GO SERIAL…IT’S YA BIRTHDAY!

Man, dating has surely taken on a new face in the new millennium. Gone are the awkward encounters in public places and the ever-present fear of rejection in front of a studio audience. Slowly replacing it is that convenient cyber singles bar known as the Internet. And that ole stigma about people on the net being hideous desperate losers has changed. Now you can meet professional quality prospects and actually have a pretty decent date. Case in point.

One Sunday, I was returning to my home from doing who the hell knows what (for some reason I can’t remember now), but I think the Baltimore Ravens lost the game that day so everything after that was a blur. Dayum Ravens. But I came in and as customary checked my email. Why, I’m not sure, but I felt compelled to jump on BP and see what was crackin’ in the digital universe. I did a search of who was online in the R. Kelly group (post video tape scandal, so we talkin’ 20-25 year-olds). A name jumped out at me. So I peeped her page. The pic was okay, but the content of her page kept my attention. She had some rant going on about dating and its current state thereof. Being a serial dater myself, I felt like maybe I ought to converse with this young lady.

We exchange a note or two and decided to take it to the instant messenger stage. I had asked her if she wanted to swap dating horror stories and talk about what’s right or wrong with dating in general. She was with it so we did the IM thing. Though I might invest a portion of time to internet shenanigans (blogs, dating and whatnot) I’m not really big on carrying on ongoing cyber friendships. I believe in “real life” and we can meet on line but I’m trying to take it off line ASAP. Carpal tunnel syndrome is real people. So I asked the seemingly intelligent 24 year-old if she would like to meet me at a local Friday’s in Farmington Hills, Michigan for drinks. She was with it and so we set the time for 8:30 p.m.

I got myself together. It’s weird because I can’t remember what I was wearing. Normally I’m good with the details but this time I can’t recall what dashing apparel I was draped in (lol). What I do remember is that I was wearing a brand new cologne. Now I remember what I did that day, I had gone shopping for new “smell goods” at Fairlanes Mall. I had just bought a brand new scent called Be Delicious for men by DKNY (yeah I know it sounds pretty gay but it smells hella good). I wanted to test it out on this young lady.

I asked her to meet me at the bar and as my normal fair; I was a tad bit late. Fashionably, but late all the same. When I walked into the Friday’s I could see her sitting nervously only at the bar. And I walked in not a moment too soon as the wolves waiting to pounce at a nearby table. I took a good look at her and she was a cutie. I didn’t mention it to her, but she favored an old friend mine. A much younger version of a friend I cared very deeply about. So I was little spooked about that, but I thought she was attractive all the same. But here was best part of it all – she had JUGS for days. Being the T&A man that I am, this was a definite plus. Now prior to this outing we had never discussed one another’s physical attributes, so there wasn’t the customary “so how tall are you” conversation. So this would be a surprise for us both. When she stood up to greet me I almost sprang my neck looking up. She was one tall, mocha-colored glass of water as she stood 5’11” (not including the heels). Whoa. I’m only 5’7”, so I was gonna have to break out my climbing timbs. :o)

I sat down and ordered an Absolute and cranberry. She had already ordered a drink but she barely touched it. I noticed her lack of drinking in addition to the pained looked on her face. I asked her what was the matter and that’s when she informed me that there was a bug in her drink (and no she had not ordered it). But at the same token she was too shy to complain to the bartender, so I had to do it for her. As Vin Diesel said in XXX, “I live for this shit.” So we got her a new more better drink, with more alcohol and less bug.

As we talked and got acquainted I noticed that she couldn’t stop wringing her hands (like a diabolical mad scientist) and fidgeting. She informed me that it was something she did when nervous. She was beginning to make me nervous. But after another drink, some appetizers and a whole lot of conversation she loosened up. She was loosened up so I asked her if she would like to go back to my place for a nightcap and some more convo. I had only lived up the street. She was game, so off we rolled to Casa De Serial.

As we made our way to my building, I couldn’t help but to notice how infectious her smile was. I couldn’t stop looking her. At my apartment I had the normal bachelor pad amenities. And no bachelor pad is complete with a bar and/or liquor cabinet. Mine was stocked with the likes of Grey Goose, Crown Royal, Sake, Hipnotiq, and Makers Mark amongst others. I made her a house specialty drink – a Cassidy Mist. We sat on the love seat, listened to music and talked. Either it was the music, the drinks, the ambiance or just me or the combination of all, but something clicked and before you knew it, we were making out kissing on the sofa. It was nice.

Somewhere along the line, I had mentioned to her that the next day (Monday) would be my 35 birthday. I had already decided to take the day off from work, but I hadn’t made any plans to do anything. In hearing this she says, “you should let me take you out for your birthday.” I was flattered and impressed. Not so much that I finally had a date for my born day, but that she said those magical words – Let me take you out. It was orgasmic (lol). But I agreed to the date and looked forward to seeing her again.

The next day she called to make sure we were still on. The plan was for her to come over to my place after I returned from the athletic club. She came over looking stunning in a dress and heels. I asked where our destination was and she informed me that we were going to a popular spot called Sinbad’s since she learned that I enjoyed seafood. She also offered to drive since it was my B-day. I liked her already. And it didn’t hurt nuttin’ that she had a nice whip too. We got down to Sinbad’s, did the valet parking thing and went inside. Almost immediately there was a sense of mutual dissapointment for such a hyped place with the reputation it had. The setting was more Red Lobster than 5-star restaurant and the service was sub par. My date could not hide her dissapointment with her selection for my birthday, so she suggested that we leave. So we did.

We made the decision to go to Magnolia’s, a black owned fine dining soul food establishment. I was familiar with the place, since the firm I work for represents them. We got a nice booth in the back and so began the festivities. Despite the very slow service from our server, the food was good, the atmosphere was right and the company and convo was exquisite. We joked and talked about everything from our homosexual server (whom I mistakenly called gay out loud) to the recurring theme of having a bug in a drink. This time around it was my glass of wine that ended up with a bug in it. Because it was my birthday I even got a free dessert. When the bill came, despite the entrées and the multiple drinks it only totaled $35 when such an outing normally would cost a least $50. Had I been treating more than likely it would cost me half a yard. Sometimes the universe ain’t fair.

Since the date was going so great, we decided not to end it and went back to my place. There we had yet another drink and a little more getting to know each other. The night would end with us getting to know one another really well.

That’s one birthday I will always remember. ;o)