prairiedog

Turn back the clock with me, if you will, to a not-too-distant time. July 2nd, 2005. I was spending the day at a friend's July Fourth party, and having a wonderful time, despite not drinking, since I had driven there from the city. Towards evening, I started talking to a very attractive woman and we seemed to be getting along quite well. We spent several hours chatting about any number of things and getting to know each other quite well. The attraction was mutual (she told me so quite plainly, as she'd been drinking past the point of discretion). One of the things we talked about was that there was a concert in a couple of days that we both had tickets to, and wasn't that cool? and we should look for each other there! Another thing we talked about was that we both liked to rock-climb, and she had a weekend rock-climbing trip planned the next weekend, and would I like to come along?

Around about three am, it was time for me to leave, as I had things to do the next day, and she was stumbling drunk and was ready to crash at the party house for the night (she'd driven herself as well, but was in no shape to go home). Since Im a gentleman and refuse to take advantage of a drunken woman when I'm stone-sober I said goodnight, and we exchanged information, both clearly wanting to get together soon. We hugged goodnight, then she kissed me, and the kiss turned into, well, a rather long, deep, and involved kiss that neither one of us was very inclined to break. But we finally did break, both agreeing that sex would be much better when we were both sober, and I made my way out before my hormones made it impossible for me to go.

I called her the next day and left a message, but she had lost her voice after the party, and couldn't call me back. She was very busy with other family things the rest of the weekend, and we didn't end up speaking again until we met at the concert a few days later. We were both there with friends, and we introduced everyone around. She was surprised to see me there, and asked if we had talked about both being at the concert. I told her that we had, wondering what else she had blacked out on. The concert was fun, but I didn't have a chance to talk to her alone, unfortunately.

After that, we got in touch by email, and I asked her how much she remembered about the party. She said she did remember kissing me (and that I was a very good kisser), and didn't *think* she'd forgotten anything else. It turned out that she had forgotten about inviting me on the rock-climbing trip. I suggested that a whole weekend away in the mountains together was probably not the best idea for a first date, and she agreed, so we made plans to get together the following Wednesday. So far, so good, it seemed, but this is where Fate, or God, or the Universe at large decided to have its fun.

While she was on her rock climbing trip, it seems that a climber above her stumbled and knocked down a rather large rock that fell and hit her ON THE HEAD, so she went to the hospital and got eleven staples in her scalp. She didn't have a concussion, but she was not feeling up to getting together that week, and she was visiting family the next weekend. So we made plans to get together after her trip.

BUT, then it turned out that she was going away to China for work for almost two months and she really needed the time to pack and get ready, so she had to cancel, but said that she still wanted to get together after she got back home, if I was still available then. Of course, I said, "sure."

The time of her return home came and went, and I waited until last Friday before I emailed her again, because I figured she'd need time to get settled back at home, before even thinking about going out for fun. Well, I got her reply today, and this is her latest news:

While she was in China, it seems her employer offered her a two year position in their Paris office, starting at the beginning of November, so she only has about a month to find a place to live over there, and pack everything she owns to move for at least two years!!

Of course I don't begrudge her such a fantastic opportunity, but for Christ's sake, can't I ever get any *good* luck? I mean, I've been stood up by women before, but this one is like the Finger of God reaching down from heaven with divine intervention! I dont believe that she's making any of this up, I think she's telling the god's-honest-truth . . . which almost makes it worse; knowing there's a cool, attractive woman out there who likes me back, but simple circumstances keep getting in the way.

My god, but this does pretty well sum up my dating life . . .

<sigh>