Monday 6 February 2012
"I think I've scared him off", I said to Miss Brodie by text on the Monday morning while sitting at my desk constantly checking Facebook.  I was of course referring to Mr Mensa and not Mr Shorty, although, in theory the text could have related to either.

I began to analyse my apparent keenness.  I guess I saw an opportunity and had just grabbed it, as far as asking out Mr Mensa had been concerned.  Online communication allows that, especially on Facebook, after all, if he knocked me back it's not like I needed to worry about bumping into him, hell, I could even de-friend him.  The ultimate rejection in social networking.

I needn't have stressed though, as just before my lunch I received that familiar alert on my phone, I had a Facebook message.  Eagerly opening it, I quickly noticed that Mr Mensa had put his phone number at the end of the message so that was obviously a good sign!  So I did what any self respecting girl who wanted to play hard to get wouldn't do,  I sent him a text straight away and he replied promptly.  Screw The Rules!

We communicated that way over the next few days until he phoned one afternoon and I heard his voice for the first time.  I really didn't need to have any concern about any difficult silences because Mr Mensa spoke like a runaway train and although I worried about him taking appropriate breathing gaps in the conversation, overall, he was funny.  I liked speaking to him, he seemed to exude a level of energy that I hadn't been used to and he intrigued me.  My god, I thought to myself, maybe this could actually be it.  Perhaps this was the beginning of what I'd been waiting for.

Our date had been arranged for Friday that week.  He'd organised the dinner booking and we agreed to meet in a cocktail bar beforehand.  I decided to try and go for a vintage look with dark cropped narrow trousers, leopard print cardigan and black vest, although the only vintage part of my outfit was me.  I also had my signature "Dorothy" shoes on and bright red glossy lipstick to match. 

I walked in to the bar and immediately saw him sitting down at a table.  I have to admit that there wasn't an immediate attraction for me, I initially thought that he looked older than his Facebook pictures but I was open to see how the evening would go.  We ordered drinks and had barely got into conversation when Mr Mensa said something that  immediately made me feel crap and lose all confidence.  

"Em, you've got a bit of lipstick on your teeth there".

I felt 2cm high.  Embarrassed, I rubbed away at my front teeth as subtly as I could.

"Nope, it's still there".

Damn you Lancome!  

I can quite honestly say that at that point I just wanted the date to end.  I suddenly wasn't sure how to take Mr Mensa, he didn't appear easy to read and although I understand he most likely had the best of intentions behind telling me about the lipstick on my teeth, for me, it had set a bad tone to the start of the date.  He also answered his phone and had a conversation which I felt wasn't exactly dating etiquette.  Of course, months on and in reflection, I would realise that it was probably my gut instinct kicking in.

We proceeded on to the restaurant and things seemed to pick up from there.  In fact I began to really enjoy myself and we appeared to be getting on really well.  During the meal Mr Mensa stated that he would have to leave the table briefly to pick up some money that a friend owed him.  I thought it strange and wondered to myself why he hadn't done this earlier, before the date but then I remembered that he had driven up from Warrington, a full 7 hours drive earlier on that day so time would have not been on his side but still, couldn't this have been something that could have waited until the next day?  Not wanting to appear needy on the first date I smiled as he left the table and continued to finish my glass of wine while he was gone.

After we'd finished the meal we headed off to a few bars, by this point and probably with the help of alcohol I was fully in the swing of things.  In fact I felt that Mr Mensa was letting his guard down too, perhaps my initial concerns were unfounded?

Suddenly it began to feel like Mr Mensa and I had been in a relationship for some time, I found myself feeling so relaxed and at ease in his company as the night continued.  The final bar that we ended up in had a local band playing live and we managed to get a table to ourselves.  As I turned away to watch the band I felt something brush against my arm.  I looked back at Mr Mensa who was sitting opposite me, smiling.  

"That was me" he said as he reached out and placed his hand on my forearm, then he lent across the table and kissed me.  At that point the embarrassment of having lipstick stained teeth paled into insignificance and I knew then, that he'd caught me, hook, line and sinker....

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Bird on a Wire
Imagine Carrie from Sex and the City morphed with Bridget Jones and a baby thrown in for added entertainment – that’s me, the ever optimistic romantic looking for my Mr Big but already with child! Read my blog from the beginning where I find out I am pregnant following a brief fling with my much older male colleague and fast forward to where I am now, stressed out working mum to my beautiful 10 year old daughter wondering if love really does in fact exist at first sight.
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