First date 1.0

I should preface this account by saying that we did go on some dates several years ago, when we were both in very different places in our lives, and to sum up, I broke it off suddenly, as teenagers often do. If I could sum up the sentiment of this date by comparing it to food, I would compare it to the Italian cookie I just ate. Soft, sweet and nice with traces of flavours from the past.

I know some of you want every itty bitty detail but I'm going to spare you the ones that don't really convey the general tone of the date itself: "soft, sweet, nice, traces of the past" such as what did I wear, what did he wear, what car does he drive (but for the record, it's a BMW) and instead I'll stick to the important stuff, but first I'll give you a brief bio of the bachelor himself:

He is 29 going-on 30 year-old guy who works for a major bank's IT department. He likes his job but is an opportunist who hopes to keep climbing the corporate ladder. His voice is mellow, his behaviour gentlemanly, his conversation inquisitive, his disposition accommodating. His parents are from Cyprus, and he inherits his dark European looks from them. He has dark brown hair (sans receding hairline), brown eyes and fits the description of tall, dark and handsome (akin to Freddy Prince Jr., almost).

My date was lovely and pretty nice. The location was a nearby bar where we had some drinks, and nachos and conversation. Despite the small list of things we had in common that I constructed as a con list to agreeing to this date, our conversation was held with ease and he seemed very genuinely engaged by my interests almost barraging me with questions. Particularly when my lust for reading was brought up. An example of the line of questioning:

"How do you choose a book?"
"Do you read a bit of it before you buy it?"
"How will you know if you like it?"
"What book are you reading now?"
"What is it about?"
"Do you like non-fiction or fiction?"

At first it was a bit overwhelming, as if this dark bar had turned into a questioning room in a police headquarters. But I want to cut my bachelor some slack, for a guy who loves cars and sports to ask so many questions about books surely shows his interest in me, right?

He also seemed willing to accommodate my every whim, and those who know me, know I have many. When hockey and skating came up, he offered to teach me (including catch me, an offer I might take him up on). I mentioned my wintered, dirty car, he offered to clean it (for the record that is an offer I won't be taking him up on). It surprised me at first, that a guy would be willing to do things for me, especially after I tumultuously broke his heart five years ago, but it put me at ease knowing the past had been if not forgotten, forgiven.

If there was ever a door to be opened throughout this evening, my bachelor, was the one to open it (including doors of the car variety) - I have to say normally, this old fashion sentimentalism doesn't impress a feminist like me, but I have to admit I was swept away by this old fashion charm, maybe because it reminded me of my own culture so much. He was a true gentleman, including when it came to paying the tab but I did coerce him into allowing me to pay "next time," which meant he "had to spend more time with me." A comment which he laughed at as if to say at the same time "of course we'll go out, but I'll let you pay over my dead body."

At 2 AM, I found myself being walked to my door by this simply nice, sweet gentleman. And once the formalities of a hug and a kind word or two exchanged had passed, he kissed me. I'd like to say that the planets and stars realigned with this kiss, but of course, you'd know I was lying. Instead, I'll truthfully say that the kiss was soft, sweet and nice with traces of the past.