"...a little over 2 dollars a person"

Before internet dating existed I signed up over the years with a couple of dating sites claiming they had the technology and outreach to find a mate for me! "OK" I said to myself..."I'll try this!" So I called, I gave them my credit card, waited, and they sent me via the post office a questionnaire to complete and mail back. I did, I waited some more and one day my first list came in the mail. I opened the piece of paper to find a list of 5 names, phone numbers and the city the guys lived in. I had two options; make some calls, or, wait to be called. This time I waited. The guy on the other end sounded nice, met the height criteria, had a good sense of humor but lived far. Lake Arrowhead is not around the corner and although I thought this is nuts and I shouldn't waste my time meeting him, another part of me said "give him a chance." So I did.

Brentwood is a great area and a restaurant that is no longer there...Hamburger Hamlet was the meeting place for this date. I met him in the bar. It was a pretty big bar with flat screen TV's on the walls and I remember being happy that sports was on since I enjoy watching basketball, football and baseball. I can also carry a conversation about sports which is always good if things get a little boring. The bar was not crowded; the two of us and a couple across the way. I ordered my usual (at the time) Diet Coke and he ordered a Coke. He didn't ask me if I wanted anything to eat and I didn't say I was hungry. We had gotten past the blind date introductions when I realized we had very little in common. Sure, this guy was nice to meet me while in the area and down from the woods but I guess our pleasant conversation over the phone wasn't an indicator that a good time would be had or that we had anything in common. Time went by VERY slowly...I watched TV...I commented enthusiastically...he wasn't interested. What was I going to do? I'm NOT having a good time. This is aweful! Get me out of here! Fourty-five minutes go by and I couldn't take it anymore! I asked our bartender for the check...a SIGN for the dodo that I am ready to LEAVE. The big spender picks up the check, looks at me and says, "it's a little over 2 dollars a person." I look at him with a look like he's speaking Chinese and I don't understand Chinese. I reached for my wallet, I took out 3 dollars and said "nice meeting you" and bolted out the restaurant, SPRINTING to my car. He followed quickly and said "I'd like to see you again." I said "uh huh" and closed my car door. As he drove off I had a million thoughts going through my head. Many of them were "what girlfriend am I going to call first??!!!??" Another thought was "I'm hungry!" Hunger took over! So, I opened up my car door, walked back into Hamburger Hamlet, told BOTH hostesses "I just had a date from hell and now I'm going to buy myself some dinner. I sat there with the guy so put me over there this time." They looked at each other, cracked a smile and walked me to my new seating area.  Funny thing was, the couple I had seen earlier was still in the bar and when I walked in, the two of them looked at each other with a "wasn't she just here!?" look. I looked back with a "yep, I was just here with that cheap uninteresting guy on a date from hell!" look. 

I ordered dinner and enjoyed the rest of my evening alone...and happy!