First Date
Every year when August is about to become September I think about the first time I met him. It was a blind date, set up by a friend, and I was a little skeptical, you understand. The person setting you up is always sure the other one is "Perfect for you!" The truth is they hardly ever are but I agreed to it. We were to go with this friend and his wife, so I was relieved. There is safety in numbers and you have to be careful. Then too, if he and I had nothing in common I could always talk to them.
Our first date included a dinner at the Chinese Palace, with drinks and dancing to follow at a local club. When we were eating dinner he put his arm across the back of my chair, and his touch was like electricity. Just a casual brush of his arm on my back, but I knew there was something there. Later on when we were dancing I felt it again as he held me when we were dancing. He was sweet and funny, very smart, had a dry sense of humor I liked, and we seemed to be getting along well. I invited him to my house the next day for a cookout.
I had barely slept when I heard the racket. Someone was knocking on my Door! I was furious, I got up and stomped out of my room and to the door. Bam bam bam! I snatched open the door with murder on my mind, and gracelessly spat out "WHAT THE Hell~~".
After staying out so late the night before, (it was 3:00 AM before I got home), I never expected someone to knock on my door at 7:30 AM!
It was him. He had a green plant in his hand in a cute little ceramic pot, and he was smiling and saying, " I, uh, I wanted to get you roses, but the florist didn't have any, so I got you this."
That face, like a little boy wanting to please his little girlfriend with a just-picked dandelion did me in. I was sunk...
Gathering up my manners finally, I smiled and said "Hi, come in, come in." I told him I would make some coffee but he said, "I don't drink coffee." So I made some for myself and got him a coke. We talked, and I found out that he not only didn't like coffee, he didn't like Chinese food and he didn't like to dance and he didn't drink. Our first date must have been a nightmare for him! And yet, here he was, in my kitchen, talking in that quiet sexy voice (oh yeah, it had to be quiet and sexy), still holding the green plant he had brought me, and I was floored.
Finally he set the plant on the table and said "Can I help you with any of the food for lunch?" I said, "Oh No, that is okay I can get it together, you just have a seat in the den and turn on the TV or something while I get a shower and dress. " I had just realized I was still in my gown and robe...
I fled to my bedroom, (taking my coffee with me, I HAD to get my head cleared and think), got in the shower, stayed as long as I could without being rude, and got out, dressed in something or other, fixed my hair a little and put on some makeup. Although he had already seen me at my worst, I felt the need to make an effort... And the friends who introduced us were coming to lunch too, so I had to get going.
I got the food together, easy enough, grilled steaks, baked potatoes, some kind of green beans or something, I don't remember. Our friends got there, we all ate and sat around talking, he worked in construction, and that’s how he met David (our friend), and I was a dental assistant and had dated David's brother. That’s how I met David and his wife. We talked on... he had never married, I was divorced, he had 4 brothers and sisters and was raised in the country, I had 3 and was raised all over the country (by way of being an Air Force brat), just comparing notes more or less. I was wondering why he would even want to come back after that awful (for him, anyway) first date.
Later after our friends left I thought he would leave too, but he didn't. There was a vampire movie coming on TV, and I said, "You want to watch this?" He said, "Okay, sure." Well, vampires are my favorite scary creatures, and this movie (I don't even remember the name of it) was particularly graphic and I thought it was great. The more realistic the better, I think.
When the movie was over I said, "I'll be back in a minute", and went to my bathroom. Last Halloween I had made myself a set of fabulously authentic-looking Vampire (gasp!) Teeth at work, and I couldn't help it, I stuck those in my mouth. You ever been overcome like that, and just couldn't stop yourself?
I went gliding back into the den and he said, "Hey, There, want to come give me a kiss?" I got very close, putting my face right in his, and grinned! REAL BIG!!
I thought he was going to die right then and there. The look on his face! I could see the conflict in his eyes as he was trying to decide which was true, "Is she insane? Are Vampires REAL??" I broke out laughing and couldn't stop. I laughed so hard I could barely breathe!
I was thinking "He might as well know the Real ME right off the bat, although he may jump up and leave right now."
He didn't. After that first "heart attack moment of shock" passed, he laughed too. I had found a kindred spirit.
Two weeks later he said, "I love you, I loved you the first time I met you, and we are going to get married. I know this is sudden, but take your time and just let me know when you are ready." I was stunned, to say the least, but we did marry 6 months later.
We have been through one adventure after the other, always finding the humor in it whenever possible. We have done things I would never have attempted on my own, we have incited each other to riot, and we've brought out the best in each other
Thirty-five years have passed and we are still married. A testament to something important, I'd say.
However, I pop my Vampire (gasp!) Teeth in every now and then, just to make sure he's paying attention.
