The Date

It was late. We didn't get to kick things off till about 9. Right away I could tell we were both beat, but we made the best of our tired bodies. She talked about transformers and cabbage patch kids. I talked about Star Wars. Our childhood toys. That was nice. We dug the same things. Except Care Bears. I wasn't big into Care Bears, but I liked the colors and told her so.

"I like the colors," I said.

Then she wanted to get details about the divorce. Not something I really want to get into, because it is such a long story, but I told it to her and did my best to cook at the same time.

I burned the rice the first time around, and she was cool with that. I just made another pot, and finished the story.

I think she was a bit freaked that I knew shamans, and had hung out with them, and that probably wasn't first date info., but as most of you know, I am me, and whatever I say, is what I say. So I did. I just laid it out.

Then we went into my room and I showed her The Slipshod Album, and some of my favorite books. I read some poetry to her. The stuff I wrote when I was 19. Don't know why.

"It's good for 19," she said.

"Yeah," I said. "It's pretty."

"You're a pretty confident guy."

"Well, I know what I like that I make, but I don't like everything."

Around 11, she got tired and wanted to go home. I drove her to her car, and told her we could go to Hawaii if she wanted. I was going to go pretty soon for Mar's wedding.

This threw her for a loop.

"I don't even know you," she said.

"Yeah, I know," I said.

"So how can I go with you to New York or Hawaii when I don't even know you?"

"I don't know," I said. "I like you."

"But why?"

"I don't know."

"See," she said. "You don't even know me."

"Yeah, I hear you. I don't really know you, but I like you."

Truth is, that I do. I am not much for mincing words. I don't need someone's life story to know I dig them. I also understand how I came on a little fast for her. At least Nina tried to set me straight later, as we were heading over to Mickey's.

"That's too fast," she said. "You got to wait before you ask them to go to Hawaii with you."

"I know. I was serious though."

"Yeah, but she doesn't know who you are yet. After she gets to know you better, she'll understand that's who you are."

"I guess you're right. I really like her though."

"So are you going to go out again?"

"She said she wanted to. I don't know. Maybe, she doesn't want to. I don't really know."

And I don't. I would like to go out with her again.

When I hugged her goodbye, she looked so cute I could kiss her, but I didn't, because she had just gotten through scolding me for not knowing her.

Yeah, I think she likes me. I know I'm a strange one, but really not that much so. Hopefully, she'll hang out again.

Who knows?

I certainly don't.

I do know I got to Mickey's party. It was a lot of fun. Mickey and I played NBA Jam, which he's got set-up in his living room. Shaq and the Magic tore us up. Beat us at the buzzer.

Mickey didn't want to play anymore after that.

I sang a song about Tupac Shukor, danced with Timeray, then took Nina to Tangier's, where we found the bar closed. That's when we headed down to the Good Luck Bar to meet Nina's friend Mr. X (now I forget his name).

That was nice. We sat and chatted about great places to eat. I dropped off Nina, and then I came home to an itemized bill from my little brother (I told Pan to take his girl out to give us some privacy, you know? I also told him he could take Letisha wherever he wanted and I'd pick up the tab.) I'll tell you what I didn't expect was such a big tab, but I'm a high roller, so I dropped some bills on the coffee table, and then lied down on my bed.

Now I am into the fantasy portion of this blog.

I am a toad. The kids call me Henry. I can hop with the best of them. Catch flies too.

If there's a hole in the middle of the highway, I just bounce over it.

Man, I like this girl. I don't know her, but I do.

I could have told her how I love her laugh. I could tell her that there is a magic inside her. I could have told her that I was a frog name Henry. I could have told her a lot of things, but I didn't.

I will have to tell her next time.

It is 2:53. Time for me to smile in my sleep. Time for me to drown in sheep. Time for me to hop in bed.

Bye, P.