Good Knight

I admit it, I gave up.  I found myself blasé about the whole dating thing.  Other than “please trample my face” dude, nothing exciting was happening.  I even agreed on a second date with the “I Win” guy – my first First After from back in November.  I was chatting with a few guys, but nothing exciting and I found myself letting days pass between emails.

And then I got a message. 

Someone on OKCupid had contacted me.  Someone who actually read my profile and noted my MacGyver/duct tape reference and commented on it.  The more we chatted, the more we realized we had in common.  People, places, dreams, laughter.

So we met.

Our first date lasted 6 hours.  We met for lunch and by the time we left the dinner crowd was in full swing.  We talked and laughed through several nearby half-hearted renditions of “Happy Birthday” and countless refills of soda.  I even forgot to go the bathroom – a fact that became relevant the moment I unlocked my door and my bladder went on red alert.

But maybe he was just being kind. 

He assured me this wasn’t the case, and reinforced it by asking me out again, not just for one, but three dates.   A picnic in the park – filled with gentle breezes, teenage shyness, and more laughter.   The next included being there for me as I transported my foster dog to his new home, followed by a quiet and comfortable dinner at my place. 

Each time we met, the time flew by.  Each time we were apart again, it felt like ages since we had seen each other.  We kept marveling at how wibbly wobbly timey wimey the whole thing was.

And then the big event – he invited me to join him for a weekend of heraldry and historical anachronisms – my first SCA event.  We’d be going with a friend, sleeping in dorm-style cabins, and dressing in historical garb.  I was nervous – people I didn’t know, worrying about looking cute in primitive conditions, fearful my snoring would bring the wild beasts to bear down on us in protest.

And then came the snag – his babysitter had gone MIA.  (Did I mention he has kids? He has kids. ) Would I mind if they came along?

I’ll admit it, I panicked.  I love children, but I had long ago accepted that they would most likely not be in the cards for me.  I had chosen people that couldn’t or wouldn’t have them. And now to meet them and so soon. What if they hated me?  What if they didn’t?  I cry at commercials, I take in stray dogs and lodging-challenged friends.  This could break me.

But then I took a deep breath and gave myself a shake.  Better to know than not, right?  It’s not like it was planned, these things happen.  Bye bye, Joey – have fun storming the castle!  So I went, I anachronized, and things went very well.  Better than I could imagine.

We are moving forward – trying not to move too fast.  But it’s hard when things seem so natural.  We’ve both got things to work on, and we know that the past, the present, and the future all have to be dealt with.

But for now?  I’m having a good knight.