The Blind Date that Didn't Happen

This evening marks what will likely be my last foray into going on a blind date. I can think of very few more embarrassing or unnerving experiences than my endeavor tonight.

So this story starts in what may already be the wrong way; talking to someone I don't know on the Internet. Whatever, that's another discussion. A lot of real relationships are made and maintained on the Internet (this just isn't likely to end up being one of them). I was chit chatting with someone who I hadn't met or seen a picture of and decided a blind date might be fun. I have some precedent for that, too: Kacy was technically a blind date also.

So we're discussing this and she tells me that she needs to go to the bookstore today. That sounds fun to me so I say that I'd be happy to accompany her. Here comes the catch: "But I'm not going to tell you who I am. ;)" For those who haven't deduced already, the goal of this game is to go to Book People (a bookstore I've never been to) at 7:00, approach random people who look like they're about 24 and 5'8", and...I have no idea how this sentence was supposed to end. It was supposed to be an exercise "to get me out of my shell".

Anyway, about the only other qualifying factor I could think of to go on was the lack of a wedding or engagement ring. Try attempting to scope out someone's left hand without appearing to be looking at them; it can be a rather awkward endeavor.

Whatever. I guess I clicked just enough on instant message to go out to Book People. I walked around Book People for an hour and a half; saw who was there (ruling out anyone that walked in after about 7:20 or so) and watched for people showing signs of watching for another person. No dice. I really don't want to approach random people I don't know (to say nothing of my lack of ability to say anything even approaching intelligent). So I basically loiter around the bookstore for hours upon hours upon hours, only to look at my phone and realize that 10 minutes have passed.

Finally, 8:30 finally rolls around and there's exactly one person left who fits all the criteria above. Fine. Whatever. The worst thing that can happen here is that it's the wrong person, and then I can leave; I feel awkward enough already and probably looked like a stalker, so it can't get much worse. I walk up behind the person who I was going to talk to, only to have her turn with a start to people sitting near her, join their conversation for about 30 seconds, and then hastily leave the bookstore, leaving (I think) some of her things behind. Yup, it's settled; I do look like a stalker. Awesome.

Unless something unexpected occurs, I guess I can toss that opportunity in the "oh well" pile. It occurred to me that with an exercise as awkward as that one, maybe it was a bad idea to begin with.