Tuesday, March 29, 2011

First Date: A How To Guide

               A few discreet glances, a shared smile; ahh the courting game has begun! The delicious excitement at the prospect of a new love interest, has its first stirrings. As you saunter over her way, feigning confidence, there is a running monologue in your head. Smile, be smart, be funny, and for heavens sake, please don’t make an ass out of yourself! You politely ask if you may join her, she demurely accepts. Introductions are made, seats are taken, and hopefully a little alcohol is served. You attempt to dazzle her with your witty banter and charming disposition. Hopefully she is just a touch dazzling as well. All this leading up to that inevitable question, you know the one. You calmly ask, “Can I take you out sometime?” While your insides are doing Cirque De Soleil acrobat flips and you sit there in nail-biting, sweating anticipation as those three seconds stretch by like a never ending rubber band, before she says that magical word, “Sure”. Ahhh you’ve done it! You’ve procured a first date. Now what shall you do with it?
                I believe that no matter how old I get a first date will always make me feel like an awkward teen all over again. What do I say? What do I wear? Where do we go? How much do I tell her about myself? Oh all these thoughts like giant ping-pong balls of agony and stress bouncing around in my head. Relax! Breathe! Relax! She already must have some interest in you or she would not have said yes! So, just be yourself and either she will like you or not.
                I like to do two-part first dates. The first part of the date is usually something silly or fun to put you both at ease. Things like go-carts, batting cages, miniature golf, or my all time favorite roller skating. Usually these are things that she has not done in awhile and they’re fun. You can relax, have some laughs, and just see if you enjoy each others company.
                Roller skating is the best. You laugh, you fall all over each other, you do couples skate, and the next day when her girlfriend asks how the date was, she doesn’t go, “Oh the same old, same old.” She says, “Girl! He took me roller skating! I had so much fun. I hadn’t done that in years.” Now that you’re both relaxed you move to the second part of the date.
                The second part is the actual getting- to- know- you part. Drinks somewhere, maybe a little bite to eat, and conversation. This is also a good point to show your consideration for her. Ask her if there is somewhere she knows of that she would like to get drinks. Women are usually more comfortable in familiar surroundings. Now this is very important, this is not an interview! Do not fire questions at this young lady, but at the same time do not recite your entire life story. Let the conversation flow wherever it may go, and if you are interested in each other the little important questions will find their way into the conversation. Your entire evening should be about three hours long.
                There, it is done! A first date that hopefully went well. There are small hints and innuendos that will let you know if she is truly interested. So pay attention! And for me, if this was a picture perfect first date, it would end with a sweet kiss that hopefully sets off sparks of iridescent colors shooting behind my closed eyes. That would make her last murmured words of “call me”, as she shuts the door, sound like music to my ears.

No comments:

Post a Comment