First Dates

ITALY
This super mc-hottie was once my student. He used to hang around after the night class to chat and try to get me to go out with him. He helped me put oil in my car, and showed me what he was doing with the car he was restoring. He was trouble. I was extremely attracted to him. I would work hard to remain professionally distant, and had to tell him more than once that I could not go out with him since I was faculty and he was a student. He really got under my skin and would flirt with me every week relentlessly. By the fourth week of class I was so aware of him and his advances, and so completely bowled over that I had to skip a night of work and call in a sub. The following quarter I had to turn the class over to someone else, even though it was my favorite segment to teach, because I did not know how to face five more weeks of exposure to him and his incredible magnetism. That was a double edged sword.
Eventually the Italian hottie graduated and looked me up on face book, and asked me out. I had to go, for a mixture of reasons. Would he still excite me? Why did he want to see ME? And he was a former student, a door of support I try to leave open for all of my former prodigys. My mentors changed my life and being there for people I have influenced is very important to me. It turned out to be one of my best dates. He made my mind go blank, my pulse race, and blood tingle in my veins. I knew I would merely be a conquest to him, so I resisted his charm, but it was extremely difficult. I still think he is the most beautiful, hunky, handsome man I have ever seen, and he smells amazing. I mooned over him and the raw, animalistic attraction for weeks with breathless imaginings and wistful “if onlys”.
I wanted him in ways I am only beginning to wake up to, and didn’t hesitate to let him know after the ways he came onto me, eventually I landed him for another night, but he seemed timid and insecure, which I really didn’t expect . When I interact with him, I feel like the mouse in the game of cat and mouse, and everyone knows I much prefer to be the cat. Besides the whole Mrs. Robinson thing just made me feel old and pathetic, instead of beautiful and sexy. Who needs that? I prefer a man that chases me.

RALPH
We were starting to have a good little back and forth , so we traded number thinking texting would be more convenient. But I didn’t expect the diatribe of his life story, or his close calls with rehab. He seemed a bit better looking than the majority of men my age, which has been daunting because evidently I have been aging very well. But his story was sort of the flip side of mine. While I have been divorced twice, his life seemed filled with drama and alcoholism. His e- girlfriend contacted him while we were texting and wanted to get back together. I have to commend him for letting me know, but it seemed highly inappropriate to send me a copy of their communications. We’ve never even met and I was a bit alarmed by his lack of tact! Both in sending me the transmissions, and his tirade to her about her substance abuse. Ralph was cute, available and not too far away, but my own life has plenty of drama, and this sort of thing did more to discourage me, than to inspire confidence in online dating.

BRUCE
He seemed like a dedicated family man, which to my mind seems more interesting to date. More stable emotionally, more dedication than your average playboy in a midlife crises. Although many men I have spoken to have mentioned that being a father was a turn off for many of the women they have dated. I guess the women became competitive with the kids. A sad thing indeed. As a mom I get the importance of kids, and the idea that we only get one chance to make it good for them. When we switched to texting, he seemed less interesting than his profile had suggested, and his deep involvement in a cultural world I had intentionally left behind and walked away from made actual dating seem pretty unlikely. It only took a few texts to determine that we had nothing in common after all, and just talking was becoming a bit of a stretch. I will have to let him down gently.

PALU
Here is a guy that intrigues me. He is well spoken, but laid back. He has a variety of interests and values that are obvious in the way he talks and spends his time. I was most interested by the versatility of his photos. A bit a of a nerdy geek, a bit of a jock, a bit of a food snob, and open to all sorts of activities. Dancing, movies, staying in. I had lunch with him and it was easy to talk to each other. We had a lot in common. To much so. He would make a great friend, or really like my roommate I think. I was genuinely pleased to meet him though.