Mistletoe Mike

I still have so many options of stories to tell, it is sometimes difficult for me to choose, but... my friend has been requesting this one since I started this blog, so here it is: The story of Mistletoe Mike.

The first date (yes... I said first... meaning that I actually saw him a second time) was fairly standard, but not great, and I didn't think I was super interested, but I felt kind of bad because he was definitely interested and over the phone the conversation was actually pretty good.  I figured he was nervous... especially since it was almost like a date planned out of a text book.  We met at Starbucks for coffee.  After about 45 minutes (and after checking his watch a few times), he asked if I had eaten and would like to get dinner.  We walked down a few doors to a cute little restaurant in Brea and enjoyed a pretty good dinner at which point he asked if I had other plans and would like to go see "Blindside" since we had talked about it during dinner.  Isn't that what everyone hears as the "how to" of a first date- ask her for coffee, if it's bad you have an easy out.  But if it's good, you keep going... but just one step at a time.

I really wanted to see the movie and it was just a little awkward, but not too bad, so we walked over to the theater to check times and it was just starting.  (It felt like this guy was trying to convince me why I should want to marry him like the Transylvania guy... Why do people do that?)

Anyway- the first really funny part (and where I should probably have ended it... since it didn't bother me too much that he was already talking about me meeting his family and our future life together) is at the end of that date... We walked back to the parking lot and he walked me back to my car.  A sweet gesture in my mind and he had started to gain a few points.  But then, he walked me to the other side of my car (apparently I tried to say bye too soon?).  I had my door open and was getting into my car when I looked over my shoulder to say goodbye.  When I looked over he had his arms open for a hug so I took the three steps to hug him.  During those three steps he mumbled, "Can I get a hug and a kiss goodbye?"  I was already in the act of giving him a hug when he asked, but he didn't give me a chance to reply before he went in for the kiss... It was SO uncomfortable.  I instantly jumped back and said, "...OOoorr just a hug..."  I felt bad, but didn't know what else to do.  I just knew I didn't want to kiss him.

Okay... so that was the end of date one, but way earlier in the date he had asked if I wanted to go to a hockey game because he had free tickets to the Ducks game the next Saturday afternoon.  I had already said I would go, so I went, but he knew I needed to leave early because I had plans that night with another friend.  We met at Starbucks again to ride together and when I got in his car to go to the game, he had bought me a box of chocolates.  A bit much for the second time we'd met, but sweet nonetheless.

At the hockey game, since it was near Christmas, they had the "mistletoe cam" that started going around.  He instantly said (with excitement), "Maybe it'll stop on us!"

And I instantly thought, "Oh no!  What happens if the camera stops on us?!?!?  Am I gonna be that big jerk and deny him in front of thousands of people?"  As I was deciding my level of jerky-ness... he STOOD UP and was trying to wave down the camera!  That's when he really blew it... I was already leaning as far away from him as possible (so he would get the clue) and kept my straw in my mouth the whole time, but he didn't care.  I glanced up at him, leaning farther and farther away, but it didn't seem to deter him.  I think I was practically in the seat next to me- that was on the opposite side of him.  Thankfully, the camera people got the hint even if Mike didn't, so it didn't stop on us, but uugghh... I was completely done with him by then and said we needed to go.  Then, on the way out he still offered to buy me a tshirt.  Don't worry, though, I politely refused so he wouldn't have to spend money on something that wasn't going anywhere.

I just laugh when I remember pushing back to refuse his kiss and then a week later... literally 7 days later... him trying again with the mistletoe camera.  Haha... I guess at least he's persistent, right?