Ah, yes. And now I will write the details of my stealth date with the home teacher (aka HT).
Here's how it happened. I had avoided him a bit since the BBQ when he made it unmistakably clear that he had new interests in me. But Monday morning he called in the morning when he know I'd be sleeping and wouldn't answer the phone. He left a strange message saying that he had a question for me, no he didn't, yes he did. He's subletting his place and wants to know if I'm interested blah blah. I called him back later in the afternoon. I told him I had 3 days left in the country. He asked me if I had plans for Tuesday night. I did not. He said he'd be cooking dinner and could cook for both of us if I'd like to come over. It could be my farewell dinner. I said yes.
I wondered if he had special plans for the evening but I thought it not likely. He's cooked me dinner before and we hung out in his place for hours just talking. I didn't think he'd have the initiative to actually make a move.
Tuesday night as I walked up his block, I saw him on his neighbor's stoop, they're old friends and had talked about real estate stuff. HT surprised me by wearing a button-down, collared linen shirt and his fancy flip flops. He was working the southern california cool look. He looked at me and said, "So, I was thinking of going out to eat instead. I don't really feel like cooking." !!! I know he had to see the surprise and shock in my face. He gave me three options of food venues, all real restaurants, and also asked if I had a favorite place I'd like to go to instead. I told him that I don't eat at restaurants that don't have value-meals or cost over $5 so I had no favorite restaurant. I told him to choose because I was tired of making decisions. So we took the subway to the west-side, to one of his favorite italian restaurants, Pomodoro. It was excellent.
The atmospere definitely aimed for romance, with candles and all. He ordered an appetizer for us to split. At this point, I figured this must be a date. But I still prepared to pay for the meal and not expect anything from the man who surprised me so many times before. HT even complimented me on the shirt I had on, he'd never done that before. Then, before the appetizer he said he hasn't been out in ages. I said me too. Then he said he hasn't had a date in months, not since he went out with Cruella. I told him I had him beat because I hadn't been on a date since December and that hardly counted anyway. Even I know that this meant he wanted this to be a date and was letting me know that too. I was so pleased to be out somewhere nice, he is actually a good date and not rude at all.
That lead me to the conclusion that last summer he was rude to me to make sure I didn't think he wanted to date me. Good to know but I wish he had made it clearer then. We had a nice meal and then ordered desserts. When the check came I asked if he wanted to split it evenly between us and he said no. I asked if he was sure and he said no again, this was his going away gift.
He invited me to watch a movie with him at his place but I declined since I had so much to do. But after the meal I walked to his apt. to see if the fan he picked up off the curb worked or not. I laughed that he carried the big industrial fan all the way back to Harlem. We bet $5 on whether it worked or not. It did work but made a hideous noise. So I said we had a draw, since it worked but was unusable. He walked me out to the street and gave me a hug. Then he kissed me on the cheek and left his arm around my shoulders longer than necessary. I thanked him for dinner and he told me to email him while away. He asked me to call him when I got home and he'd give me his email address.
Ok, so HT had NEVER kissed me on the cheek before in all the two years we've known each other. And it was a sloppy one too. The next day he called me to say goodbye and said we'd talk about stuff when I got home. We don't have any stuff to talk about. Unless he wants us to have some stuff to talk about and that's the stuff he wants to talk about. So, that was a real date. I was excited because it had been so long, actually 10 months since a man had taken me out to dinner. It's really nice to eat with someone and have their undivided attention for a few hours.
I haven't emailed him yet. Time is running out on my internet card. The end for now.
Come back for more TRUE stories of the strange, sad and pathetic exploits of me not having sex in the city.
