Ward Date Night: Take 2

10/27/2012 The Romantic 1 Comments

I'm sure my last post about ward date night left you all in the throes of anticipation. However, much to my disappointment, moments after I posted, ward date night was postponed. And I was left without Friday night plans after having been so excited all week.

The next Friday afternoon, just as I was settling in for a lovely nap, I got a call from my an old room mate. Her younger sister's place of work was holding a date night on campus, and would I be interested in asking someone last minute and attending with her and her date? I replied in the affirmative, but that I didn't know anyone to ask. Our ward is still without a ward directory, so I couldn't even ask my FHE dad. A few scrambled calls were made, and I was set up by my friend's date(a guy I've been dear friends with for years) with a boy from one of my old wards that is notorious for giving a thumb's up (with both hands) every five minutes. I don't know what made me more disappointed: my guy friend's choice, or how snobby I felt at being disappointed in my guy friend's choice. Mr. Thumb's UP isn't quite Mr. Collins, but he's no Captain Wentworth either...

I was determined to keep the date under two hours. 

Gladly, the date wasn't as horrible as I imagined it would be. But it did end in less than two hours. For which I was grateful.

Which brings me to last night: ward date night take 2. Even though I had been looking excitedly forward to ward date night all last week, something inside me absolutely detested the idea this week. I don't know if it's post-mission anxiety attacks about being alone with a guy, or if I'm just lazy and the effort of engaging anyone in conversation for any amount of time just seems absolutely exhausting. But dutifully, I got ready; even going so far as to spritz myself with a little perfume (Dark Kiss by Bath&Body Works, thanks for asking).

The activity was a bonfire and pumpkin carving. And the mandate from the ward date night committee was for every guy to bring a tie to put into a bag where the girls would then draw a tie, and then viola! Everyone is paired off for the night.

As the bag was brought to me, I felt a rush of dread. I did not want to be there. I was tired. My heart's truest desire was to snuggle up in my warm bed and watch the newest episode of Grey's.

The tie I picked was a good looking tie, as far as ties go. I stared at it for a few seconds, and then this boy called over, "Oh, that's mine."

Great. It was this jock from my ward. My stomach fell. What in the world was I going to talk about with this guy for the next hour? If we could even make it that long... 

When will I learn not to judge a book by it's cover?

The conversation was rough at first. But it finally took stride when we began to talk about wrestling (he wrestled in high school, I followed my older brother around as he wrestled and I was the team's statistician). And then we talked about how he'd lived in Australia for a few years, and his mission to London. We talked about my mission to Korea, and early Mormon history (what I research for my job).

Then we talked about art. And the opera. And the class he's taking on Dante. The class he's taking just for fun because even though he's an engineering major he still really likes literature and poetry.

Between asking him about the V&A, and my describing the first time I saw the Pieta in St. Peter's, I became a little enamored. I couldn't even bring myself to tell him about the little bit of marshmallow that was stuck on his upper lip from the s'mores we'd just ate because it was a little adorable.

As people began drifting off from date night, he mentioned he still needed to drive up to Salt Lake.

"But can I walk you home?"

So, he walked me home.


To be continued....
xoxo
-the Romantic