From the dating files

The weekend previous to my birthday, I had a craptacular Thursday night.

To be honest, it started off well. I made a decent dinner for myself and I was home watching one of my favorite bad films. (For those following along at home, it was "Sliding Doors".)

Around 9:30, I heard a knock on the door that terrified me, and it was someone that I haven't spoken to in a year who came over to tell me basically that I was pathetic, and yes, she may have been correct, and yes, I may have believed her.

Anyway, the following day, I wanted to spend the afternoon at Wolff's with some friends, and I texted or e-mails a number of people. ECS, Johnny B., and JMFJT were the ones that showed up. We drank beer. It was good.

Now, let me tell you some background on JMFJT (as most of you have read about ECS and Johnny B). I met JMFJT at the beginning of the summer and there was a spark there. She is tall, smart, and stunning. She also is snarkier than I am and drinks well. It is like the Flying Spagetti Monster made someone for me using His Noodley Appendages to craft someone perfect. So, why didn't I ask her out then and there?

Let's just say that there were some complications, and as Lemon, Fish, PVH1976, ECS & Squiggles know, I struggled with it. Ultimately deciding that while she was wonderful, I did not deserve someone that wonderful. "Why?", you ask. Because...I know that I suck...plus...complications.

So, back to the weekend before last...

I wanted to go out, surround myself with friends, and drink German beer because I may have been pathetic.

I send out the text and I hear back from JMFJT who asked if I sent the text to the correct person. Joy. This was not looking well. I assured her that yes, I was inviting her. There was an incident from the week before where I told someone something about JMFJT and when she found out about it, she was upset with the person but not with me, yet I felt like a bad person. See above. I know that I suck

Fast forward to 4:30. ECS is there already and JMFJT shows up. I am recounting the beginning of the story about the night before when I was confronted with my patheticness, and JMFJT offers her opinion. (JMFJT is incapable of not sharing her opinion if she has one, and it is one of her many great qualities.) Mostly that the woman from the night before was insane. We have beer, Johnny B. shows up, we have more beer. ECS has to leave. Johnny B. gets called into work, and JMFJT and I decide to go to the Lionheart. We talked, and laughed, and had a great time.

We are having such a great time that I do not want it to end.

And that's when karaoke sounded like a good idea.

The issue with this is that I am covered in fiberglass and dust from Habitat and I need a shower. JMFJT offers a solution that works (going to her place and me showering there while she gets ready so we can kick ass) and we drive down to my house. Well, she drives, because the idea of me behind the wheel of a car after that much beer is shockingly horrible.

As she is parking, she starts talking to me about questions that she had every right to have answered but...because I am pathetic...and because she looked so wonderful...I shut her up.

And that is the story of our first kiss.