In Love With A Mystery Part 11

I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine" - Song of Solomon 6:3

I left you at, “And, I knew that with some encouragement I might actually be interested in unwrapping a little bit more of this mystery package.”

Encouragement didn’t come exactly!

After our little “couple” thing --- for I am sure it wasn’t a date-- He didn’t eat and I paid for my meal. He took me home.

I invited him in to meet my Parents. He seemed to have no problem with coming in. So, the Mystery Man met them that night. I don’t remember what was said when they met. Maybe someone else will fill that part in but I do remember afterwards I asked if he wanted to go on the back porch and swing.

It was a nice warm early-fall evening. It was getting rather late so I remember it being fairly dark. And, other than remembering my feet not being able to do the casual kick and slide on the porch swing floor due to his long legs keeping the swing in motion, the only thing I remember is my Parent’s pesky house spot light.

I have no idea what we talked about for the most part. It must have been more chit chat about him. I don’t seem to remember being opened with him or revealing anything about myself which ends up being a good thing later on. So, I guess I am just trying to process things?!

I remember asking when he graduated. It was 1986. I calculated it up. He was in the 12th grade and I was in 5th grade! Ha! Still to this day, he says, “Don’t say it like that! Just say the difference in our age.” But, it is fun to tease the Old Man.

I can say that I am positive this was when I calculated his age by the year he graduated from a Private School in Savannah. I added the time he joined the military. And, I had his approximate age. I subtracted my age from his to see what the difference might be. 6 years or more! (I was 22) I never asked his age. And, he never asked mine. So, I wasn’t going to let him know.

And although I didn’t record a lot of the chit-chat in my journal, I can assure you there is one statement that took an entirely too much paper to record my reaction --- and even to this day I can recall it with a lot of clarity!

Ladies, do you know that scene in the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice where Mr. Bingley is trying to get Mr. Darcy to ask Elisabeth to dance. And, Elisabeth over hears Mr. Darcy saying to Mr. Bingley, “She’s not handsome enough to tempt me?” Ah! Yes. The one where Elisabeth thinks the whole episode is funny so she runs off and tells her friend, Jane. Well, with that scene in mind, here we go…

The porch swing is swinging.
It is dark except for that pesky light.
And, we were just having a casual conversation when all of a sudden in the most dignified Mr. Darcy manner, the Mystery Man says directly to me,

“Carmen, I am not interested in dating you.”

Well, now that is a statement, isn’t it? And, no girl would forget it!

Now, at that moment all I can remember was having at least 5 statements going through my mind in a milli-second! A lady can do that you know?!

“Okay. Now where did that come from? You just didn't say that?”

“And, what is this all about?”

And, then I remember thinking, “Who says we are on a date?”

And, “What makes you think I am interested in you?”

And, if this part of the conversation wasn’t so annoying it would be downright funny!


This conversation was extremely different than anything I had had before!

Here, I was not dating this guy but already getting dumped!

I honestly have no idea how I could have been quiet for more than a milli-second with that statement. It is just not typically in my nature but I have written in my journal that all I said was, “Okay. That is fine”.

And I wrote that I said it very matter-of-factly and maturely!

Looking back now, the words "matter-of-factly and maturely" gives off a warning bell and so there might be a slight inconsistency in the story!

I have no idea if I should believe my own writings but I did write that the guy must be a little bit full of himself.

By my writings, it appears that I was perplexed but wasn’t shaken!

I had not given this guy encouragement so I wasn’t feeling struck down.

And, I was just partially amused.

I didn’t record how he left me that night.
I don’t remember any other parts of the conversation.
The focus of my thoughts were entirely on the fact that this guy dumped me before we even had a date.

And, the only thing that I can say for sure is that “A very mysterious friendship was made that night”.

And, looking back, this should be the first sign that nothing in my life from then on out would ever be NORMAL.

Beloved comments:
You are telling everyone that I have nothing to do with your side of the story aren't you?
I assured him, 'I was!" And for extra clarity, I will say, "He is too mature to write blah-blah all over a blog page."

He also said to me, “Although I am sure you heard, ‘Carmen, I am not interested in dating you.’ What I remember saying is ‘I am not interested in dating anybody right now.’ And then he also said, “I didn’t just say it out of the blue. We were asking each other if either one of us was dating anyone.”

At that, I said to him, “Why would either one of us agree to accept a dinner invitation if we were dating other people.”

At which he said, “You thought we were all going out as a group.”

And then I said, “Yes. But, you didn’t know that!”

He said, “People accept casual dinner invitations all the time.”

"No they don't." I rolled my eyes. I laughed.

There you have it. We disagree about how this evening went down.

I said, “We were crazy back then.”
He said, “We still are!”

I don't think anyone would disagree!