The Second First Call...

Well my friends the next few hours were not entirely pleasant...to put it mildly; they were replete with a lot more pacing. They also included many conversations with YS and DK. The advice I got was basically that this call is simply supposed to set up the date, nothing more nothing less. And that's all I had to work with; nothing more nothing less. I even enlisted the help of YS's girlfriend and asked her advice.

FFD:"what do I say?" "how do I start it off"

RS:"well just say hi and ask how she's doing"

OK couple of things:
1) She already asked me how I was doing on the initial weird call thingie and that failed miserably
2) what am I supposed to say "hi it's me again how was your day" please, I don't know what the heck her day consists of and I'm supposed to ask how it went? Well I know she was in school so maybe that's something but wait it's ten o'clock time for Ma'ariv.

Maariv came and went and I don't actually think I had my mind on a single word. Rote took over as my brain was taken captive by this phone call. My hands shook, my stomach was in complete shambles, and I was total about to make a fool of myself.

One again I pick up DK's phone and dial the number. And once again the screen goes black and the numbers disappear. This time my finger didn't actually slip I just pushed the button, and as I heard the ring on the other end I knew it was too late to hang up. She picks up! I'm still breathing and I haven't made a fool of myself yet.

FFD:"Hi It's FFD again how are ya"
Yeah I total don't know what she said there was no way I was listening. The sound of my every neuron firing at the same time drowned out whatever she replied.

FFD:"So you take evening classes"
Ok at this point my memory total fails me. It's like when one's brain blocks out traumatic experiences. I have no idea what happened at that point but somehow we begin to talk. THANK G-D!!! My mouth lets some cogent sounds out I AM MAKING CONVERSATION!!

But my friends don't get your hopes up too soon things are about to go terribly wrong.....

FFD:"so you are in Touro's masters program for special ed"

FFW:"yeah"

FFD:"so how do you like it"

FFW:"it's okay"

she then says something about not liking school (hmm....well I'm not a huge fan but I like school I guess is this gonna be a problem?) and goes on to tell me about her schedule..yadda yadda... only has classes on Wed. ...and it's mostly papers. Papers! This is good I have an in. It just so happens that this semester I am completing the required core courses having completed all my sciences early and all these classes have at least 2 required papers.

FFD:"oh yeah me to I have to complete 10 papers this semester and am still working on a massive tome of a work I have due for last semester I procrastinate a little bit"

FFW:"I'm completely the opposite"

Oooook strike one

FFD:"yeah an I hate having all these papers this semester I would soo rather have an exam"

FFW:"Yeah I'm so entirely the opposite"

OUCH strike two. I'm getting a feeling that if I say I like cute little puppies, she'll tell me that she's deathly allergic. I feel like we are just apples and oranges. Thoughts of what in the world were the Shadchanim (mutual friends of ours) thinking.

The conversation goes on about school for a little bit and then drifts to friends. The friends convo also goes on for a while and then I realized something. She wasn't leaving me hanging on the silences. I knew they were inevitable and didn't want to have some list of things to say (like some do) but I saw that when they did occur she picked some of them up. I REALLY liked that she wasn't some stuck up "oh you are the guy, you have to control the convo. type of girl; she was willing to give and take. I repeat I really liked that. Anyway the conversation went on until the time came and once again I turned to my complete ignorance with the dating world for help. There was a couple seconds of silence (trust me they felt really long, like I could feel myself blinking and during the blink I had time to look around and count the bumps on the ceiling.) and I said really frankly

FFD:"yeah so I have no idea what I'm doing so do you want to set a time to go out"

FFW:(beleaguered Laugh) I see she's getting sick of that especially since she told me that I'm not the first guy who she's gone out with who hadn't been out before. She clearly hates having this "Date Trainer" chip on her shoulder

FFW:"when's good for you"

FFD:"well I have classes on Tue and Thur. but I'm free on Mondays and Wednesdays"

FFW:"hmm I have classes on Wed."

FFD:"so how's monday"

FFW:"I'm making Sheva Brachos for my best friend on Mon. but oh I have off next wed for presidents week"
Presidents week who gets off for presidents week? Chris Columbus doesn't get a whole week but these two guys get a whole week?

FFD:"umm ok so I guess ill give you a call next week sometime"

FFW:"sounds good"

FFD:"ok great I'll talk to you then"

DONE! it's over and I'm going out next Wed. NEXT WEDNESDAY!!!! thats an entire week away. A full 168 hours away. More time to have this thing on my head.

oy vey this isnt going to be pleasant. And believe you-me I became very familiar with the throne in the room with the tile floor.

next up.... "the wait"