The most interesting thing about this date was that it was a set-up through our office FedEx guy. Random, huh? He's been delivering to our office for years, and he couldn't be a nicer guy. Over time, the delivery guys start to feel like your coworkers. In many ways, your favorite coworkers because they are only around for mere moments at a time. So "E" as I call him, pulls me aside one day and asks if I'm single. Is Jay Z touring with Justin Timberlake, I replied. He goes on to discuss his sister-in-law, and how she doesn't get out much. He also mentioned that I wouldn't be disappointed. There were no expectations on his end nor were there any on mine. Sounded perfect. Of course I was willing to contact her for a night out. Nights out with women occur so infrequently you gotta snag them Calvin Johnson snags 40-yard touchdown passes.
We end up going to a place called Facci, an authentic Italian joint with a silly wine list. It came highly recommended from people in the know. (Sidebar: Totally worth going to if you want a real good Italian meal. The wine is sort of expensive, but it's worth it. GREAT date place.) We post up at the bar. It wasn't too crowded, which was a plus. The last thing you want on a first date is yelling over drunk idiots.
We talked a lot about her transition to American living. See, she is full-blown El Salvadoran. I don't mean to make that sound like a disease. She has been here for about six years, and she's still learning English. For the record, I thought her English was very, very respectable. She just needs to fine tune it in her opinion. I could understand everything she was saying and vice versa. Language was not a problem. The connection was. We had a nice time. She couldn't have been more pleasant. There just wasn't anything there. It's not easy to make a connection when you come from two different worlds. It works sometimes, but not this time. No biggie. I'm just going going to need someone to pick up on at least a fraction of the nerdy jokes and crap that I say. I doubt she would. Still, I think we were both just glad to get out.
These are the best kind of dates. The ones where you don't have any expectations are the most comfortable. I usually get myself so worked up, the damn date ends up being more stressful than it's worth. This time there was none of that. I think she felt the same way. The only thing that caused a bit of uneasiness was that this was a legitimate blind date. Who goes on blind dates anymore? It's almost frightening in this day and age. When I met her I was not put off. I wasn't sitting down with Charlize Theron in Monster. That was a victory in and of itself. Once we got past the initial meeting everything settled down.
After we left and I walked her to her car, I felt a bit rejuvenated. It had been a while since I'd been out with someone. Despite the fact that there is no future here (I would guess she would agree), at least the wheels are in motion.
It's about engaging in the process. It's nice to acquire blog material. Hell, most of you have been begging for it for some time. Maybe this will snowball. Maybe it won't. It doesn't matter. It's nice to get out there. As I read one time it's time stop befriending women and time to start dating them. I'm paraphrasing, but the principle rings true.
I will tell you this last story if only to illustrate how nothing can go 100% smooth when it involves me. Right after we sit down, one of the bartenders immediately says, "First date?" Okay, way to blow up my spot, but no big deal. He immediately proceeds to address Iris: "You should have seen how nervous he was before you got here." Really? Mind your P's and Q's, bro. First of all, that's not entirely true. I was maybe a smidge nervous, but let's not imply I was sweating through my polo. Secondly, this is not what I'm paying you for. Pour me my drinks and bring me my food. No one is interested in your observation. What are we in seventh grade? Hi, I'm Tact. Have we met? Because I'm awesome, I of course took it in stride as did she. I would have probably made a funny joke about it if I thought she would catch any of my references. The point is the people around me know that me being out with a woman is an event. They like to call attention to it even when it is not attention-worthy. Dating is challenging enough. I don't need the input of a bunch of third-party jokesters. Okay, that's all. I'd still go back there. The experience was positive enough that I'm not gonna let one jabroni sour it for me. Maybe on my next date I'll take an Italian girl to a Spanish restaurant. I can get a full cycle view of cross-culture dating. Or something like that. You're right. Let's not add layers to a date. Baby steps.
Did you really wear a polo? Dude.
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