The Walmart Parking Lot Guy

Category 1:     Those who kind of freak you out.

So he seemed normal, checked of the list of acceptable criteria...except for one thing...he was 6'6".  I love a tall guy as I have mentioned before, but 6'6" is oddly tall.  I didn't fully comprehend the oddity until I cam face to face, or should I say face to rib cage? 

We met at the beach.  It was even kind of sweet that he wanted to meet to take a walk on the beach.  I can't tell you how many people actually state the desire for a beach walk in profiles, but never once had I been invited for such a date until Mr. Tall.  We met at the beach ball water tower on Pensacola beach.  After making our initial small talk, we started to walk.  It didn't take me long to realize that his long, lanky stroll amounted to a trot for me to keep up.  I don't know how long I thought we would go, but we walked...and walked...and walked some more. 

Now, I don't know if it is apparent, but I have a competitive streak.  I was NOT going to ask him to slow down, nor was I going to huff and puff and let him see the effort it was taking for me to keep up.  It became a personal mission.  To look cool and collected while trotting. 

Finally, after what I think is about a mile and a half, we got to Peg Leg Pete's, a beach restaurant.  Thank goodness he wanted to get a beer and eat!  Rest.  Maybe I will make it back!

Dinner was good.  Conversation flowed.  Normal, normal, normal!  Good news.

And then...the dreaded walk back.  I blame the beer and food, but before even a third of the way back, I had to swallow my pride and say, "Hey...you take seriously big steps....you think we can slow down a bit?"

"Sure! Need a break?"

This was the excuse he must have needed to try a kiss.  This part cracked me up...not the kiss itself, it was fine.  But the maneuvering required for him to kiss someone a foot shorter.  Instead of bending to reach, he stood with his feet a good yard or more apart so he didn't have to bend down.  I don't know why I found that so funny, but it cracked me up!  So he kissed me standing in the biggest Second Position I had even seen.

Every five minutes or so on the way back, he took time to let me rest and give me a kiss.  He seemed nice, and I was enjoying the date (minus the trotting) so why not?  The only thing was, with each progressive break, he became a little more aggressive.  As we got closer, I tried to start emphasizing that I had to go relieve the babysitter.  It was dark, on the beach and with few other people around.  I wasn't worried, but safety, safety, safety. 

When we finally made it back to our cars, he started talking about getting together again.  Okay, I thought.  This was a decent first date.  Why not? 

"Let's meet tomorrow night," he said.  "I want to see you tomorrow."

I couldn't make such spur of the moment plans at that time because my kids were younger, and I needed a sitter.  I told him I would see what I could work out.

"Even if it's just for a little while," he said.  "We can meet at the Walmart parking lot down the road there to make out."

Really?  He didn't just ask me out to the Walmart parking lot.  How many levels of wrong is that?  I rate a Walmart parking lot?  Is he destitute and can't afford even a McDonald's?  I'm not one of those who requires a lot.  I am usually thrilled with not being asked to Sweeten the Deal on a date.  Really.  I am pretty easy to please.  But the Walmart parking lot?  If I had only known at that time that I would eventually write this blog, I could have thought of it as a gift.

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