It was closing time at The Bombay Company when 2 young men came through the store. I still remember the top of his head over the back of the chair he was sitting in when I came from the back room, I also remember thinking "just leave already, it is time for me to go home". They didn't leave and sat in every chair, opened every drawer, and made smart comments the whole time they were there. It wasn't until I went up front to bring the sidewalk signs in and close the doors that they followed me, and I realized how cute he was. He made small talk, sarcastic and playful, but all I could concentrate on was his mischievous smile and blue eyes, and the feeling of ease I felt with this familiar stranger. So at ease that when he told me he was only 19 (I was 22 at the time) I was unfazed and silently wished he would ask for my phone number. "You probably wouldn't want to go out with a 19 year old" "ask me and you will find out" I remember thinking in response. My silent pleading paid off, and ask he did.
I left work that night with a feeling I'd never had before, a mix of exhileration, optimism and excitement. It was 3 days before he called me, I was in the car with my sister and still remember the street we were driving down when the phone rang. When I answered we chatted and he continued the "I'm 19" line and I continued to believe him. We made arrangements to go out Saturday when I got off of work. When I hung up I told my sister our plans but was still unsure of going out with a 19 year old, he was barely out of high school.
On Saturday I closed shop faster than ever, a plan that backfired when I got to the parking lot. I went outside and all the cars were empty. I got in my car and waited, when someone finally pulled into a space and didn't get out of their truck I assumed it was him (the young life sticker in the back window was a tell-tell sign of a 19 year old.) I walked up to the truck window and started to tap when the driver turned and looked at me... It wasn't him, I waved and scurried off. Just then a red truck turned into the parking lot and I knew it was him, I had planned on driving my own car instead of getting in some strangers vehicle but the minute he rolled down his window to talk to me I found myself opening the door and climbing in, it was like I had always known him.
He asked where I would like to go. I had no idea what this 19 year old and I were going to do so I politely shrugged my shoulders. He asked if I wanted to go to Bardenay and I asked him if he had a fake ID because they don't let minors in after 9:00. He pulled the truck over. I thought for sure I had offended him and he was going to let me out at this point, before our date had even begun. He told to me that he was actually 27... "Do you still want to go out with me?" Relief flooded me, I happily said yes and we drove on.
Dinner and drinks at one of the tall booths against the wall. I had the trout, he had the salmon. When I ordered a cocktail, he ordered a martini, however he didn't drink it. He'd gone to high school (9 years ago) with the waitress and been business partners with one of the guys at the bar. What we talked about, I couldn't tell you, but the littlest details are still vivid in my mind. The texture of his mustard colored sweater, my pink pants.
We left dinner and I didn't want to leave him. We drove around, just talking about past experiences and our hopes and dreams for the future. We sat in the truck until late just talking, like old friends. He eventually took me back to my car, we had already made plans to see each other the next day. I leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, I remember the feeling of his whiskery skin on my lips.
Ice cream on Sunday turned into dinner on Monday and a movie on Tuesday and a house in 2004 and a wedding in 2005 and a baby in 2005, and 2008 and 2011.
Here's to last first dates and my best friend.
