Sitting at the corner table in the window at J. Patricks, I see two guys walk into the bar. One looks eerily familiar. Flashback to Durango. Ski season. Late winter in 2002 (maybe February or March.) I am a waitress at Olde Tymers, the home of Durango’s best burger.
A family sits at table 7, a window set with tall stools, great for people watching. By family, I mean, Mom, Step-Dad, and Son–who is my age. Over the course of the evening, I find out that they are from chicago, he is a drummer, I am moving to Chicago, we are similar ages. By the end of the night, I have agreed to go on a date. I am so flattered and giddy and the next night we go out.
I don’t remember all of the specific, horrible things that occurred. But he mentioned his step-dad had slipped him a $20 and told him to have a good time. I realized he was hairless, not shaven like Scott, but no eyebrows, no eyelashes, and no hair on his head. Then it seemed like his face had stopped developing and his nose didn’t quite push out of his face and he had the dimensions of a newborn. It was a wonder to me how he kept his glasses on. This was amplified by what must have been a very bad conversation. He might have been the guy that was offended when I figured out his age (by adding together the number of years he’d put in at his job to the typical age people finish college.) and clarified that he didn’t act his age. He also had a general distrust in how colleges run–masterplans and boards, etc.
By the end of the date, I grabbed the waitress and begged for the check, which I paid to end the date quickly. When he walked me to my car, I put a toothpick in my mouth to make me unkissable. I remember saying something about getting in touch when I moved to Chicago, but I was thinking, “LET ME DRIVE AWAY! SAY GOOD BYE!”
Last night at J. Patricks, I am certain he was there. I’ve oftened wondered if I would ever run into him in the city. It has been two and a half years and I finally have. I did not talk to him, because what would the point be? “Crazy world, we went on a date 2,000 miles away from here, nearly 3 years ago. It was no fun, we shouldn’t do it again.”
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