Chapter 103:
When you are exploring a new relationship dates are a way to get to know each other, explore each other’s interests, let down your guard and enjoy the moment, see how your partner interacts with others and allow your friendship to grow into something more naturally. When you are living together it’s almost a reminder that you are still technically “dating” and part of the means to have fun with one another outside of the confines of the shared residence. The build up to the first kiss, the first emotional connection, the first romp in the hay are all behind you so you have to keep things alive by continuing the chase regardless. Or at least that is how I have decided to logical process the idea in my mind.
With the forecast being mid-80’s and sunny I decided we needed some outdoor activity, to start out anyway. I found a fun air travel themed mini-golf course and adventure center geared toward adults, with mixed drinks, wine, craft beers and food. Fermented drinks and metal clubs; what could go wrong? We arrived and went straight for the bar. With a couple custom golf-themed beverages in our hands we collected our clubs and set off for 18 holes of fun. I was not surprised in the least to find that the lady was both good at mini-golf but also competitive at mini-golf. She loudly celebrated every great shot and was very displeased at every missed opportunity to get a stroke or two up on me. We both took turns being ahead of the other but in the end she was victorious, and I will definitely hear about for the rest of the night. To be fair to myself, I don’t have the same level of finesse that she has but I am considerably stronger which is not an advantage is in this particular game. The good news is mini-golf was not the only game they had to offer.
With a second beverage on our little table and a plate covered with freshly made chips and pub dip to snack on we started to play some digital indoor golf. There was a big screen and a faux grassy area where you could smack the ball with gusto and have the video replicate actual golf. This is where my enhanced strength came in very handy. We played a few different games like closet to the pin and who can whack the ball the farthest. She did not do poorly, but in these games finesse was less important. What was important was that this game restored balance to our win-loss record and her thusly her attitude. We waited for a time to get at the interactive dart game but fell into casual conversation and lost our opportunity as the place grew more and more crowded. We managed to get a 3rd cocktail down our throats before the time had arrived to continue on our adventure.
The Challenger provided us transportation to the next venue, which was cleverly concealed inside a vintage bookstore. With prohibition era charm one wandered around casually before opening a doorway concealed as a bookshelf and entered an upscale speakeasy. A speakeasy that not only looked the part, but featured over 500 different kinds of liquor and a drink menu that listed cocktails made from 1-200 year old recipes. Of course they also made it clear that their highly skilled bartenders could put together anything the customer wanted, if it existed or otherwise. With only 2 hours before our table had to be cleared for the next couple, we settled in and ordered a Cosmopolitan for the lady and a Sazerac for myself. We spent a little time savoring our drinks and talking about this and that. The lady is focused once again on buying a house and talked quite a bit about our individual finances and how they could become intermingled depending on our relationship status. Hint-Hint. She was also quite excited about investing the capital gains from selling the compound. The waitress returned and we decided to order items we could share with one another. We started with roasted bone marrow, bacon jam and ciabatta bread, then some fresh shucked oysters on the half shell with house mignonette, then a rack of lamb with garlic roasted butternut squash, grilled asparagus and a cranberry glaze. Two appetizers and one entrée that were all as delicious as they were filling. The lady followed up her Cosmo with a White Negroni while I went to the temperance menu for a non-alcoholic drink. I was driving after all and already had 4 stiff drinks in me. Fortunately their teetotaler drinks were almost as good and I ended up with something called an Imposter which had a spicy orange flavor but smelled like roses. I would bet 80% of people tasting it would have believed it to be an alcoholic beverage.
Once the plates were cleared we sat together holding hands, my arm around her, taking in the place and people watching at the same time. After some deep analysis and debate, we decided we were the cutest couple there. That was until the lady noticed a man and a woman, also sitting on the same side of their booth together holding hands. They looked to be in their mid-80’s and quite in love with one another. Right then and there the lady decided that we were paying for their meal regardless of their relationship or financial status. She called the waitress over, asked if they had eaten yet and was told no. As I paid our bill with my stipend money, the lady took handed over $200 plus tip and told the waitress to let them know their night was on us “From one cute couple to another”. Then we exited before they could figure out why gifted them a night at the speakeasy.
Turns out the lady loves doing things like this, and I mean loves it. All the way home, she told me story after story of how she had gifted things to different people at different times, always taking great care to be as anonymous as possible. She also told me how it all started when she and her very young daughter were in a grocery store, exhausted, stressed out and having forgotten her wallet at home, when an older heavyset black woman walked right up and swiped her card at the register covering the full cost of the diapers and groceries. She looked at the lady and said “Every mother needs a little help sometimes, there’s no shame in it”. The lady said the experience had a profound effect on her and she intended to pay it forward the rest of her days. Feisty, competitive and generous; who knew.
Of course this date night ended like almost every date night, only on this night we were both especially feisty, competitive and generous.
NJ can’t take care of its own veterans, feds say. Help is needed now.
