We'll Always Have Peerce's

Of all the java joints, in all the towns, in all the world, I walk into hers.  I had a date with an angel last night, and her name is Ashley!

Ashley is amazing!  She is beautiful and considerate and kind and fun and fantastic!  She went to monumental effort to put together an outfit for our date last night; consequently, she was always the only woman in the room all evening, or so it seemed to me.  I'm still a bit over-the-top smitten this morning, but what the hell!  I like it!

When I arrived last night to pick Ashley up at her house, she was worried 'cause she was running a bit late.  She was repeatedly apologetic, which I assured her she didn't need to be.  I tried to get her to stop saying she was sorry, but then she apologized for that.  Like I said, amazingly considerate.  I adjusted the restaurant reservation time, and everything worked out fine.  We had dinner at Peerce's Landing and it was delicious.  Try the sirloin tips, and the Crabatini appetizer is to die for! 

I pulled out one of the moves I hold in reserve for special occasions or a very special woman,  two considerations which each applied equally last night.  The tactic is kinda Sean Connery-esque, and I discovered it in my ever-trusty copy of Dating for Dummies under the inset heading of "Mr Smoothie" (p. 164).  It impressed me when I read it, so I employ it sometimes, albeit sparingly.  Basically, you just give the restaurant manager your credit card information a day ahead of time and tell them to add a certain percentage to the total for the tip.  Then when dinner is done and the plates are cleared, you can simply get up and go. 

Conversation with Ashley, last night, was incredibly engaging, interesting and never, at any time, awkward or sparse or dull.  I didn't feel any pressure to be able to keep our conversation moving along, all credit to my lovely companion.  I never felt the need to consult the proverbial dating-to-English dictionatry to figure out what she was talking about.  In fact, I don't think either of us needed to clarify any point of our conversation last night.  I think the fact that we both acknowledged a little case of nerves from the get-go went a long way to quelling said nerves, and enabling free-flowing and relaxed communication.

Ashley is a lady, through and through!  Incredibly lovely and enjoys being treated with the requesite respect due a lady.  She enjoys having doors held for her, a gentleman standing when she enters a room, and having her cigarette lighted.  None of this diminishes her sense of independence or strength as a person, and only adds to her classicly lady-like and beguiling allure.  She has a predominant sense of grace, style and class, with just enough of a hint of roughness on an edge or two to make her also seem incredibly down-to-earth, non-threatening and approachable.

So, we left the restaurant and headed for the dance venue.  The people were nice and the lesson was fun.  When it comes to tripping the light fantastic...well, let's just say I'm obviously not light, nor particularly fantastic.  I'm quite certain that Ashley must be a Ginger-Rogers-in-waiting, but being paired up with me and my two left feet, she lacked the proper showcase to give evidence of her dancing acumen.  We left the dance hall shortly after 9, and I took her home.

When I used to imagine the ideal woman, she was not half as wonderful as Ashley!  For however long she graces my life with her company, I will have truly been blessed.  Ashley makes me happy.  Its not just because she is pretty and smart and funny and kind, all of which are very true, btw.  It is because she has reconnected me with some interests that brought me a great deal of happiness before we ever met.  Her companionship at every level thus far enjoyed has restored my confidence as a gentleman worthy of the company of a wonderful woman!  The fact that it is Ashley, in particular, with whom I get to enjoy that company has restored my confidence in God's plan and good luck.

I told Ashley I have two tickets to an upcoming performance of the BSO at the Meyerhoff; she is trying to get the night off so that she can go with me.  On the way back to her house, which is very nicely decorated, btw, she figured out that the next night we are both off is next Sunday.  She asked if I might be interested in getting together then.  I told there was no "might" about it, I am in.

Play it again, Sam!

"As Time Goes By", Jimmy Durante.