On The Bright Side of Things
Last Saturday, a blind date went left. The chick I linked up with showed up in clothes that looked like spare parts for a bag lady. Her hair was quite contrary. And I couldn’t be sure if she had taken a shower that day. As soon as I spotted her in the cafe where we met, I almost wished I was blind so I wouldn’t have to see such a hot mess. Not to mention the bemused women of better social standing who watched us leave together and appeared to feel sorry for me.
Once we got into the movie theatre to see Disney’s Moana 2, the chick promptly fell asleep. She snored throughout the viewing. People were turning their heads and staring at me as if I should take responsibility for this strange and ghastly “date” of mine. But at that point I had already emotionally distanced myself from the dud.
The only reason I even ended up with this chick was because she was an author. She had a few books under her belt. I thought she would be good for human capital and intelligent conversation. As the facts would have it however, she had misrepresented herself in the author’s bio featured beneath the hazy photo in her most recent book. So, the type of dialogue I was looking for never occurred, and I was unable to comfortably fit her in my portfolio of friends.
Nevertheless, there were warm moments. We made some small talk and shared a chuckle or two. And we strolled beneath a magical winter sky featuring a crescent moon joined by a single star. The image of that sky and the look of innocence and enchantment in my defensive companion’s eye’s when I pointed out the moon and the star to her will remain in my memory a good while. More than her books, her childlike eyes in that moment betrayed her intelligence and profoundly secretive character. I was happy we shared that contemplative moment. No, we couldn’t travel life’s roads together. But we had crossed one another’s paths and glimpsed in each other the staying power of goodness despite the fickleness of expediency and the demands of social leveraging.
She was not dressed well. No. But looks can be deceiving. And as it was, I think the matter was one of misunderstanding. What I mean is that I had made it clear from the beginning that I was primarily interested in unraveling her writing background and networking with her. But it seems she saw our first meeting as a date of sorts. So, be it. I could play both sides of the field if and when it’s needed. Therefor when she carried on as if she were disappointed that I was not sweeping her off her feet romantically, I felt misled. Especially considering that if she thought she was out on a date, she should not have showed up looking less than appealing. But I digress.
On the bright side of things, I’m glad to have met and mingled with the likes of her. She inspired me to be true to myself in the sense that I know there is more to beauty that appearances. She tested me with a ghastly appearance, but I was not deterred from treating her kindly and insisting on enjoying my day regardless. And when we exited the movie theater finding that an auspicious sky awaited, I appreciated the challenge, the moment, and the future awaiting each of us. We are quite determined to never call each other again. But in this way, I think we have agreed to cherish the serenity and magic of time as it unfolds. Nothing can make me feel as healthy and well-adjusted.
So, I started out by saying that a blind date went awry. But I never said I didn’t enjoy myself! When and if we look on the bright side of things the fact is that most people we meet and the time shared is rich, mysterious, ripe with potential and meaningful.
If you find it hard to look on the bright side of things, you can always speak to someone by calling the Mental Health Hotline at 866-903-3787. Or if you feel like a danger to yourself, call 988.