible performance in the first date after a six-week lull. I sent that girl a text, but she ignored it. As bad as the date was, I really needed it to shake off the rust. The next date was definitely better, but I can't be sure whether or not my new acquaintance was interested - I sent her a text asking her to have dinner, but she took a day to respond, then asked if we could do it another time because she had plans. That didn't bother me at all, because I have tons of irons in the fire right now. I met one of those irons today at Starbucks, for my 30th date:
I'd been feeling as relaxed as ever about this one. I e-mailed myself a brief list of conversation topics to look over at work, but I didn't think much about the upcoming event. I felt little to no anxiety about it. The fact that I had already done the whole first-date thing twice in about the last week, combined with the fact that I only had a moderate level of interest in the girl, made the whole thing feel as if it were no big deal. Would this relaxed feeling persist into the date?
She gave me a call while I was on the way. I answered and spoke, with my voice sounding just fine. I was at ease.
I continued not to think much about it. I called her when I arrived - I was still fine - and then I met her as she was walking towards me. I said hey, hugged her, and asked her if she'd found any good deals at the shoe store she was leaving. This time, I wasn't having any trouble thinking of things to say. I asked her which shoe store it was; I made a humorous comment about the Payless store on the other side of the shopping center; asked how her day was, and other stuff like that.
The conversation continued unusually smoothly as the date moved to its standard Starbucks location. I didn't really need the conversation topics I'd memorized (although they helped), because my date was asking me questions, talking a lot, and generally just helping me out. But there was something even more interesting going on: this girl really, really liked me.
She asked why I chose Starbucks. She said that Starbucks makes half of their business off people who go there for first-dates, and that a lot of people just "get rid" of their dates there - no second-date. In other words, she was referring to the one-and-done failed relationships that I've experienced about 15 times at Starbucks this year. The irony!
Throughout our conversation, she kept referring to the future. I asked about her college, and she suggested showing me the campus. We talked about basketball, and she mentioned playing against me one day. When she mentioned a computer problem from months ago, she said it was too bad she didn't know me then. Yep -- even her references to the past had the implication of us being together.
After about an hour (I'm always aiming for 45 minutes, but don't want to look at my watch), I said I'd better go get dinner, and let her go home and get some sleep. But she wasn't ready to let me leave! She started some more conversation. Several topics, including my last name. She then asked if I was having a good time - I just said yeah, and she got some more conversation going. After about 10 minutes, I asked if she was ready to head out. She obviously wasn't, but she did say "that's cool" this time.
I walked her out. I always tell you my date's last words....what does a girl say who is completely and undeniably interested?
She said "Thanks, and I hope you'll want to hang out again."
No mysteries there.
I told her to have fun fishing tomorrow, and she said she'd probably tell me all about it.
I think it's safe to say this one was a success.
I'd been feeling as relaxed as ever about this one. I e-mailed myself a brief list of conversation topics to look over at work, but I didn't think much about the upcoming event. I felt little to no anxiety about it. The fact that I had already done the whole first-date thing twice in about the last week, combined with the fact that I only had a moderate level of interest in the girl, made the whole thing feel as if it were no big deal. Would this relaxed feeling persist into the date?
She gave me a call while I was on the way. I answered and spoke, with my voice sounding just fine. I was at ease.
I continued not to think much about it. I called her when I arrived - I was still fine - and then I met her as she was walking towards me. I said hey, hugged her, and asked her if she'd found any good deals at the shoe store she was leaving. This time, I wasn't having any trouble thinking of things to say. I asked her which shoe store it was; I made a humorous comment about the Payless store on the other side of the shopping center; asked how her day was, and other stuff like that.
The conversation continued unusually smoothly as the date moved to its standard Starbucks location. I didn't really need the conversation topics I'd memorized (although they helped), because my date was asking me questions, talking a lot, and generally just helping me out. But there was something even more interesting going on: this girl really, really liked me.
She asked why I chose Starbucks. She said that Starbucks makes half of their business off people who go there for first-dates, and that a lot of people just "get rid" of their dates there - no second-date. In other words, she was referring to the one-and-done failed relationships that I've experienced about 15 times at Starbucks this year. The irony!
Throughout our conversation, she kept referring to the future. I asked about her college, and she suggested showing me the campus. We talked about basketball, and she mentioned playing against me one day. When she mentioned a computer problem from months ago, she said it was too bad she didn't know me then. Yep -- even her references to the past had the implication of us being together.
After about an hour (I'm always aiming for 45 minutes, but don't want to look at my watch), I said I'd better go get dinner, and let her go home and get some sleep. But she wasn't ready to let me leave! She started some more conversation. Several topics, including my last name. She then asked if I was having a good time - I just said yeah, and she got some more conversation going. After about 10 minutes, I asked if she was ready to head out. She obviously wasn't, but she did say "that's cool" this time.
I walked her out. I always tell you my date's last words....what does a girl say who is completely and undeniably interested?
She said "Thanks, and I hope you'll want to hang out again."
No mysteries there.
I told her to have fun fishing tomorrow, and she said she'd probably tell me all about it.
I think it's safe to say this one was a success.
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