I recently received a message on linked in from a guy I briefly went on a few dates with six years ago. His message was nice, slightly charming, and all around friendly. We exchanged a few emails before he asked for my number. He mentioned how he would love to catch up with me and my life over some drinks. Thinking that it sounded harmless enough, I agreed to drinks. I kept racking my brain repeatedly on why I only went on a few dates with this guy who seemed to be a pretty decent catch, yet some how I was unable to pin point why exactly it dissolved. Oh, if only my mind had not failed me...
I met him at a local sushi resturant on polk that I had never been to. It seemed pretty loud and croweded and overall a good people watching place. I saw him almost the minute I walked in, and he looked pretty much exactly as I remembered. I headed over, gave him a hug, said my pleasantries and sat down. He ordered me a drink almost immediately, which raised his stock sky high. Conversation seemed to go ok and he seemed easy enough to get along with. It seemed to be going well, but no real sparks were flying. Since I couldn't seem to pin point why exactly I stopped seeing him in the first place, I decided to chalk it up to my immaturity at the time.
As the sake bombs kept flowing, and so did the DJ music, he suggested moving to a new bar for more drinks. As anyone who knows me can say, I get an itch to dance once I have thrown back a few drinks. So I suggested a bar that had dancing as well. He kind of gave me a hesitant look when I mentioned my need for dancing, but I figured that was because I most boys arent keen on it. I kept insisting, almost to the point of begging, so he begrudgeningly agreed. I stood up, and put on my coat, as he did as well. We started walking, and that is when I realized it.
It hit me like a ton of bricks. Watching him walk, I remembered everything about dating him before. As he was somewhat limping and hobbling, I remembered I used to call him "the one legger", as I was pretty much postive he was missing a leg. Now, I know what your thinking, "how mean, you would dismiss a guy because hes missing a limb". But at the time, I remember I had JUST gone on a date with some other guy who ALSO was missing a leg unbeknowst to me, (Girls, don't ever agree to a date with a guy you meet out who never once stands up). It wasnt the one leg that got me, it was the fact he seemed super weird about it. Wouldn't do outdoorsy things, go to the beach, and preferably only wanted night time dates. All things I found oddly weird, as would almost anyone.
I bit my tongue in pure horror realizing I just insisted to this guy with a prostetic, that we HAD to go dancing. As we got there, I tried retracting my words, but it was too late. We got up to the dance floor, and he started gimping back and forth on his one good leg. Feeling pure dread, I offered to buy a drink for us, something strong so I wouldnt notice as much that he was loping around with one real foot. After getting as liquored up as I could, I kept being polite and dancing with him, bitting my tongue the whole time. He seemed to be having a great time, getting into his little one legged jig, but I couldn't handle it anymore. I told him I had an early morning run and needed to head home (thank you TNT for being my excuse every time). He looked disappointed and made a comment about how he was really having fun and just getting into it. I'm sure he was, but I could not handle another moment of watching him painstakingly dance. We left the club, I gave him a hug, and headed home.
After that night I decided that I really need to make a dating list of who has their limbs so I don't end up on another date in six years with the "one legger".
