Back in the saddle part 2

Ok then for all you guys and girls who just begged for more, I'll give you a few details. I will warn you, this story doesn't really have a happy ending...you may want to keep a box of tissue close at hand......

So, on Wednesday night I went on a date with Ben. It was a blind date, so we decided to meet for coffee and go for a walk. I showed up and he was already there waiting, we did the somewhat awkward "hi, nice to meet you" dance, and then he asked what I wanted to drink and ordered for me. This got him brownie points right off the bat. Men, if you are meeting a girl for coffee and show up first, do not get a coffee before she arrives. I have had this happen, you show up, they are sitting there with their beverage, and you feel like a fool because you have to go up and order and wait around alone at the coffee bar while they are sitting there probably feeling just as silly. Anyway, Ben ordered, paid and off we went on a walk...

He is fairly new to Victoria, so we walked down to the Galloping Goose and I showed him around the Shipyards and a construction site for a project I worked on. We chatted about some pretty generic stuff, and he had to go after an hour and meet some classmates he had just finished a course with. No problem, it was short and sweet which is how a first meeting should be. I came home with a pretty big smile on my face. I have to admit, I was expecting it to be a big disappointment like some dates I've had in the past. But, he turned out to have some very excellent qualities.

A couple of hours later he called to say he really enjoyed meeting me, and to see if I would like to go for dinner with him the next night. I said yes.

So, the next night we meet for dinner at a restaurant downtown. He showed up looking a little frazzled and as soon as we sat down he said "I had a bad day, I need a drink!" Understandably. I often need a drink after a shite day, so we ordered some gin. As we're waiting for the drinks he says to me "You know that big decision I was telling you about last night? Where I've been asked to go away for work for six months?" I reply "yes." He says "Well I had to make the decision today, and I'm going. I leave in three days."

So I sat there a little stunned. What do you say in that situation? I think I managed something to the effect of "wow that's a big decision. That's great." See, its a weird thing to meet someone for a date which normally means you have the opportunity to see them again if you want, and be told "so yeah, I won't see you again until March." At that point I almost thought "well that the hell's the point of being here then?" But we had already ordered and he really is a nice guy, so I stayed and we ate and talked and discovered that we do have quite a few things in common. By the way, word of advice: do not go on a date to Cactus Club. Its so noisy in there, it makes conversation a gruelling ordeal.

After dinner we left to go somewhere quieter where we could hear well enough to have a proper conversation. And I decided if circumstances were different, I would see him again. And he was very sweet and told me he doesn't expect a smart, beautiful girl like me to be single when he gets back....but if I am...well...

So there you have it ladies and gentlemen. Such is my life. I meet a good guy, and he's leaving in two days.