Date #50

Key Takeaways: If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again (for a whole year) because… it’s a relief to find someone who has real potential!

Vitals:

Name: Nic, for Jolly Old Saint Nicolas because Christmas came early this year for me

Length of date: 2 hours

How the date was obtained: It was a set up

Where: Greendoor in Beverly Hills for coffee and then a walk in La Cienega Park

With only three dates to go for Date a Week LA, I’m hoping to end with a bang! (Recently I’ve had some duds, so my fingers are crossed.) Luckily, out of the blue, a friend from theatre camp reached out and said she’d like to set me up. This gal is fun, talented, and smart, so I was hoping she’d set me up with the same. Of course, after fifty dates I’ve discovered it’s hard to determine whether or not a date is going to go well before it happens, but I was trying to stay optimistic. Did I try and manifest a good date in my manifestation journal? No, because I don’t have one. But I did ask the big man upstairs to do me a solid. And, let me tell you, he delivered.

My friend gave me Nic’s number and we started texting back and forth. We had fun banter right off the bat, which is a big plus in my book. We talked about our Spotify 2020 wrap-up lists (mine’s below if you’d like to check it out). And even before we met, Nic made me laugh by explaining that his COVID-safety protocol included regular handwashing and encouraging strangers to cough in his face. I responded, “same.” Sarcasm? Check. Eventually, we made plans to meet.

Walking up to Greendoor, I spotted Nic: dark hair, cool glasses, and a black corduroy jacket. I was an instant fan of this handsome man. He spotted me from afar and waved hello. I smiled, knowing we’d finally have a nice face to face introduction I was just about to say, “hey,” when a jackhammer from across the street started raging all over some concrete. The noise was deafening. Our memorable “meet-cute” was a pantomime. Nic mouthed, “It’s kinda loud out here.” I deadpanned, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” We started giggling about the hilarity of the booming jackhammer drowning out our first in-person conversation. Over the next two hours we basically never stopped laughing.

After we got our drinks and walked out of Greendoor, Nic stopped, somewhat abruptly, in front of a house. He set his drink on top of a very tall fence--the only flat surface around--took out a gallon-sized plastic bag with just two small wipes inside, his DIY travel-sized container. (Turns out he’s serious about safety!) Nic proceeded to thoroughly wipe down his drink lid. He even took it off to wipe the rim, but unfortunately, the Clorox wipe grazed his drink. Nic looked disappointed with himself, but his determination just made me smile.

After lid-gate, we continued on our walk. I noticed that he was a fast walker. I couldn’t determine if he was trying to fast-walk his way out of this date, if he wanted to keep 6+ feet away from me, or if he was just a speedy guy. I asked about his fast-walking inclination and he mentioned his passion for running. Turns out Nic’s a glutton for punishment; he runs marathons.

Over the course of our visit, we discussed our favorite movies, our family backgrounds, (we’re both middle kids) our passion for the creative arts, and the most important topic: dogs. We even discovered that we both want to own a dachshund someday! I did my best to hold in an excited scream, but I think I let out a squeal. Come on, Isabel! Play it cool.

I have to be honest though, I don’t remember a lot of details from this date. I was so caught up in the laughter and the chatting that some of it seems like a blur. My takeaway is that he’s thoughtful, has a fascinating job, and is a good listener. I actually remember some of Nic’s funny jokes but writing them down just doesn’t do them justice. Picturing his face telling those jokes makes me realize, it’s all in the delivery. Being with Nic felt natural and there was real chemistry. I had an overwhelming sense of peace, a realization that there are men out there who have real potential for me. What a relief.

As Nic and I strolled back to my car, we talked about going out again. Turns out, he knew about this blog and that it’s coming to an end. He asked if I had any more dates lined up. I told him that I had one the following day. He asked if he could be #52 and I agreed with a big smile on my face. Merry Christmas to me.

Overall Experience:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The future for us… My last date of 2020 will be with Nic, and I am looking forward to it!

Next Week: I’m going on a date with someone from my alma mater!