Fours Years and Counting

" I'm meeting some friends later at Doodles. My friend Tracy is going through a really rough time,  and I thought you might like to join us."
"Well, lets see.... hmmmm...nope",  I thought to myself.  I had been talking to this guy online, and on the phone, for a few weeks now.  I really liked him,  although we had never met face-to-face. Now here he was, asking me to join him and ANOTHER GIRL,  for a first date no less. I don't think so, bub. What kind of free spirit did he think I am?

"I don't think so, sugar, "I replied. "The thought of you, me and another woman, ain't exactly how I was imagining our first date would go, sorry." "No, no, no." he rushed to explain, "Tracy is a GUY! His ex wife just let her boyfriend move in, and he is having problems with having another man so close to his son. He absolutely dotes on his son. This situation is killing him, and I thought you might like to help me cheer him up."

 "Ok, you, me, and another guy, that I'm supposed to help cheer up. Um, did you have something specific in mind, or did you plan to sneak this little freak fest on me later?" He laughed. A gentle, lighthearted kind of chuckle that instantly put me at ease. Since we had begun communicating, about a month ago, I had a feeling this man was someone I could trust. He had a way with words, a brain that he used for far more than a hatrack, a wry sense of humor which I found refreshing, and a gentleness about him that was unlike anyone I had ever met. "Oh, well, if you put it that way, how can I refuse?"

I took great pains getting ready, eagerly anticipating our first meeting.  "Dressed to the Nines," I go to the door at the appointed hour, and here stands this vision, decked out in jeans, a jacket and fedora. Indiana Jones meets Jerry Garcia, is what came to mind. Then he smiled. That was it, I knew I was done for.  He had a smile that could melt the polar ice caps.  "OH! you are just toooo cute!" I gushed, immediately looking around for a shoe horn to pry my foot out of my mouth. Luckily, I could see approval in his sparkling green eyes,that  he thought the same of me. He waited while I changed into jeans, as I was definitely overdressed for the evening he had planned.

We drove to the bar in "Ingrid" his dilapidated Isuzu pickup truck, which was more rust than vehicle, and obviously, dearly loved. "You'll have to sit in the middle, I guess I should have cleaned her out, huh?" I was thinking "Yeah, nice move, buddy, I'll bet you ADDED stuff to get this result."  He told me tales of his travels about the country in his trusty pickup on the way to the bar. I was enamored already.

We met his friends, as he said we would, made small talk, then easily settled into the back of the bar, where it was a bit quieter, to talk. And talk we did, all the while gazing into each others eyes.  Politics, religion, music, movies, life, love, hopes, dreams, expectations. I had never felt so at home with anyone I had just met. He was also a gentleman. Never once did he try to kiss me throughout the entire evening, although he did place his arm around my shoulder, swaying slightly, while the band play a slow romantic song.   We talked until midnight, and finally bid his pals goodnight. Out to the truck we seemingly floated, ambling slowly, his arm cradling my shoulder lightly. 

He walked me to my door, and I asked if he would like some coffee. He said, "No, if I come in, I won't want to leave". With that, we embraced into a mind numbing, tender gentle kiss, that seemed to last for days. As a matter of fact, it has lasted four plus years now, and it is still as sweet as that first night with his pals, Tracy and Ingrid.