Glad to Meet...........

I was supposed to meet her at this restaurant. I’d never been there before and I don’t do this kind of thing usually, so I left early; make sure I was on time. Nothing worse than having to wait on someone you don’t know. Guess it would be worse if you knew them, but oh well, it’s all new to me.

Jimmy’s, a kind of bar restaurant place, seen it, passed by, but never really thought of going in. Kind of place that don’t interest me really. I’m more of a Grandma’s Kitchen kind of guy. But anyway when they suggested I meet her there, I thought well what can it hurt, do something different. After all I was going to do something different anyway, might as well do them together, get it over with.

I couldn’t find a place to park. The lot was full, and parking on the street is impossible. I finally ended up down the street at a parking garage. I hate those places. Cold concrete, dingy, like being in a movie where someone shoots you just cause you are in the wrong place and they think you are someone else. They smell like urine on top of it. 

I walked the couple of blocks to Jimmy’s. Has a nice sign outside. Looks like two cocktail glasses clinking together, but then a lot of the tubes was black so it could have been two flamingos butting heads.

Stood out on the sidewalk for a couple of minutes. Didn’t want to be early, looking anxious and all, or be late, and appear rude. I looked into the table section and didn’t see anyone sitting alone. Bunch at the bar screaming at some game on the TV.

I had no idea who I was supposed to meet, really. What she looked like or anything. Wished we had one of those arrangements where you wear a black carnation in your hair, so I’d know who she was. This whole thing began to feel strange. Meeting someone I don’t know. I’m not like that. I don’t even like meeting people I do know, most of the time. Always wondering what to wear, how to act, what to say; more trouble than it is worth.

Come to think of it, last time I wore a tie I was at a baptism where some guy stands up and starts yelling about torturing kids with emotional baggage when they aren’t old enough to vote. Some ushers made him realize he was not at a campaign rally, I guess. He left somewhat peaceably. But that’s the kind of thing that happens when I get out of my comfort zone. 

Can’t help but think this whole deal is a mistake. For all I know she is going to hold me up, take my money, and leave me in the alley for the garbage people. 

Oh I see her now I think. Only one at a table by herself. She looks like she’s kind of looking for someone. She’s beginning to look familiar. Course the last time I went on a date was a lot of years ago. She’s probably older. I know I’ve been mistaken for older. I guess there’s only one way to find out, get it over with.

I have to weave myself through the tables and chairs to get to where she is at. She sees me comin for a few minutes, I take my time. Don’t want to get hurt on a first date. So when I get there I ask if she’s Meredith, just incase it’s somebody else. Don’t need to be meeting two strangers in the same night.

“Meredith?”

‘Why yes,” she says standing like I was somebody and sticks out her hand like I should shake it, I guess. Then she fumbles a might with this ear piece that looks like a...well.  Then she says, “Dale, that is you isn’t it?” Well that is my name, but then there are a lot of Dale’s. Actually I know several myself. “You look kind of confused Dale. Don’t you remember me?”

Things I knew were off, but now they were just weird. Should I pretend I know her, and try and bluff through so not to hurt her feelings in case she’s been holding a candle for me for a while. But then leading someone on only makes the ending worse, than if you just come out say you can’t rightly remember who she is. 

“You do remember me don’t you Dale. I met you at the Smithfield reunion. My cousin Jennifer said I should come meet her cousin Dale Smithfield. We dated for a while and then I had to go back to Leavenworth Kansas where I was a guard at the Federal Prison. You must remember that.”

I don’t remember so good anymore, but I think I’d remember dating a guard from Leavenworth, but then that was a while back, I guess. But then again…

“You are Dale Smithfield?” she askes as wide eyed as a racoon in the garbage pail after a fancy get together. 

“Smithfield? The name just don’t ring a bell. You sure my name is Smithfield or are you just pulling my leg?”

Well she just starred like I was an alien or something. Didn't even smile, and me crackin a joke. She then asks me if I’d like to sit and have dinner, being I was already there. Now, I ain’t used to eaten with strangers, but she wasn’t too bad lookin. She was dressed well. Had really a nice purse. Looked like it was made of alligator or aardvark, hard to tell in the poor light of the dining area. I know they do that for a reason, romance, and all that. I believed it was working, I felt like the purse was having an impact on me.

“You got a car? I assume, you got here somehow. I just want you to know up front that I’m going to need a ride home. Got dropped off so if I don’t eat, I’ll just have to sit here for a couple of hours and watch others eat. Don't mind if I join you, and could you give me a ride home if my nephew don’t show?”

She smiled and then stood up and asked this tall guy with a fancy sport coat standin behind me, if he was a Smithfield. It don’t take a genius to tell when It’s time to leave. Guess I’ll just sit at the bar and try and remember why I’m here. I looked at my wallet and I’m happy to tell you I ain’t a Smithfield, case you was wondering.

I watched people eat for awhile and then had to use the rest room. I guess it was the smell in their that reminded me I'd driven myself. Parked in the lot down the street. Funny sometimes how you don't know why you are, where you are, and yet know how you know, you'll remember how it was one of the better evenings of late.