"You're high!" I stared incredulously at the person in front of me. He was a virtual stranger. We had had email and phone conversations, but I had never met him in person. I watched him descending the escalator and I knew something was off.
He ignored my statement and I let it go. It was probably rude of me to assume having never been face to face with him before. Maybe he always looked squinty eyed and spacey, but I had dated someone who was very fond of the herb for about 10 months, I knew what it looked like.
I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
I was starving and of course he had already eaten. "What the hell!" I exclaimed. "I don't care I'm starving, can't you eat anything?"
"Maybe." He mumbled. His eyes kept drifting. Forgive me for thinking a date with a 30 year old Accountant would be normal. What on earth was I thinking.
I put our name in at the restaurant near by and carried the conversation finding it hard to keep his attention, the lights and people were trumping me on that one.
He told me I was beautiful, but instead of making me feel good, I felt slightly dirty. I was flattered, but it was awkward. I wasn't holding back now, it was easy to rip on him. While he were waiting I tried again: "I'm surprised you're not hungry being HIGH and all." He looked blankly at me and changed the subject.
I couldn't believe he was flat out ignoring me. Despite all that I wasn't having a bad time. I was actually amusing myself.
We finally got a table and now that we were face to face, I tried one more time.
"You're High."
He had the decency to look sheepish. "Yah, but I thought it would wear off by the time I met you. I don't ever smoke, I swear!"
"I'm not stupid you know! I know what it looks like, you didn't have to lie!"
He ducked his head. "I'm sorry."
The date progressed. I ordered a meal and a margarita (because when all else fails, you always have tequila!) and he ordered a beer. The conversation was fine, I forgave him slightly when he said I could pass for early 20's. I told him he was like a child, getting distracted by everything in the restaurant. I wasn't holding back, he deserved everything I gave him.
The waiter dropped off the check and placed it in front of me. I sighed and pulled out my credit card. He looked at me a little helplessly.
"I didn't bring enough money."
"No worries." I said brightly. I jammed my card into the plastic holder and smiled. He tossed a ten at me.
"I have to go to the bank."
"You owe me." I shot back and then instantly regretted my words. I he owed me, does that mean I have to go out with him again? I felt bad for him really. He wasn't a bad guy, he just seemed a little lost and misguided. He also seemed to really like me.
We left the restaurant and walked to the corner, where I would walk home from there. We stood there awkwardly.
"Okay! I'm going to go home. You know where your car is right?"
"Yes." He looks at me. "I don't get a kiss?"
It was all I could do to not laugh out loud. "Do you feel you deserve a kiss?"
He ducked his head again, like a little kid. "A hug then?" He was hopeful. I had already informed him of my aversion to touchy feely crap.
We hugged goodbye and I left, chuckling to myself all the way home.
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