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Dating Sucks…Or just guys do
Okay, so to speed everyone up on my own information, I haven’t had a date since about last November maybe? I can’t remember exactly and he just turned out to be a great friend. We went out to Applebee’s with Jackie and Mike as a double date. I paid for my own way (which I don’t mind—simply stating the facts), he was quiet and Jackie and I carried the conversation for the night. He is a really, really, really nice guy (whose name I will not mention, but some of you from school and home know who) and I’m glad we are friends.
Anyway, before that, it had been about senior year and I think it was the summer before senior year since the last date. And that was basically my first date. Went to the movies and that was about it. But, it started the famous nine-month pattern I endured that I consider being the "on-again-off-again" relationship. We fought, then we laughed, then we fought, and then we laughed. That pattern continued for the nine months until I offended him and we talked only once since then and it was the summer before I left for school. I wanted to make amends with him and he seemed to understand, then at the end concluded that because I said, "sorry, doesn’t mean everything is peachy."
It may seem depressing that I remember that line, but Ang’s favorite line is that "everything is peachy." So, I tend to remember that part.
Okay, so to the present of the summer of 2000. I will begin with the first case, let’s call him Drew…
Drew, I know because he bowls with my dad on a winter league and I met him just this past year. Now, Drew is not your normal teenager (like me), granted he is compared to my high school. But, Drew is your run-of-the-mill hard-rock-skater-punk. I guess you could call him that, I know Gina will correct me on this. He is only one year younger than me and is very nice to talk to. Also, very funny and he seems to flirt from time to time.
Okay, so Drew flirts a lot. And with me. Yeah, believe it or not, he flirts with me. In the beginning, back in December (I believe it was) and we first met because my dad call’s Drew is "bowling buddy" we started talking and got along real well. And, I noticed then that he seemed to flirt with me, but I just took it as inexperience to genuinely liking someone. I’ve had many of crushes and there was that time in high school when I had a "friends with privileges" relationship that lasted almost two years.
Anyway, I digress. Come to the summer and we are bowling with Drew and his dad (who remarkably reminds me and Ang of Mr. Breck) and Drew still flirts with me. I didn’t think much of it until Ang and Gina came to visit bowling a few weeks ago and Gina made the comment that we had it for each other. Apparently, as they noted, we flirt. A lot. A lot, a lot. Like drawing on each other’s hands, making little comments about who beat who and play fighting—like hitting each other on the arms. So, I mention that night that he should come out with us to eat and he says no that I should take the next Thursday off in the morning so we could do something that next Wednesday. I told him it was my internship, so it’s hard to take days off, but we should still do something.
Okay, for the idea, we were in the parking lot, like two feet away and talking in those low voices where if someone were watching, they’d say, "They like each other." And, I thought there was something there as well. He lets me down saying he’s not going out with us. And I say that he better come next time. That night, out to eat with Ang and Gina I admit to being interested. Which, I consider different than a crush, because in a crush, you are pining for someone. Being interested is simply saying, "Hey, I like ‘em and if something comes from it, cool. If not, oh well."
I ask Drew this past week at bowling if he’ll come out to do something and he’s kinda soft asking, "Like what?" This is when it dawns on me how different we are. At ten o’clock at night, my friends and me go to all-night restaurants to have soup or something. He and his friends go out driving to cause havoc. He says he has plans with so-and-so. Oh, well, I guess.
Score for Amy: 0-for-1
So, onto case two, let’s call him Bob.
Bob I first met about a month and a half ago. He came into the pool store and the minute I saw him I thought he was cute. He’s not gorgeous, I’ll admit to that. But he is a good-looking young man. Bob worked (yes past tense) for a pool installer and was stopping by because he does the customer service work and hung around for a little while to make phone calls and talk to the other people who work there that he knew. When he leaves, he says, "Bye guys," to everyone. Then I was the only one at the counter and says, "Don’t worry. I’ll be around a lot this summer."
Bob is cute, still.
Makes another stop at the store about a week later and when he leaves, purposely (at least I thought so) said good bye to me as I was in a different part of the store. The guy could have walked out, pretending not to see me around the corner and not said a word. But, he said, "Good bye, I’ll see ya later."
Bob is cute, still.
Makes yet another stop about two weeks ago, and according to dear Nancy, I was flirting with him. Okay, yeah I may have been, but he wasn’t turning away from it. It wasn’t quite like the Drew case, but he was talking back and being very friendly. That I like. Before I know it, he stopped by on Saturday, this past, but I didn’t get to see him because I was eating lunch when he came in. Damn hunger pains at 1:30. So, it is then noted to Howard that I liked Bob because I had asked if that was him who just left, if he were coming back, etc…mostly as a joke. But, say what you will, Howard ain’t that dumb.
Bob is cute, still.
