January 12, 2007

Wow!

"What a difference a day makes, 24 little hours…" (Okay so it's Dinah Washington and not Doris Day, shoot me)

SAM called me to say that he was going to be late because of work. No biggie, he wasn't all that late anyway. He got to Starbucks (I made him meet me at the one on 8th so I'd be pretty close to Banana Bar in case Poo called with any last minute emergencies) at 7:45.

Forty five minutes late is early in my crowd. I killed some time over at Backstage (a costume shop of sorts) and found a killer head dress that I'd love to work into my act. It's heavy but if I practice with it I bet I could pull it off. I finally bought it and they put it in this bag for me but it's so high the feathers kept sticking out the top. What can a girl do?

SAM looked dashing. He had come straight from work and had on a really nice Armani jacket. Don't get the wrong idea, I don't care about how much something costs, it's just that the fit was amazing. You know people say you can buy the same thing for so much less money at cheaper stores, but the fit is never the same. He just looked…sigh.

I was on my second Caramel Macchiato when he came in. He hugged me hello, a very quick but warm hug. Sweet. I waited while he got himself a half caf espresso (he regretted the half part of that caf later but I'm getting ahead of myself) and a black bottom cupcake for us to share (I refused to eat one on my own, I have to have some sort of good behavior on a first date don't I?).

You know how something seems like its going to be a really good idea and then it starts happening and you feel sick to your stomach? Like when you decide that you love roller coasters so you get on the highest scariest looking one you can find and you're all excited but then you're suddenly at the top of the hill and you can't for the life of you figure out why you thought this would be a good idea? I kinda felt like that while I was waiting for him to come back to the table. I mean, he looked great, was sweet and all but…

How to describe this? The guy who walked in wearing the Armani suit didn't feel like the guy who stayed up until 4:30 this morning with me arguing who the more accomplished Muppet was (I say Bunsen Hunneydew, he says Kermit but I don't think fame and accomplishment are the same thing).

I was sort of considering bolting, but then he sat down across from me and smiled and this total calm came over me.

We ended up talking for much longer than I would have thought possible. I'll tell you something sweet, when he'd disagree with me (we disagree a lot, on fun things, on serious stuff we seem mostly to be on the same page but he's not afraid to debate me which I love) he'd touch his index finger to the back of my hand softly. I know it sounds sort of like 'so what?' but it was this really gentle gesture that made me feel connected to him or something.

At his insistence I tried the headdress on for him and ended up getting applauded right there in Starbucks for managing to walk across the room without it falling off my head. Go me! Score one for the klutz home team.

It was almost 9:30 when he asked if I wanted to go get something more substantial to eat. I knew I'd have to make my way over to Banana eventually and I figured I might as well throw him into the water and see if he could swim. I asked him if he liked Caribbean food, he said he didn't really know what that was but was willing to give it a go.

Banana Bar, in case you don't know, in addition to being a gay piano bar where my roommate and I practically get our mail, we're there so much, is also a great place to get Caribbean food.

Poo's show wasn't until 11 but I knew people would be coming in and out well before that so on the walk over I gave SAM a little advanced warning, the scene playing something like this:

TWINK: "So this place that we're going to, I'm kind of a regular there."

SAM: "Cool."

TWINK: "And it's probably going to be filled with a bunch of people I know."

SAM: "Okay."

TWINK: "It's, um, a gay restaurant and bar, so it might be a little, intense."

SAM: "Intense how?"

It's important to interject here that he didn't seem freaked out about the gay bar thing, or the fact that he was now carrying a bag with feathers poking out of the top of a headdress to a gay bar for that matter. Yup, that's right, he insisted on carrying my bag for me. We might go back to the choir boy thing.

TWINK: "Just like, y'know, people coming up and being very…energetic…and excited. And wanting to tell you all about me, and wanting to hear all about you."

He perked up.

SAM: "Should I be taking notes?"

TWINK: "They all lie. Don't believe a word they say."

SAM: "I'll take that under advisement."

TWINK: "There's one more thing. It's sort of the weirdest part."

SAM: "I haven't run off yet, hit me with it."

TWINK: "My roommate's doing a show there at 11 that I promised I'd go to. You're welcome, but don't feel like you HAVE to come."

