tuesday's bad dates (CHAD)

I GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS ----the beatles

Well, after my experiences with Adam and Bill, I had pretty much concluded that going out with somebody from the gym was a bad idea. I added it to my list of things that made guys undatable:

1) Guys with drug or alcohol problems
2) Guys who have no sense of humor
3) Guys who weigh less than I do
4) Guys who play Everquest, Ultima Online, or World of Warcraft
and now:
5) Guys who work out at the same gym as me

I have friends who have somehow concluded that the best way to meet somebody is through your friends. Since I had already had some previous experience with that (the one who inspired rule #2, incidentally) I have a different take on it: that's the best way to meet somebody who knows some of the same people as you do. Not necessarily somebody you are compatible with.

But then again, what do I know?

So when somebody from work wanted to set me up with one of her friends, I said "Why not?"

My friend at work (let's call her Alice) had been hinting about a guy who she wanted to introduce me to. I'd been hinting right back, that I was not interested.

Seriously. I was very happy hibernating and I really was interested in knowing who Brett Michaels would pick to be his Rock of Love. Besides, if this guy really was all she said (nice, funny, smart, good personality, doesn't look like a frog, isn't gay) then (A) why didn't she go out with him or (B) why not somebody else?

There were 4 of us at work between 4'10" and 5'2", all with dark hair, all joggers, all wearing our teal uniform shirts, and all sporting the daily ponytail. Really, we were pretty much interchangeable. But apparently not when it comes to Alice and her friend (let's call him Chad).

Finally, she said something to which I had not retort. She pointed out that a guy who was the same age, not married, and who also had friends who are all married, would be a good person to know. Just in case you want to go see a band or a movie without needing to plan your life around somebody else's babysitter. It didn't have to be a high pressure situation. It didn't need to be a romantic situation. Casual was fine. By saying no without giving it a chance, I'd be closing off the chance of at least a friendship, if not something more. I couldn't argue with her. So I gave her my email address.

Chad and I emailed a few times, and he actually seemed normal. We decided to meet and go roller-blading on the Cape Cod Canal after work one night. We picked a time. We picked a place. I told him what to look for: short girl, red jeep, pink baseball hat. 'Nuff said. He said "Ok, I'll be there."

He did NOT tell me what to look for. He needed to find me.

That day at work, Alice was very happy. She wanted to know what our plans were.Then she told me what Chad looked like and what kind of car he drove.

Let me reiterate: he knows what I look like, and I know what he looks like. But he doesn't know that I know what he looks like. (I think there was a "Friends" episode like this)

And, as you can guess, things went downhill from here...