, â??Weâ??re supposed to go to the meiovs, only he can't. He's had little too much partying.â??â??C-Can't goâ?? Charlie's voice hitched. His face lit up like a turned on light bulb. â??I-I know! You t-take her.â??The friend looked more than surprised. â??Uhâ?¦sure â??Just what I wanted: a pity date. I looked from Charlie to the friend. â??You donâ??t have to.â?? â??I want to,â?? the friend said. â??What movie?â?? Uh, Bond, James Bond.â??â??I like Bond. What time?â??Charlie wrapped one arm around each of our shoulders. â??G-Great! You'll like h-her.â??All eyes zeroed in on me. This whole scenario had gotten way out of hand. He was supposed to say no. I had no other recourse. I squeaked, â??Six?â?? We went to see â??For Your Eyes Only.â?? Before the movie began, I did all the conversing. He said he felt awkward because of his braces. Please. Like I hadnâ??t seen braces before? He drove me home in his new Mustang and parked in the space next to my apartmentâ??s door with the engine running. When he didnâ??t get out, I thought okay. â??Thanks for going with me.â?? This was one strange not date. With a brush of my hands, I sent him out of my life.Six weeks later, as I finalized preparations for my roommateâ??s surprise birthday party, the phone rang. Charlieâ??s friend was the last person I expected to hear from. Being ever-so-well-mannered, I invited him over.The party had moved to the lounge chairs at one end of the pool. Out the corner of my eye, I saw someone approaching. As he drew closer, I recognized Charlieâ??s friend wearing a white sweater.Whatâ??s up with this guy wearing winter clothing in the summer? Standing, I took his arm and drew him into my circle of friends. I put him on the lounger next to me.A little while later, my cousin and I went to my apartment to get more wine. As I removed a bottle from the fridge, he asked, â??So Whoâ??s the guy?â??â??Thatâ??s Charlieâ??s friend.â??â??I like him. He doesnâ??t act like the guys you usually date.â??I stared at my cousin. â??Iâ??m not dating him. He called earlier, and I invited him over. Thatâ??s all. Canâ??t we include new people?â?? â??Maybe you should date him.â??Surely, my cousin had lost his brains.A little later, a college friend and I returned to my apartment to restock the snacks. He asked, â??Whoâ??s the guy?â??What is up with these people? â??He works with Charlie, you know, the guy who lives around the corner?â??â??Youâ??re not dating him?â??This is unbelievable. â??No.â?? â??I like him. Heâ??s not like the guys youâ??ve been dating.â??I shoved chips and dips in his hands, and we returned to the party. I squeezed into a spot next to a girlfriend. She pressed her shoulder against mine. â??Whoâ??s the guy?â??This time, I nearly exploded. â??Heâ??s. Charlieâ??s. Friend. Period.â??â??I like him. You should date him.â??â??Why?â?? I tossed my hands skyward. â??You and everyone else have all said I should. He wears a sweater in July for gosh sakes.â?? He seems nice. Not like the guys you usually date.â??I scanned over the list of men Iâ??d dated in the past four years. There was idiot. Idiot. Just okay. Adored turned loser idiot. Facing the facts, I propped my chin on my palm. All idiots or mostly idiots.Charlieâ??s friend didnâ??t act like those weirdoes at all. He was nice, polite, a bad dresser I could help with that sincere and handsome.Maybe I could date him. So I took everyoneâ??s suggestion and dated Charlieâ??s friend. After a year and a half, we tied the knot and still are happily ever after.

by Ruy 01:32:57 AM 2012.06.19