SAM: "I think I missed the weird in that sentence."

TWINK: "He's doing a Shaun Cassidy tribute show."

SAM: "Ah."

He was actually smiling a little.

TWINK: "You're taking this awfully well. I kinda thought you'd be worried about who you were getting mixed up with by now."

SAM: "Someday I'll introduce you to my ex-girlfriend Abby. The two of you will love one another."

TWINK: "Abby ran in freak circles?"

SAM: "Da doo ron ron."

He did really good with the food. He's more adventurous than I'd anticipated. I had the Cesta de Empanadas and he tried the Anticuchos with hot mango salsa, though we both ended up eating off each others plates the whole time. I couldn't help myself, that mango salsa was to die for.

Unsurprisingly there was a constant flow of characters to our table. Missy seemed especially anxious to get to know SAM. 'S'he was always was a sucker for a straight looking boy. He blushed a few times (have I mentioned SWOON!) but gave as good as he got and made me really proud.

The first time he seemed a little uncomfortable all night was when Poo found me before the show and needed calming. I can see why SAM would be a little put off, Poo's a really good looking guy (even when he's got his hair all feathered a la Shaun) and when he needs comforting he gets very affectionate with me. Not many guys I know would want to watch their first date cuddle with her good looking male roommate.

Poor SAM. He didn't let it get him down for long though, excellent recovery time I'd say. He said he wanted to stay for the show even after I warned him that if he stayed I'd force him to dance.

Now I know why he wasn't scared. I didn't have to grab him to dance (unlike the last say, EVERY guy I've ever dated) b he /b grabbed b me /b as soon as Poo started "Hey Deanie".

A fast song. The boy grabbed me to dance to a fast song.

The wedding invitations are in the mail.

Really he was a good dancer and knew how to keep contact with me and move me around the floor which I find so sexy. He kept me laughing most of the time too, I felt like it was my first school dance and I had the one date who wasn't afraid to get out there and have a good time.

We stayed for a bunch of the show and then I suggested we get some air. Holding hands, we walked slowly for blocks. I told him he was a great dancer (not lying) and he told me I could thank his sister when I meet her. She used to make him dance with her when she was a kid.

I said, "I'm gonna meet your sister?"

He said she loved the game and wanted to meet me so she'd have someone to play with.

I wanted to push for a more romantic (as in, 'well, she'll be at our wedding won't she') type answer but decided to let it go. I'm not usually the gushy romantic type but there's something about this guys eyes that make me go all gooey inside.

We found ourselves almost back at the club and walking even more slowly than before. It was then that he stopped walking, I being the moron that I am kept walking but he had my hand so I kind of jerked back a little then turned to see why he'd stopped.

Then he pulled me into him, into this warm, heady space that smelled like his cologne and he kissed me.

My knees buckled. Just like they do in old movies, but I didn't do it on purpose I swear I didn't. Thank goodness our Secret Agent has strong arms because he held me tighter without missing a beat. It was one of those kisses that you know you'll never forget, absolutely perfect in every way. Everything else fades away, there's no noise in the street, it's not cold or hot or windy, there's just this bubble and the two of you are in it and time stops.

He wanted to drive me home but Poo and I had the car at the club and I knew I should stay and help him take down his props and load them into the car. I offered to drive SAM back to his own car which was back near the Starbucks but he refused saying the cold air would clear his head for driving. He hadn't had more than two drinks all night so I'm hoping he meant that he was as blown away by our kiss as I was.

We shared another lingering kiss before he started back toward his car and I went into the club. He's working tomorrow and has plans with work people tomorrow night but said he'll call me late tomorrow night when he gets in after I assured him that I'd be awake.

Of course when I went into the Banana everyone was RAVING about him. Even Poo, who is usually so protective of me and super critical of anyone I want to date, loved him.

Some of the gang were taking pictures, I'll see if anyone got one of SAM so you can all see him.

OH! I almost forgot to say that Poo's show was a complete smash hit. Everyone loved it and he remembered almost everything he wanted to do. There was a short part during "That's Rock and Roll" when I was kind of worried about his painted on tight jeans maybe not making it through the entire show in tact but he managed to keep his butt hidden from public view (this may be a first).