The Date From Hell
Left Alone in a Bad Part of Town - Unforgivable!
All names have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty!
Here is a date story for you. It had a rough start, the middle was great, then the ending was bad.
I was meeting a date for the first time; we had previously exchanged emails through Match.com. He worked at a college downtown, and we agreed to meet there after work, and go for a drink. I drove down in plenty of time and then went to the building where I thought we had designated to meet.
I waited and waited. No one was around except the security guy, so I asked him if he knew my date. He didn't, but explained there was another building a block away where he could be.
I called him on my cell phone. Yes! He was at the other building, and I was about to tell him that I would walk down there to meet him, when my cell phone's battery died. I walked down a block, and luckily I spotted him coming out from the building's garage.
He suggested going for a drink at a trendy new spot a few blocks away. Sounded good, so off we went, talking on the way.
Unfortunately, he didn't really know where the bar was, and we spent some time walking up and around hilly blocks before finally finding the spot. Luckily, I wasn't wearing very high heels.
We sat at an outside table, and the place was hopping. It was happy hour and the appetizers were excellent, especially the shellfish in coconut curry sauce, and we ordered some more.
I felt like I was sparkling in my conversation. My date was good-looking, the evening was beautiful, and the food and drinks were delicious. I thought that though we had had a rough start, perhaps things would turn out just fine.
My date then mentioned that he had forgotten his wallet. Hmmm, well that can happen and luckily, I had mine, so no problem.
Suddenly, he looked at his watch. It was nearing 10 pm and he had to catch his ferry or he would have to wait until the next one at 11:30. We quickly settled the bill and left.
Outside the restaurant, my date mentioned that his cell phone only worked on the mainland, not on the island where he lived. He didn't offer to give me his land line number. He was walking quickly toward the ferry terminal, still many many blocks away, and in the opposite direction of where my car was parked.
A taxi appeared and he flagged it. As he was getting in, he said, "Do you want a lift to your car?"
The neighborhood we were in was well-known for muggings and other nasty night-time activities. I wanted to say yes, but I knew he only had minutes until his ferry. I wondered what he would do if I told him my car was parked a mile away in the opposite direction of the ferry. So I did. "Okay, well, I'll call you," he said. And he was gone.
Up until that moment, I could have forgiven the faulty directions to his workplace, not knowing where the restaurant was, and the forgotten wallet. But leaving me at 10 PM in a bad part of town where my car was parked a mile away? And there were no other taxis in sight.
The funny thing is, the next morning – Saturday - he did call. I was at Starbucks with some friends when he called so I said I couldn't talk. He actually called again the next day. All he said was "Well, I said I was going to call, so that's what I'm doing."
I was speechless that he had actually called me after the way he'd left me on Friday night, that he didn't apologize, and that he had absolutely nothing else to say on the phone call. I thanked him for the call and hung up. I guess he could hear the coolness in my voice; luckily I have never heard from him again.