Guy # 2

Ok, so here it is the end of April and I just got back from my second date of the year. WOW is this year slow moving! Ok...ok...you didn't come here to read about my inner brain workings and ponderings of the movement of the year thus far. You came here to get the dirt on the date... potential stud or dud? Well..... here are all the deets....

Background: Guy #2 hails from Mechanicsville, is 37 (38 in 2 weeks),  has a 5 year old daughter, is separated (be a year in September), and works as an IT guy at some DOD University.

He originally said he could meet me at the Edgewater Greene Turtle. However, me being so smart and all, informed him that it would be the same distance and time if he drove to the Crofton Greene Turtle.  So, being the nice guy he is, he drove an hour and a half to meet me at the Crofton GT. He was there before me because, well, I honestly wasn't convinced he was going to show and I didn't want to be disappointed (I've done this enough times to never count your eggs until they are hatched or whatever).  When I got the The Greene Turtle, he had roses -yes, roses- for me. Now some of you might be thinking "Awwww, how sweet." Those that know me are thinking "Uh oh, that was a bad move. Melissa is putting on her running shoes." I'm not the most of romantical of people and what most girls find romantic or generous I find creepy or ulterior motive driven.  I'm not sure how I feel about these roses just yet, but they are pretty and I did think it was  a sweet gesture. NOT expected in the least!

So I sit, and conversation is flowy. No awkward silences, no one person monopolizing the conversation although he does go into great detail about things that my attention span does not allow me to keep hold of.  I'm pretty sure my eyes started to glaze over a couple of times.  He brought up his ex a couple times and asked if I wanted to know the details of why they broke up. I had already told him that that wasn't really my business and I don't need to know. The only thing I needed to know was that he was free and clear to date and that's all I cared about. He said that he doesn't have a problem talking about it but most people don't really want to hear about it. No shit! Which is why I have told you that I don't really need to know. I'm sure it had something to do with her doing something shady and he got butt hurt. After about the third time of skirting around the topic, I could tell he needed to get something out there. So he continued to tell me that she cheated on him with one of his friends and he discovered it by seeing the phone record .... blah blah blah..... see no one really wants to hear about it and he's crying some " she done me wrong" song.  I made it through and nodded my head hear and there with a "uh huh" and an "oh" every so often to add to the fact that I was indeed listening and sympathizing.

Other topics of conversation included gun ranges! I told him I'd never been and would love to go shoot someone, oops, I mean shoot something one day. He asked if I was left handed or right handed and I had to explain that I shoot left but sight right. Apparently this is not good and I need to learn to shoot right. I knew this already but ladies, it's always nice to let the guy feel like he's teaching you something (hint hint). It makes him feel needed and necessary. Therefore, I nodded and added a "oh really? Why is that?" in there for good measure! He said that he would take me to a shooting range sometime. I agreed (sincerely) that that would be fun! He also asked me if I would ever consider moving to another part of Maryland. Now THIS scared me more than the roses! I told him that sure, I thought about it but I love this area and couldn't imagine living anywhere else but hey, you never know!

Well, so far so good right? The bill comes and yes, I know he drove an hour and a half to see me, and bought me roses but c'mon, pick up the damn bill! The bill was 43 and change. I told him I only had a card which was his cue to say "No, it's ok. I got it." Um....yeah not quite the way it worked out. He actually said " I think I have some cash. Here I have 30."  So no points for the bill pick up so it's a damn good thing that he brought those roses because now his brownie point status is leveled back to 0! Ok, perhaps that is a bit harsh considering he drove all the way out to me but hey, I'm worth it!

It was raining, not cats and dogs mind you but perhaps something smaller and lighter.... mice and canaries? I dunno. Why does it "rain cats and dogs" why can't it rain mice and canaries? Ok, any who! It was raining a bit when we left and you would have thought that he was Olaf (If you haven't seen Frozen, first, where have you been? Second, watch it! Third, he's a snowman!). He said well I'm going to bolt. I said ok, well thanks for coming out here and be careful going home. He gave me a hug which was a bit awkward because he had already pre-bolted when I decided to talk to him a bit more so see if he actually would melt and that's when he turned and hesitated but then committed to the hug. By the way, no meltage occurred (that I could see anyway).  He said at least 2-3 times at the table that he had a nice evening and he was glad he came out. I agreed. Now, this isn't my first rodeo and I know that guys don't always say what they mean when they are on the actual date. They become braver when they are sitting back behind a computer screen. So we will see if what he said in person is actually true and a second date transpires. He doesn't have his daughter this weekend so we shall see... I'll keep you all faithful followers informed! :) Toot-A-Loo, Kangaroos!