Now, people talk in the store and Nancy told Sue how I said that Bob was cute, etc. The next day Sunday for those of you actually keeping track and I was sitting away from the counter, watching TV. Sue leans back when he comes by the counter; "Your friend is here." I’m thinking, great, so now everyone in the store has a comment? So, he winds up making a comment on a customer, thanking someone for clearing things up with her. (and by now, Bob has his own customer service pool company—did I mention he’s only 24? Hey, that’s young for my tastes. And he is in Elgin CC for Sociology?) Anyway, I was the one who talked to her, I cleared things up about Bob and he was apparently grateful.
So, I step forward to talk to him about it, because I was the one to talk to her on the phone and he thanks me. He then proceeds to tell me why they hadn’t done it on the schedule day, etc, I make cracks about him hiring stupid people. Etc, goes on for a few minutes and Howard has me put in a transfer order at the computer that is right by Bob. I do so and he is right there, with a pen in hand and begins to write on my hand. Now, I don’t remember my third grade books very well, but I do believe that something like that is common between boys and girls in a mature, liking way—if you get what I’m saying?
Well, Bob leaves that side of the counter for a few minutes and sitting right before me is his notebook for the jobs he does. I stare at it, contemplate a few things, look back to him at the other side of the counter area, then back at the book. Here comes one of the most irrational things I have ever done, or thought of (including searching the NIU phone book for Mercutio’s phone number without his last name and then actually dialing the number and listening to his voice mail. Three times!). I flipped a page, scribbled down my name and my home number, then turned the page back.
Bob is cute, still.
But, let me tell you, it is now Tuesday night and he has not called. He may not know who "Amy" is. Or, he may actually be busy to call. Or, he could just be ignoring it.
Score for Amy: 0-2.
Bob is cute, still.
Now, case three, and we will call him Vin. That is only because Mar’s name of "gay boy" is politically incorrect and the mane is built like a rock, pretty damned close to Vin. I would like to note however, that had this guy been THE Vin Diesel, there wouldn’t be a doubt in my mind of what to do.
Okay, so on this past Friday a guy comes into the store. He is very well built up top with the muscles coming from his shirt and I instantly stare at the muscles alone. He’s not too bad looking either. No Bob. But, he’s nice to look at. Now, I think I was kinda giving him the eye, because he was so well built. But, honestly, I wasn’t trying to. I had Bob on the brain, as I always do when I go to work. He was very nice when I was ringing him up after Howard helped him out. I guess I couldn’t help but stare at him as he walked away. It was those damned muscles.
Saturday comes, yes this is after Bob has come and gone with me only being able to hear his voice. Vin comes in at about 5ish and is very friendly, smiling and nonsense. I wind up helping him out because, well I actually do know a lot of stuff about pools (more than one would think I know) and well, he’s built. More time to stare at the built guy.
I need to keep my eyes some place else because before I knew it, it was 5:20 and we were standing by the pool, I’m saying what a busy schedule I have this summer and he says, "Well, I bet the boyfriend hates that."
I smile and say I don’t have one. He says he doesn’t either, a girlfriend that is, with a sly look and looks to the floor. That was the first alarm…yes there are more. He keeps asking about my school and what I’m studying, etc. Then, next thing I know again, he’s telling me to give him a call to go out bowling with him. I must have blushed because I was like, oh okay and he says, "well, you don’t have to."
He asks again later that I call him when I’m not too busy and have some time free and that I can get his number out of the computer system because he’s in there. Well, I had to ask, because I could tell that he was older. "How old are you?"
And the ordinary question followed from him, "How old do you think I am?"
"Twenty-six?"
He smiles, "Older."
"How much older?"
"Twenty-nine." Yeah, folks…..29!!!! "How old are you?" he asks me.
I ask the ordinate question, "How old do you think I am?"
He says 22 and I raised a brow, then said, "20." And yes, folks, I was honest.
So, I am truly flattered by his gesture and especially because he is that old. And it was especially odd because I was working and a customer asked me out. Not your run-of-the-mill meetings. I then begin to blush for the entire remainder of the half hour of work.
After all, a 29 year old guy was just flirting with me and asked me out...asked me to call him. Geez, and he's got an inground pool. Did I mention that my parents don't seem terribly phased by it either? And then, I keep telling myself not to be judgementa because hell, Kevin is 29 and I wouldn't think twice about him. Then Ang reminds me that this guy and Kevin are two totally different cases. And, I must agree with that.
I still have not called him, but did get his number from our system. I plan on calling him at some time to do something. Gina convinced me that is the summer and I’ll be leaving in just two months, so what seriousness can come from two months?
Granted the confidence I had from this brought on the confidence to leave my number in Bob’s book. And that also led to the confidence that Bob’s drawing on my hand was a good sign. My mom quickly shot that idea down that he might just be like that. I suppose, like Drew, just flirtatious.
Count for Amy: 1-2 you could say.
But, Bob is cute, still.
Please send me your advice on either Drew, Bob or Vin. I NEED HELP!