The First Date

Blog # 11

"So what’ya say", Alice said via messaging in her usual confident and intoxicating way...."should we go for a drink"?. I couldn't help myself....I just had to meet this girl in person and see what her deal was with my own eyes. I was secretly loving the fact that now I had 2 girls vying for my attention and if Alice wanted to buy me a drink and introduce me to new friends...who was I to say no?? We decided to meet up by her place at Good Luck bar in Los Feliz. I was hoping the namesake rang true of the night to be....I was going to need it! I was brand new to this whole internet dating madness and although Michelle had worked out in my favor, I wasn't quite sure that my batting average would sustain date number 2? I mean, how many worthy advocates can one meet off a cheesy lesbian dating site? Well, I for one was dying to find out. I headed up from West Hollywood to the east side in search of the answer.

As I walked into the bar, I did a quick scan of the joint….it was dark but empty enough to see clearly that she had not arrived. Normally, I would rather be the one to make the grand entrance. This is key on many levels. The main reason being a little tip I learned along the way, not to be forgotten or taken lightly:

This saves you from having a complete “first date” mental breakdown.

This saves you from being the one to sit nervously at the bar alone, staring at the time and checking your cell phone feverishly for any updates as to why your date would suddenly not be arriving. For every minute that goes by the paranoid fantasies graduate from just plain rudeness to freak accident on the 101 to tortuous and untimely death at the hands of terrorists! Who needed that kind of stress? Tonight, however, as I was unsure to what degree I would be into this girl, I was willing to endure this horrifying ritual at the cost of
one imperative “first date” move. I needed to be the one to buy HER a drink.

Now there are several situations in which you would buy someone a drink.

1) You want to sleep with them and feel like the $9 you cough up should entitle you as such.

2) You’re friend bought the last round

3) You are already drunk and for some reason think it’s an awesome idea to then extend the offer of a tasty beverage to everyone in your direct line of view.

4) You’re a chump

OR

5) You’re just not that into them and want to clear your conscious of any reason why you should not escape out the bathroom window and meet up with your friends at the bar down the street instead.

Truth be told, I wanted to reserve my right to put reason #5 into full effect should my date be a total disaster.

So, as I took a seat at the bar, I sent Alice a text requesting her poison and, post reply, ordered two whisky sodas. It was a risky move, I know. I would either come off as being utterly cool and considerate, or this would paint me as way too eager for my own good. Tonight, this was a risk I was willing to take.

It didn’t take long for Alice to arrive after that. Promptness, I dig that in a lady. She spotted me right away and strolled over casually to take a seat next to me at the bar. She had a cool, confident strut that immediately put me at ease. I may have had no idea what I was doing but Alice seemed to have handle on the situation and if there was any bit of nervousness in her body what-so-ever, I couldn’t detect an ounce.

As she pulled up a stool, I was suddenly washed over with an annoying yet ever prevalent wave of “first date” insecurity panic. Out of nowhere, my every fault/blemish/wardrobe choice was spread out on the chopping block for her to inspect and judge at will. Although, five minutes ago I was plotting my exit strategy, I was now, suddenly, desperate for her to find me completely beautiful and amazing. Oh man, this was my ego talking. NO, this was my ego taking over and running a muck. This was me being an irrational nut case and allowing all my “issues” to go racing to the surface. This was me being a total “chick” …and I had to put a stop to it ASAP!

I reminded myself to breathe as there was clearly a lack of oxygen flowing to my brain. I did not come all the way down here to berate myself. I came here to have a cocktail with a, seemingly, very nice, fellow human being. I talked myself off the ledge and came dashing back to reality. “This for me?” she asked with a smile? Her smile, once again, put me totally at ease. I slid over the drink and took a sip of my own. Her presence was oddly calming and I felt all the weight of all my anxiety lift off my shoulders. I liked her right away. There was an undeniable connection with Alice that I hadn’t felt in a long time. She was smart, cute, engaging, and she managed to put all my bullshit to rest without even knowing it! Score one for Alice…….Michelle who???

-Lesbian X