#FLASHFIVEFRIDAY: #9 – Date

19 Feb 1980   Berkeley, California 

Mitch had a dilemma.  “Do I call her or do I just accept that some women just think it is OK to stand up a guy on a first date?” he said out loud to nobody in particular.  It’s just that Jessica seemed different than any other girl he’d ever met.  “I guess this time I’m just going to go with my heart,” he said as he picked up the phone.

“Hello may I please speak to Jessica Holbroke?”  Mitch asked the young woman who answered.

“Just a sec and I’ll see if she’s here.  Who may I ask is calling?”  He knew it was one of Jessica’s sorority sisters who’s turn it was to answer the house phone.  He still couldn’t figure out the connection Jessica had with living in a sorority since she just didn’t seem like the type to go for that kind of college life.

“Tell her it’s Mitch.”  Hopefully she hasn’t forgotten who I am, he thought.

After what seemed like an eternity Mitch heard the rattling of the handset being picked up from the table, then came the out of breath voice of Jessica on the line.

“Oh Mitch, I’m sorry.  I really am.  I just realized what happened and…well, how could I make it up to you?”

Mitch was surprised and was pleased she didn’t stand him up on purpose.  “Maybe you could explain what happened over a cup of coffee?  I’d be up for meeting you at the time and place of your choice so long as I don’t wind up there all by myself.”

“Oh, I’m so glad you said that.  What are you doing right now?”  Mitch could hear the relief in Jessica’s voice and her soothing words gave him a sense of relief as well.

The short story above is pretty much what happened when I went out on a first date with my wife of 29 years.  We dated for 3 years before we got married.