Baby Steps II

Driving around Ottawa is painful for me and it brings me back to 2004 when I drove to NYC with Leann.  We stopped in Ottawa for the night to visit a friend and spent the better part of the day trying to leave the city but only looping around Parliament like a cheap version of National Lampoons European Vacation.  We set up camp just before entering the city then had to stop at a gas station to find out where exactly that camp site might be since neither of us took note of where we were or the name of the place...what were we thinking?  Parliament looked beautiful in the evening, just not after you've passed it thirty plus times while hung over in rush hour traffic.  I found a parking spot just down the block from the restaurant and gathered everything that fell onto the floor from my purse.  Ottawa is actually quite beautiful and charming and I enjoyed window shopping my way to the  restaurant while being fashionably late.

After doing a once over of the crowd I sat at the bar so he would be able to spot me when he arrived, I guess we both wanted the chance to look through the window before committing to dinner.  I texted him so he knew I was there and where to find me so I was a little startled when he walked over from a corner table.  I smiled politely but was completely caught of guard this is hardly the person I was chatting with, I'm surprised this guy can even order a beer.  I sat across from him and he could see my lack of enthusiasm and to be honest I wanted to have it out but feared I would look like his mother reprimanding him at dinner.  He slowly reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet without breaking eye contact, he knew what I was thinking and I imagine has been through this before.  He slid his licence across the table and unless it's an amazing fake he is actually my age.  My body immediately relaxed and I had to smile and nodded a thank you.  I don't have a lot of rules for dating but one that I really follow is that anyone I date has to be closer to my age than my sons...non negotiable.  I could feel myself blush so I picked up a menu to distract myself, he was adorable, intelligent, a former pro athlete and highly educated...sounds like a great way to start my trip.