Wednesday, August 19, 2015

364

You're probably wondering what the 364 refers to?? Well, apparently that's the number of dates I've had in the three-and-half years I've been single. There must be a few blog posts missing then...

My last date thought it would be funny to calculate how many dates I'd been on, but he didn't factor in that I was only online dating for three to four months at a time and I wasn't on it the whole time I was single...but anyway, it provided a few laughs (and still does) during our first date.

I say first date because there's been a second and a third and a fourth...!

But let me start at the beginning. I had taken a break from online dating for a few months. My strike rate was getting worse and I was approaching my five-week Europe holiday so I had decided to give it a rest.

However, while contemplating life (as you do on holidays) I decided I had one 'stamp' left so I'd give it my best shot and jump online for one last time. If I was going out, it would be with a bang!

Within a day of being back online, I get a message from this guy, a tradie, who gave me his number in his first message and said he wasn't much of a texter and he believed you learnt more by saying hello.

He also said he could tell on a first date if he liked someone or not (where was he during my third date "it's not you, it's me and my work" excuse??).

I replied to his message saying he didn't even know my name, I could be a stalker for all he knew! I didn't expect anything back but props to him, I got one.

He told me a little more about himself and said he was working until 1pm (it was a Saturday) and I had his number.

So I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt so I text him, then we later chatted and decided to meet that night (again, another first. Meeting up with someone so quickly).

And this is when the comedy of errors started. We'd planned to meet at 7.30pm and my brother was going to drop me off. But 15 mins before our date I find out my brother's dog had rolled in something and he was stuck at home washing him.

I call for a taxi but know I'm not going to make my date in time. I message saying I'm waiting for a taxi. No worries, he was cool. The taxi arrives and I soon realise we're going to get stuck in traffic as there's a game on at The Gabba so I'm in the back of the taxi updating my date about my predicament.

I couldn't have been more textbook First Date 101 even if I tried. But I realise all these things are going wrong and he still wants to meet me.

I was trying to be funny while he waited for me and said I hoped he wasn't out in the cold as I was stuck in traffic and could be awhile. The last text he sent was "you're shit". I figured he was joking, so didn't reply.

I finally jump out of the taxi, almost 20 minutes late, and it dawns on me I'm at the wrong ferry stop! I call my date and he asks me something about the taxi (basically making fun of my excuses) and I have to tell him I was at the wrong ferry stop.

How could this date be so cliche???!

He was a good sport and laughed and soon we were meeting for the first time in the dark on a foot path by the river...

Luckily this broke the ice and we could have a good laugh. We're near the next ferry stop and see a ferry approaching and we both run for it - and make it. But soon realise we're heading in the wrong direction! It didn't matter. We rolled with it and jumped off at South Bank instead.

I don't think I've been on a date like this before. There wasn't any awkwardness, I didn't have to think about if I liked this guy (I'd liked him from the first phone call) or wonder how nervous each of us was.

There was an ease about our date where we didn't have to try too hard to make it work.

We're soon tossing back a couple of drinks and make friends with a waiter called Javier who wants us to have tequila shots (we do). We run into a buck's night and my date convinces the drunk guys I'm a stripper!

I told my date about my online dating blog, hence my nickname of 364. He couldn't work out if he was 365 or not. Somehow he was getting everything right. Complimenting me, telling me he didn't think he'd have a good date and was surprised how it was turning out.

He kept asking why I was single? Said I was hot and seemed like a intelligent person. If I knew that answer, I wouldn't be single.

He was pretty confident from the get go though. Said that maybe I'd had my last first date.

About half-way through the night he wanted to see my drivers licence. I showed him and he proceeded to insult my photo. Said I looked like a crack dealer! I said it went well with ice (I'd told him how I loved lots of ice in my drinks).

This guy has the ability to compliment me and insult me in the same breath. He said I had lovely soft hands and nice fingers, then says my fingers look like frog's fingers.

He says he can't believe I'm single, then follows it up with how he's waiting for the penny to drop. There must be something wrong with me...

I wore a bright red trench coat on the date and he said I looked like a stop sign, but it made him stop.

He's keen to take the prize for the longest date and it was around 2am when we leave. We meet for breakfast the next morning and end up spending the entire day together and we've seen each other almost every day since!

This guy loves to get out and explore (we've already been to a national park) and like me, was needing someone to do these things with.

We still challenge each other though - there's a lot of banter and we don't always agree on everything. But that's half the fun of getting to know someone.

I find myself making plans for weekends down the track and I even bought two Florence and the Machine tickets for a November concert. That's how good I feel about his one and I'm fairly confident this guy may just be my last first date.

He closed his profile a day after our first date and I closed mine two days after.

Here's hoping this will be my last blog, at least for the time being. Good luck to all the other single girls out there - remember you deserve to be treated like you matter. I waited for someone and it was worth it.