Disclaimer: This blog post is memoir. Some names and characteristics have been omitted or changed, some events have been compressed, and some dialogue has been recreated. The three of us looked up from our table to see a tall, smiling, something-ish man standing over us.
We bantered back and forth for a minute and Erin kicked me hard under the table. Not an hour earlier, the three of us had been describing our Dream Men. Our newest fan club member uncannily fit the bill on all fronts. He introduced himself as Fred and we liked his unassuming nature so much that we found ourselves saying,. Fred arrived to Karaoke Night Reloaded on the early side and seemed nervous. By the time we ended the night at a 90s Dance Party, we slow danced and confirmed a mutual spark.
I tried to temper my excitement. He replied with a screenshot showing his ticket purchase confirmation. I like his style. When date night arrived, I was nervous. Really nervous. Despite having spent two nights together during which he met most of my friends and family, now a feeling of expectation permeated the air. I laughed out loud and, as soon as I parked, texted him. I tried not to giggle and nodded. We awkwardly picked a spot to sit down and I hoped that a couple of drinks would soothe our collective nerves.
Crappy jobs, no jobs, and bam. Living with the parents. For years. Up until that point, I never would have considered dating a middle-aged man who lived with his parents due solely to financial troubles, but he seemed so genuinely kind that I felt like I had to give it a chance. My friends and family, knowing how much I struggled to find a partner who was pure-hearted, stable, and emotionally available, supported my decision to see where this might go.
Fred and I were feeling a lot looser by the time we walked over to the concert, and when the sun began to set, we wrapped ourselves up in each other, swaying to the mellow, dance-y beats. Especially men commenting on women. Again I drew my head back as my stomach sank. I had flashbacks of the Navy pilot and the guy who asked for his key back — the two boyfriends I had in right after my divorce, back-to-back, who both had more than a few red flags. My body is the least interesting thing about me.
