I really was finally okay about that guy. I didn't need a guy. At that point, I had resigned myself to living a spinster life. My plan was to work at the dental office, live with Mom, save my money, and hopefully, eventually move to Washington state - San Juan Islands, specifically. I had this notion that I would move there and work in a bed and breakfast in hopes that someday I could own and run one myself. Where and how I came up with this grand idea, I could not say. But, like I said, everyone at work wanted me happy... now.
So, I'm working at the dental office and I hear that a patient had taken notice and asked about me. Karen, the office hygienist said he wanted to ask me out. No thanks. Word spread around the office - a very small office - that someone wanted to ask me out and everyone got on the bandwagon that I should do it. No thanks. On his end, this patient, Rick, had been told by one of his co-workers that his wife (who works at the dental office) mentioned that I had noticed him when he had gone in for and exam and wanted to meet him. Meddlesome small town folks. Ha. No thanks.
It took some doing on the part of these well meaning folks - Jim, Karen, Gregg, Emily, even my cousin Sylvia had her say in the matter; they finally broke me down, "Okay, give him my number." Apparently, by the time he called me half his family had come by the office "for exams" to check me out. Damn small town folks.
So he calls and I say sure when he asks if I'd like to see a movie sometime. His parents have this big wedding anniversary celebration on Saturday, "Could we get together on Sunday?" That's fine, let's meet at the theater and decide there what to see. He wanted to pick me up, but that's not how I rolled. I was fine catching the SunBus to the Palm Desert Mall. So, it was agreed, on Sunday, October 14th, I'd meet this Rick guy in front of the pet shop. "I have brown hair and a red mustache," he said. I told him I was short, had shoulder length brown hair and wore glasses. (I thought he had seen me. He thought I had already seen him.) Crazy small town folks.
So on Sunday, October 14, 1990, I'm getting ready for this blind date. I'm just taking a last look-see making sure my hair is fabulous as always, when what happens, I drop my favorite handheld mirror. I didn't cuss back then, so I'm sure I said, "RATS!" Seven years bad luck!? Oh well, I already had zero expectation that I'd be seeing this guy a second time, so away I went to catch the bus. I made sure I arrived at the mall with enough time to do some shopping before meeting up with mister brown hair and red mustache. I remember flirting with the guy in J.C. Penney shoe department. I bought some white leather classic Keds, asked the guy to hold them there, I'd be back to pick them up after a movie.
*****
Yup, that was twenty-one years ago. We saw Mr. Destiny - newly released Oct 12th, staring Jim Belushi. I said yes to refreshments afterward. He had a Diet Coke and I ordered a root beer float at the Swendsen's next door to the theater. He gave me his number. I tossed it. He seemed like a nice enough guy - met all the criteria: non-smoker, no drugs, no excessive drinking, church going. I just wasn't feeling it. Blind date over, done, I went to retrieve my tennis shoes and headed home. Surely, my small town friends from work would be disappointed... "I don't think I'll see him again. Nice try guys."
*****
Gotta go, Rick and R.J. are starting up the DVR recordings of a show staring Tim Allen... you know, from Home Improvement. Just Googled it, that show premiered in 1991, the same year Rick and I got married!
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