One Small Step
Sometimes life sneaks up behind you and whispers in your ear, “You can do this.”
I did something the other day that I don’t believe I have ever done before.
On Saturday I went to the Montgomery Farmer’s Market to see my friends Joe and Dan. They were the entertainment for the day. I bought some lunch and sat at a table. A couple sat behind me to my right. The woman was very nice-looking in a summer dress and large-framed glasses.
After a few songs, that couple stood up and walked away from me. Then, the man left, and the woman stayed behind to browse. I worked my way over toward the tent where she stood.
But before I could say anything, someone dropped a large vase to my left. I turned to help pick up the shards of glass. When I turned back, she was in the parking lot heading toward her car.
She got in but sat there for a while.
Normally, this is where my stories end.
Last Wednesday, at trivia, Trent (one of the hosts) said something when I told him about another one of my failed dating attempts.
He said, “To quote Wayne Gretzky, ‘You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.’”
Fuck it.
I started the very long walk across a now almost-empty parking lot. She saw me just as I crossed the front of her car. I gave a small wave to signal her to roll down her window. She smiled and did just that.
Turns out, she was still there because she was charging her EV. She thought I wanted to talk about that.
I did not.
I said, “I don’t normally do this, and I know that sounds like a line, but I saw you and wanted to say hi.”
She said I sounded genuine and that she knew it was not a line.
I said I would like to buy her a drink or coffee sometime.
She smiled, said thank you, but she had a boyfriend who lived a few towns over.
The man she was with that day was a colleague.
We talked for a few more minutes. I gave her my card and told her about my blog and that I have a few books up on Amazon.
“Ah,” she smiled. “That was the attraction.”
Not sure what she meant, she then added,
“I’m an editor.”
(I love it when the universe plays cat-and-mouse with my affections)
We talked a bit more, then she had to leave.
I didn’t get a date that day, but I did not walk away empty-handed.
For the first time in my life, I walked across that parking lot toward her.
“One small step for man, one giant leap for me.”
