First and Second

Two weeks ago I was at a bar, celebrating (yet secretly crying on the inside) the last day of work for my good friend/co-worker, K$.  We were a couple beers in when we started talking to the guy sitting next to me, who I had noticed had previously been sitting on the other side of K$.  He was fun, a big guy who had the personality of a teddy bear.  If he were standing outside of a bar, I would immediately given him my ID, he looks like a bouncer.  After K$ left, I stayed and hung out, we exchanged numbers, and I met him out later on in the week.  I realized the reason why I liked him the first time, he thinks I'm funny.  (I like people who think I'm funny).  But that's about all I like about him.  He's kind of old, he smokes, and he tells really boring stories.  But he does think I'm funny. ..

It was pretty clear he was trying to date me.  Ugh, why does he have to try to date me?  Why can't we just get drinks every once and a while after work, at the bar he gets free drinks at?  He can laugh at everything I say, get me drunk, and then not try to kiss me.  That would be perfect.  My outings with the bouncer reminded me of something: I like when guys take me out, laugh at my jokes and tell me I look pretty.  It reminded me I do want to date, I just don't want to date him.

So I reactivated my OkCupid account, updated it, and then promptly ignored it.  After all, I've been busy, looking for a new job is like having a second job.  However, I logged on one day and stayed on (mostly because my friend called and I left it open) and low and behold, guys started messaging me.  One guy in particular actually got me responding.  Financial Frank works on mutual funds downtown.  I have no idea what that means, but I've wanted to date a rich guy for almost forever, and the financial district is a step in the right direction.  More importantly he seemed to have quite a personality and actually made me laugh.  He also lives in my area.  I suggested we meet for drinks.  He suggested we have a phone date first (seriously? who does that? who actually likes talking on the phone?).  I talked to him that night for an hour and a half! I don't even talk to Violet for that long! I don't even know what we talked about!  He did explain to me why he likes to talk to people on the phone first (it involves a smelly girl with a lisp) and it's a pretty funny story.

On Wednesday we finally meet for our drinks.  Things went well.  Not gonna lie, I got a little drunk.  Tipsy drunk, not "I'm going to make bad decisions" drunk.  He paid for the beers and we start walking in the general direction of our houses (turns out we live close, like, really close).  At the corner where we are to go our separate ways, he kisses me.  Damn, he's a good kisser.  He decides he'll just walk me home, I let him.  We walk through the park.  He kisses me again.  Before you know it, we're full on making out under a tree in the park.  Not just under a tree, up against a tree. It. was. hot.  We recompose.  This is ridiculous. We're making out in a public park.  There's roaming hands involved.  What are we, high schoolers?  We walk the remaining block.  We talk on my front steps.  We make out a little more and say good night.

I come into my house feeling slightly mortified about what just happened.  I don't usually kiss a guy on a first date.  Not because I'm against it, but because I'm so damn awkward that I don't know what to do and end up giving him a weird hug while mumbling brainless pleasantries like a fool.  But that was not awkward, at all.  I'm in the kitchen, my face still red, when my roommate Bernard comes in.  "So, who ya makin' out with on the porch?"  He had been sitting on our balcony, observing it all (luckily he couldn't see the park from there).  I felt like I had just been caught red handed by my father. But then, unlike my father, Bernard proudly says, "Look at you, gettin' ass on a Wednesday."  And yeah, I was kind of proud of myself too.