We finally agreed to meet. After weeks of tiptoeing around the idea online, our shared sense of humour, mutual interests and curiosity got the better of us. I, for one, never imagined that I could even join an online dating service, let alone throw my well developed sense of caution to the wind by agreeing to meet a total stranger. Because, despite the hundreds of emails and tens of telephone calls that passed between us since the initial "wink" online, what did I really know about you? Only what you had chosen to tell me. It could all have been, at best, fantasy, and at worst downright lies on your part. "So what!" you think, everything I wrote or said could have been embellished or exaggerated too. Well, it could, but it wasn't. After extricating my self from my marriage to a controlling, compulsive liar, I had no time for dishonesty. Everything I posted online, everything I wrote and all that I said were truth. This was me, warts and all as Cromwell said. If you were still interested after that then there might just be some point in taking the relationship further. Interesting that it was only now, as I waited for you to arrive, that it occurred to me you might not have been quite so candid.
The wine bar isn't busy. It's that time between the post work libation and the evening out. I managed to arrive early. Not by design, usually the journey to this part of town would take much longer but fate conspired to ensure every connection was almost instantaneous and so, here I am, nervously perched on a bar stool trying to talk myself out of doing a runner before you turn up. Just as I'm about to leave the barman comes over smiling and asks me what I'd like. I notice him for the first time. He's not bad looking. Tall and well built with thick wavy blond hair, bright blue eyes and a cheeky smile. Really rather easy on the eye. I decide to stay, a drink wouldn't hurt and anyway, you might not come. If you were anywhere near as nervous as I, you probably wouldn't.
The barman returns with my glass of wine and hangs around to talk to me. It's a welcome distraction. Nervousness makes me chatty. I ask him how long he's worked here, whether it gets busier later, if he likes working in the bar trade? He asks me why an attractive woman like me is alone. I tell him I'm waiting to meet a friend. He asks if it's been a long time since I last saw my friend as I seem a little nervy. I confess that although we've corresponded and talked on the 'phone, until now, we've never actually met. He raises an eyebrow but says nothing. I take a large gulp of my wine; nervousness also makes me thirsty, and ask the barman for the time. He checks his wristwatch and informs me that it's seven fifteen. Catching my look of concern he asks what time we were supposed to meet. I tell him fifteen minutes ago and drain my glass. He offers me a refill, which I accept and begin to drink.