Memory Month: Our First Date

In light of Roy's car being laid to rest, I figured that I should at least talk about my happiest memory associated with it. And that was our first date, which happened on March 14, 2005. I can't believe that it was less than 3 years ago! It feels like a whole lifetime has passed.

Here's some brief history (my apologies to those of you who have heard this story many times): Roy and I had a class together, working as editors on the staff of our campus literary journal (he was a fiction editor; I was a poetry editor). He had called on Friday, March 11, and asked me if I wanted to "hang out" on Monday after we were done reading manuscripts. Of course, I said YES! (I'd had my eye on him since I'd met him 2 months before, so it was about frickin' time.) I spent the entire weekend wondering if "hang out" meant that we were going on a date. I asked many males that I worked with, and all of them confirmed that yes, "hang out" meant a date.

Finally, Monday arrived, and I was so nervous I could barely eat my lunch. I could hardly concentrate in class. Finally, it was time for me to make my way up to the office, where all of the staff members would crowd in and read manuscripts. So I sat there and pretended to read, all the while preparing myself to be stood up. (What a cynic.) Finally, Roy showed up, but we acted like it was just another day and pretended to read while waiting for everyone else to get done reading and leave.

Finally, it was just the 2 of us, and Roy almost immediately asked if I was ready to go. We walked out to his car, and I was kind of shocked at how messy it was. (I was also kind of shocked at how casually Roy was dressed.) My shock wasn't of the bad sort at all. In fact, I found his messiness and casualness refreshing. In a world where guys and girls pretend to be something they're not to get someone to like them, this was a welcome change.

Anyway, we went to Starbuck's, ordered drinks, and sat outside and talked for about an hour. Then we went to El Torito and had dinner. We then stopped by the movie theatre to see what was playing, but instead we decided to go get a drink at the Falconer in Redlands. We ordered drinks and went upstairs to play pool.

Those of you who have had the really good luck to see me consume alcohol know what a lightweight I am. It's sad, really. That night was no exception. I had 2 appletinis while we were playing pool, and I got pretty damn buzzed. I wish I hadn't, because I can't remember all the glorious details of our first kiss. I do remember that once we started kissing, we really didn't stop. We made out until everyone who was upstairs with us went downstairs and started complaining. Then we decided to leave and went out to his car and made out some more. Then Roy drove me back to campus so I could get my car. I was still pretty buzzed though, so it was the perfect excuse to make out more. All in all I think we made out for about 3 or 4 hours - and I am not exaggerating.

Once I was finally sober enough to drive, we said good-bye about 20 times, each time punctuated with about 5 minutes of kissing. By the time I got home, it was 4 AM and I was so giddy I couldn't stop smiling. I was completely and totally hooked.

And that is the story of our 10-hour first date. Thinking back on it still makes me smile like an idiot.