The Rolling Stones famously sang "You can't always get what you want. And if you try sometime, you find you get what you need." Unfortunately, this was not the case for me and my one and only blind date experience. I didn't get what I wanted or needed unless I needed to be bored to death while I cringed in silence.
This is my late entry to Weekend Engagement Writting Challenge.
It was the summer of 2003, the summer of the couple fest (as I like to call it), as I recall it. All my friends were hooked up apart from me, and as we were fresh out of high school, the couple of festivities were real. So because I was the only single girl, there was a hard campaign to get me coupled so I could partake in the couple festivities. Honestly, it bothered them more than it bothered me; I was happy to be single. Better than hooking up with subpar material just to fit in. I was also crushing hard on a guy I worked a summer job with, so I was happier doing friendly things with him.
My best friend gave my number to a guy she worked with; she made him out to be really cool, but alas, he wasn't. In hindsight, she was probably secretly crushing on him but was already hooked up. He called me, and there was just no commonality. Interests were way off track, and he didn't find my jokes funny, nor did he make me laugh. Humour being a key requirement for me; I'm generally the funny one, a rare trait for a lady, so I like a guy who can generally match my wit and get me to laugh as well. I can't be doing all the hard work here! Despite me trying to let him down nicely, he insisted on meeting. So my friend forced the situation, and I agreed to go on a double date against my better judgment!
I agreed to a day date, a coffee - to make a quick escape if needed. I got to the spot, walk in, and the first person I see is my guy best friend. He jokes and says I'm your blind date, secretly, I was rather relieved because we could just move on with my life. It turns out he was meeting his girl there later that morning and just got there really early as he had to drop off his little bro. But it's like the universe sent me a buffer! Because I don't know what I would have done if he wasn't there!
Fast forward to the blind date arriving, and it was everything I thought it would be and more, not in a good way. This dude looked like he was walking out of a Bollywood movie, with tight-fitting clothes, a leather jacket and puffy hair. He was arrogant but not that good-looking (at least for me - I was more into the surfer-type looking dudes) and stiff as a board - referring to his personality and body language just too clear, lol.
The conversation was sad, and he ironically kept asking me about Bollywood movies, which did not interest me in the least and asked if I wanted to see one after coffee. I could think of nothing worse. The dude could not read the polite no romantic interest signs. My girlfriend's boyfriend was getting along great with him, though; obviously she has a type, so at least it wasn't too awkward, but they planned to prolong the agony for me. Despite always taking the opportunity to mock people, I only do it jokingly and won't go through with things that could hurt someone's feelings or be mean - I'm a nice person like that. So I didn't have the heart to tell this dude to piss off. I was also young and inexperienced in life! So shit, I was stuck!
Meanwhile, My best guy best friend's girl had arrived, and we always got along great! She said she was feeling ill, and ran to the bathroom. Naturally, I went to check on her, and she was planning my escape - thank god she had read the signs. She faked being paraplegically sick and needed to go home. At this point, I was so bored and didn't care about any repercussions with my date. I said I would help her to the car. The three of us just drove off and never returned. Unluckily, cellphones were a thing already. And I got a bunch of text messages. I just didn't care. We drove to the beach, got stoned, and spent our day off in the sun!
I don't even think my friend was acting sick all that well. We were just weird about the whole thing, but I really didn't care. It was a seriously shitty thing to hook two very different people up in the first place. My friend was extremely upset with me but did get over it! We are still friends today. And I have not been on a blind date since! I refuse; it's just too damn risky! I also didn't hook up with my crush that summer. I got friend-zoned! I do believe this was karma! lol
Hope you enjoyed storytime and I didn't bore you to death. Have you ever been on a blind date? If so, how did it go? I'd love to hear your take on it.
Much love from freezing cold Cape Town,
P.S. All pics are taken by me.