Louisa Goes On A Blind Date
Dating after fifty is not like being twenty
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Hi, I’m Louisa and I’m glad to be here again
The last time I stopped by to see you
I had set up a blind date online for myself
And I promised to tell you what happened.
Here goes, and this time it won’t be a poem:
My stomach felt full of bomber butterflies. My legs felt wobbly from wearing heels, and part of me wanted to flee. My ever overactive brain had talked me into this, but now whispered, “Go home, old woman. Who would want to date you?”
I shut out my brain’s fears and concentrated on following the directions to Bob’s Steaks and Barbecue. Ah, there it was.
I parked my car in the restaurant’s large parking lot, and took one last look at the mirror on the sun visor. One more calming deep inhale and slow exhale, nd I was ready.
I exited my car and left behind the twenty years since I’ve dated.
I opened the front door to Bob’s Steaks and Barbecue. The restaurant looked clean and well-lit I was glad to see. My mystery date had picked a place to meet that was thirty miles from my home.
I was glad because I didn’t want to run into anyone I know. What, Louisa on a date? My whole town would hear about it by tomorrow.
Ed, my date, met me as I entered and he and was taller than me which hadn’t been clear from his photo. He had slick gray hair behind his receding hairline. He gave me an obvious appraising look that grew into a smile after he finished his survey of my body.
I gave him points for at least being neatly dressed and groomed.
“Hi, honey,” he said after I had introduced myself. He led the way to a vacant table in the crowded restaurant.
We sat opposite each other at our table. A waitress appeared to ask if we would like drinks before ordering dinner.
Ed told her we both would like coffee. Damn, I thought. If he had asked me my preference, it would have been a vodka screwdriver.
