A funny thing happened on the way to the coffee shop to meet my date… I froze mid-step trying to figure out my next move. My options: a) turn right and retrace my steps, retreating back to where I had come from, b) continue on the current path, keeping to the original schedule and plan, or c) hope for a cosmic intervention to which I had no choice but to follow along with this unforeseen diversion. With all of these choices spinning in my head, it’s as if there was some higher power at play, and just like that, a cosmic intervention in the modern world of technology, happened.

My cellphone rang right before my meeting with my next blind date. I answered the call to the unexpected delight of my friend saying her dad had left her two tickets to the Red Sox home opener game, for that same afternoon – as in, first pitch is one hour from now, and did I want to be her plus one? “Hell, yes!” I screeched into the phone. Situation averted.

The meet and greet was set up weeks ago and at the time I was excited to convene with my next potential suitor. He sounded promising. A patent attorney, my age, college aged children, lived in the City but not in my immediate neighborhood (huge bonus), was tall and athletic. On paper, he checked a lot of boxes in the plus column. But then…

The night prior, the one guy who I kinda, sorta, maybe had a crush on bigger than I was willing to admit, kissed me. The kiss came out of nowhere and it was a kiss I wasn’t expecting. It was passionate, warm, tender and inviting. It was titillating and my entire body went limp at the brush of his lips against mine.

Based on his past actions or better yet, lack thereof, I figured we were nothing more than friends. He kept me at an arm’s length distance and made no attempt to flirt with me. There was no teasing touch, no suggestive texts, and no flirting when we were in each other’s company. He never so much as offered me his arm to hang onto as we were walking home at the end of an evening. Yet, there I was, walking side by side along the rickety, brick sidewalks in stiletto heels – my fault on the bad choice in shoes. The bricks fit together like an oversized jigsaw puzzle that had seen better days. Some pieces had expanded over time from moisture absorption, other pieces had missing corners from years of handling and worse, some pieces were missing altogether. The surface was as unstable as could be, and I was always one step away from stumbling over my own two pointy toed, high-heeled feet and face planting. An arm is an arm, and it would have been nice, especially since physical attraction wasn’t even a factor.

The idea of meeting Mr. Patent Attorney IRL for a cup of coffee today didn’t sound as appealing as it did when the date was scheduled. My mind was still gob smacked from the kiss the evening before. My insides were burning for more and now. Thankfully, my girlfriend had given me an out. Saved by the bell (or in this case, the kiss)!

With two minutes until I was supposed to meet my blind date, I scrambled on what was the best approach, and couldn’t help but wonder if he was one of the patrons already at the coffee shop just awaiting my text to say that I had arrived. Quickly dismissing that subconscious chatter, I weighed my options: create an unbelievable excuse (the T broke down) and hope he’d believe me without checking the MBTA website to corroborate my story (ummmm, a blatant lie), tell him the truth that I got a better offer (home opener tickets) or go with something in-between, a believable little white lie. The last option won out.

I raced out the door while texting him at the same time, “My sincere apologies, I am awaiting an important call from my father’s doctors and unfortunately need to cancel.” It wasn’t the best excuse, but it wasn’t entirely untrue. My dad was in the hospital and I had planned on connecting with his doctors, just not immediately and it wasn’t exactly urgent for that matter either.

I wasn’t sure what that kiss meant or where it would lead, but here I was more than twelve hours later, still merrily smiling, still beaming, and still intoxicated just thinking about it. My head throbbed from replaying the past several months, wondering if I totally missed the signs. Regardless of what signals I may or may not have missed, I was so captivated and smitten by his kiss, I didn’t want to engage with anyone else until I saw him again.

I bolted over to Fenway Park arriving with barely enough time to get a foot-long hot dog and a drink before the first pitch was tossed from the mound. The Sox won and I was still wearing the smile he gave me with that electrifying kiss.

Stay tuned!

Living The Second Act Advice