Virus del resfriado común
Image by Juampe López via Flickr

The first date actually happened!

It almost didn’t, and some of us think it shouldn’t have happened, but it did.

After months of commenting back and forth, emails and phone conversations James and I finally met in person. I think it’s safe to say that after all this time and going public, no one was going to cancel. But James should have because nothing makes a better first impression quite like hacking up a lung.

Me: You look like shit

Him: I feel great, I’b at de end ob the cold

Yeah, right.

I had to give James points for showing up when he clearly should have been at home sleeping.

You know how women are said to make a decision within the first few seconds of meeting a guy for the first time? Well this cold really threw me. I gave up my double bed life in exchange for a single bed a long time ago so while this decision needs to be made soon it wasn’t going to be made in those first few minutes of meeting. I couldn’t get past the dark circles under his eyes and his inability to speak without coughing. I wanted to but the last thing I need is to catch a summer cold, or typhoid.

Prior to the date James had called and asked if we should meet at the restaurant or if he should pick me up. It was hot out, 93 with tropical humidity, and James’ car didn’t have a working A/C. I suggested I drive but he thought it would be much better if we took his car. He mentioned something about blog fodder but I think he was delirious. He probably didn’t notice the heat since he was already running a temperature of at least 100. The decision was quickly made to take my car.

I wasn’t planning on driving, if I had I would have parked my car in the front of the house so we didn’t have to go through my garage where my smelly couch and rug have been stored until I figure out what to do with them. Of course, James couldn’t smell a thing so he wasn’t offended by the moldy smell, but I was. Women don’t usually show their garage to a guy on the first date because to us a garage is just another place to store things. There is no rhyme or reason to where things go. As long as I can get to the lawn mower and park my car the garage is in order. But I know men well enough to know that garages for men are like shoe closets for women. There is a place for everything and you don’t mix sandals with winter boots. Walking through the garage caused considerable anxiety for me. Thankfully James was too sick to notice the mess in my garage.

We arrived at a lovely Vietnamese restaurant and sat down. Since our date was on Saturday, the day before the 4th of July, there were few people dining in a restaurant that usually has a rather long waiting list. James ordered spring rolls and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they were real spring rolls and not deep fried mini egg rolls. James earned another point.

Prior to the date we had decided that there would be no talking about the blog during dinner. No one was allowed to check their email and there was to be no Tweeting. This didn’t prevent my brother from texting me all night long or my son from calling several times but I am happy to say I did not check my email and I did not Tweet.

We spent the next four hours talking about the Tour de France. Actually, James spent the next four hours talking about the Tour de France. James used to race and was once roommates with Lance Armstrong so he had plenty of stories to tell. I once watched about 30 seconds of coverage of the Tour de France, or at least as long as it took me to find the remote so I could find something more interesting like golf to watch, so I sat there and nodded and considered whether or not I wanted to catch a cold.

In the end I decided I didn’t want to catch a cold and I didn’t want to rub Vick’s VapoRub all over his chest as he suggested. That might have been fun had he not had a cold, and something other than Vick’s VapoRub was being used but because he really needed a mom and I didn’t want to take care of anyone we decided it best if he just went home and had some soup or something.

So, since this one went so well we have decided to try again when he isn’t feeling so crappy. Plus, I forgot to give him his mug and pen that Margaret from NannygoatsINpanties sent.

If you have any suggestions for what we should do for our second first date please leave them in the comment section.

I’m going to get some tea, I feel a little tickle in my throat.

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