Dating a customer?

[TNT]

Good luck! We want details of the outcome!


(Okay, the worst that can happen is the date is so bad that she gets super-pissed...)

One of the things I've become good at in my job is surfing the net while talking on the phone. And so it was that I was talking to the woman while I read your post... (is it any wonder a friend and I agreed that a day hanging with The Jester in the Keys would have to be a blast?)

... but I asked her out anyway. Alas, schedules being what they are, not until later next week.

I'm still tepid... the local papers love a good scandal and "Cable Guy Stalks Local Woman," would be fun for them.

As for the worst that can happen, that nicely segues into the scariest of scary bar stories.

When I was much younger, my mother owned the bar, and I pretty much ran things. We had a female customer who I rather liked. She seemed very, very fond of me. Too fond, actually.

It turned out that what she really liked was the idea of owning a bar. And since she obviously couldn't have her way with the owner, she chose the owner's son. It never occurred to me that this could be her motivation... it was a good business and all, but frankly, I wouldn't have even slept with myself to own it.

I sort of knew what was on her mind, but I vastly underestimated the level of her psychosis. Not long into the relationship, a friend of hers told me, "You know, she doesn't use birth control." "But... but... but... she told me she was on the Pill. She even showed them to me." "Having it doesn't mean taking it."

I never truly believed the story... until a few months later. We'd broken up, but we still talked. She fell for a guy and was desperately trying to pick him up. She was telling me how in love with him she was all, blah, blah, blah. I told her that this guy would probably sleep with her, but he wasn't going to be getting into any long-term relationships. She said, "Oh, don't be sure about that. Life's full of surprises."

They went to his place that night. One time. And that one time cost him eighteen years of child support payments. He said to me, "She told me she was on the Pill. She even showed them to me."

That's a true story.

[Mighty Girl]

If you do call her, don't publicize it. Even though she said you could look up her phone number on her account, that's kind of a shady area.

Also, it just gives me a wierd feeling. I mean, what are the chances that you set up a meeting or something and you're both pleasantly surprised by the other? I'm betting that one of you will be disappointed, which is hard to hide when you're not expecting it. But that's just my 2 cents. Good luck.

[Mighty Girl]

His honesty was refreshing. How sexy is that? A man who knows what he wants and isn't too shy to say so. Rare...and awesome!

You're not kidding. By my mid-20's, I was so sick of these commitment phobic types.

So- you're not looking for a relationship? Just say it- you just want to get laid and move on. Look elsewhere.

[Jester]

(is it any wonder a friend and I agreed that a day hanging with The Jester in the Keys would have to be a blast?)

I am not sure whether to be surprised, embarrassed, or worried that you talk to your friends about little ole me. Hmmm....I'll settle for sheepishly amused.

But yes, it would be a blast. Assuming, of course, that you could keep up. I am a well-conditioned, seasoned, professional drunk. Not only do I live in Key West, but I went to Alcoholic...er, uh, ARIZONA State University. So come on down....but don't say I didn't warn ya!

I mean, what are the chances that you set up a meeting or something and you're both pleasantly surprised by the other? I'm betting that one of you will be disappointed, which is hard to hide when you're not expecting it.

I have to chime in here. I have been on some blind dates. And they have run the gamut.

One of the worst was when I set up a blind date with a girl I had met online in some chat room. Immediately when I saw her in the bar we had agreed to meet in, when I was sure she had not yet seen me, I decided I had other places to be. Any other place but anywhere near her. Yes, beauty is only skin deep, and I don't consider myself shallow....but ugly goes right to the bone, my friends, and there is a difference between not being shallow and not wanting to become in any way intimate with something whose species you are not completely certain of.

On the other hand, I once went on a blind date with another girl that was supposed to end at about 9 pm, as she had to get back home to take care of her younger brother. She DIDN'T actually have to get back home to take care of her younger brother...that was her escape hatch if the date went to hell. She did not use said escape hatch, and did not get home that night until about 2 or 3 am. We ended up dating for about 2 1/2 years. Still the longest relationship I have ever had (though not the best).

Good luck. And remember to always have an escape plan. You laugh, but there is a chance that she may be hideously ugly, completely evil, ridiculously bitchy, horribly self-centered, terribly whiney, annoyingly clingy, disastrously grating, or terrifyingly needy. If she is all of those things in one, congratulations--you hit the jackpot! Oh, and say hello to my sister for me. (Just kidding. My sister isn't clingy.)

[AirHostess]

One of the perks of the job is hot guys asking for your number...I have a boyfriend though

[technical.angel]

Well, you can hope that they're cute. I only got non-cute and rude guys hitting on me while I was retailin' it.

Jenni

[TNT]

You laugh, but there is a chance that she may be hideously ugly, completely evil, ridiculously bitchy, horribly self-centered, terribly whiney, annoyingly clingy, disastrously grating, or terrifyingly needy. If she is all of those things in one, congratulations--you hit the jackpot!

Change the "she" to a "he" and that's me. Take out the "hideously ugly" and that's my cat. Take out the "hideously ugly" and insert "lesbian" and you have my second-favorite ex-girlfriend (though, once she figured that out, she actually became my truest friend -- some of the time, at least).

[Barefootgirl]

I used to live in New York City a few years back, and spent a lot of time on the phone to people all round the city. I'm not posh, far from it, but because i went to a good school and have quite a posh mother, I have what you might call a "very proper" English accent. People comment on it. When I went to Kansas, they commented on it all the time

Anyway, while i was in NYC, i spoke very frequently to an exec at a very large and famous music company. We got on very well on the phone, laughed and joked, he complimented my accent all the time, etc. It got to the point where he actually called us most days, ostensibly to discuss some minutiae of his account but mainly to just chat with me. One day, our receptionist buzzed through and said, "Music Exec is in the foyer, he wants to talk to you". I was a bit surprised, but told her I'd be right out, and to ask Music Exec to take a seat. When I walked into the foyer he leaped to his feet, big beaming smile switched on.....and then his face fell about forty feet. You could actually see the disappointment spreading across his features. He made polite conversation for about five minutes, then left. My receptionist was killing herself, as was I. I don't know who or what he was expecting, but it obviously wasn't me !!!!!