Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The Phone Call

Okay, last Friday afternoon, late in the afternoon as a matter of fact, I was dozing in my recliner. Actually I was sound asleep. The phone rang. I groped for the release on the chair, looked around the room for the phone and finally answered it right before it went to voice mail. The following conversation ensued:
Caller: Is Jimmieearl there?
Me: This is Jimmieearl.
Caller: Have you talked to your brother today?
Me: No I haven't. (by this time my heart is in my throat thinking something happened to him as he is on vacation in Michigan and Wisconsin.)
Caller: Well, my name is Ta Da and this is really awkward, and something I never do, but I just spent the last few days in Michigan with your brother and his wife and some other friends.
Me: Oh.
TD: They talked a lot about you and thought you might like to spend some time with some people your own age, so I thought I would call and invite you to go with me to a festival in Big City tomorrow evening. There will be several of my friends and other couples there and I thought you might like to join us, if you don't have other plans.
JE: Well, thanks, that's very thoughtful of you, but I have other plans. But maybe some other time.
TD: You do? Well, okay, why don't I give you my number and you can call me.
JE: That's a good idea. I will call.
TD: This puts the ball in your court now.
JE: Yeah, I guess it does (chuckle) By the way, did you all have fun in Michigan?
TD: Oh we had a great time. Or at least we women did. Your brother was a real trooper as it turned out that he was the only guy there, but he let us women have plenty of gab time.
JE: That's good. He's a great guy, and his wife is one of my very favorite people.
TD: I can see why; she's real sweet.
JE: Well, thanks for calling and I will call you sometime.
TD: Okay, bye
JE: Bye.

Now, bear in mind that since my wife died, I have had only one woman call me to "hit on me." I knew her, and I also know she had had too much to drink when she called. I wasn't interested. But now? Maybe I could be with TD.

Later in the evening, my brother called, and left me a message that if I got a phone call from a lady that I didn't know, "answer the damn phone." He said she was "good people."
Now why in the heck didn't he call a couple hours earlier?

I will call TD back. I'm sure she had to be nervous about calling some guy she had never met, and I know I was nervous about talking to some lady I had never met. So, now it's up to me to make the next move. Wow! This being old, retired, AND single is hard work. (And I really DID have other plans).

Peace,
JE

3 comments:

Curley said...

I think you should ask her to lunch sometime. I think it would be much easier to meet someone for the first time during daylight hours rather than the more intimate dinner hours. See where it goes. If nothing else you made a new friend, maybe someone that you maybe could go out with or to the movies. No one said you have to be looking for another mate.

Jimmie Earl said...

I am definitely NOT looking for a new mate. I enjoy being alone. I have found that there is a big difference in being alone and lonely.
I am still "gun shy" about this whole dating thing, but am going to call her once I get my nerve built up. You and I have discussed this at great length many times. I think you make some very good points.
JE

angel81 said...

I say go for it, Dad. I agree with Curley...I know you don't want anything serious, but maybe you'll make a good friend. And you can never have too many friends.