The Quiet Man

The Date Disaster.

Mark came up to me one day when I was in the gym.

"Listen, Jack. I have these tickets for the concert on Saturday, but something come up and we can't go. Why don't you take them and invite someone along."

I looked at the tickets he handed me. I vaguely recognized the band.

"I think Jen likes these, I could take her."

"Why not take a date? How about Mary-Jane?"

He indicated one of the PTs working with an elderly lady in too tight tights over at one of the machines. Mary-Jane was a dark haired girl. Well not a girl really, she was around 30, fit obviously, and pretty if not beautiful.

"Maybe I should, I'll think about it."

"Then you will never do it. Ask her now."

So I walked over and waited until Mary-Jane was done instructing the lady, and she was by herself working. Mary-Jane seemed pleased, so we set it up.

We met for dinner before the concert. At dinner I talked about my ex until I realized what I was doing and became tongue-tied. Then I started telling bad jokes. Mary-Jane told a long involved story about her sister in California, just to fill the time.

The concert went OK. In the intermission we talked about books we've read or heard about. That was better. Afterwards I asked Mary-Jane if she wanted to go for a drink, but she said she had an early client so I drove her home and walked her to her door. We told each other how great time we had had. I got a dutiful kiss on the cheek, and we both heaved a sigh of relief when the door closed.

What a disaster! Tomorrow the whole office and gym would have heard about it which meant I would find no new victims there.