My last first date

I’m making the hour long drive into Modesto from my parents house. Right before leaving, I shared my news with my mom, that I was going on a date with a guy I met online. Having those words come out of my mouth were embarrassing to say the least, but it was a fact that I couldn’t deny.

After donning this exact outfit and getting my mom’s approval, I hopped in my car and made the long drive into town.


I was nervous, very nervous. So nervous, I stuck 2 napkins that I brought under each arm to keep from sweating on my top. This was very important to prevent…don’t want to give the wrong impression right from the start! The entire drive, I’m fighting the butterflies and by the time I find a parking spot at the restaurant, they’re flying uncontrolled.

I see him crossing the lot toward my car. My first thought was, ‘how did he know it was my car?’ but I realized who else would be parking a white State issued vehicle at Olive Garden? My second thought was, ‘he didn’t get very dressed up for the date.’ There he wears a polo and khaki shorts w/his sneakers. But I pay it no more mind as I have new, more serious matters to think over.

To hug? Or shake hands?? I mean, we’ve been emailing for a couple months now, so shaking hands seemed too formal, so a quick hug hello seemed the only way to go. After checking in with the hostess, we wait outside for our table. And the talking begins.

Easy flowing conversation about anything and all. He complements me on my shoes, zebra print flats, and I’m more than tickled he took the time to notice. The longer we stand there, the more the sun is bright in my eyes and before I know it, he steps between me and the sun, blocking it completely.

This simple, unprovoked thoughtful gesture, has me taken with him completely. He did it on his own. Maybe I’d been around men without manners for too long, who only do a kind gesture to get something in return, so the fact it was done without my asking or expecting anything from me, was more than I could handle at that moment.

I make all the ‘been single too long’ mistakes.
Open the doors myself.
Put in my name to the hostess before he can even make it to her, and the worst of all…

As we’re being led to our table, I go to take my seat when I see he’s following me, around my side of the table. I’m screaming inside, thinking how bold he is to think he can sit on my side with me on the first date! I quickly pull out my chair and sit and notice his hesitation before pulling his own out, on the other side and sit down. I realize at that moment; he wasn’t going to sit on my side, he was going to pull my chair out for me.

No man had ever pulled my chair out. Once again, I was taken with him.

As we go through dinner, time seems to stand still. Hours are passing, the servers have ceased to serve us, allowing us the privacy they clearly saw we wanted and the attraction and familiarity between us two grows more and more. He eats off my plate, and I don’t mind. He gives me some of his food off his and I gladly take it. 4 hours have passed when we decide we probably should let the restaurant have their table back but are reluctant to call it a night.

He hugs me goodbye and there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt in my mind that I was going to see this man again.

Not a shadow of a doubt in my mind, that he was the man I was going to marry.

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