Uh, can we talk later?

Last Tuesday, I had to go to the dentist to get a cavity filled. It was a quick in and out, but I think I got an elephant's dose of Novocaine. Not because of how numb my mouth was, but because of how woozy I felt afterwards. I was out at 4 PM and could have gone back to work, but thought, "no, don't really feel like that. I feel like a nap. I should go on home."

So, I came home, settled on the couch and was about ready to close my eyes when the phone rang. I really don't know why I have a home phone. I knew no one without a real purpose would be calling me at home before 5:00. "No, I'm not interested in credit card protection, but thanks for calling." Thank goodness I'm not a credit card phone solicitor though I do feel like a phone solicitor at times.

I settle back down. The phone rings again. A few minutes before 5:00. SERIOUSLY?!?! I answer the phone. "Is this Audra Jennings?" Great. Another person sort of stumbling over my full name. Sigh.

"This is Audra."

"This is ******* ******** from *********." (*to protect the caller)

This is when I am completely caught off guard. Oh-my.

"I was just wondering if you were dating anyone."

Short answer "uh, no, I'm not" or long answer "surely you jest. I do barely remember the last time I went out with someone, but I'm not revealing how long ago that was." I keep it short.

"Well, a guy's got to get up his nerve, and my parents said I should ask out someone from... And you never know until you ask."

"That's true, you don't know."

I choose to believe it was the shot Dr. Pete gave me and the fact I hadn't had much lunch that day, but my brain wasn't firing all correctly. My mind was on a tilt a whirl.

"So I wanted to see if you wanted to go out one night..."

"Well, I've got a lot going on until after Christmas." This was not a lie. I did have a number of things going on between that day and this coming Saturday.

"Oh. Really?"

"Yeah, I do. Actually, I just got home from the dentist and my mouth is half numb, and I'm really not feeling well. Can we talk later?"

"Yeah, my phone number is in the ********** *********. That's where I got your number."

"OK, well..."

And we ended the call. My mind was racing. I know who this person is, but really haven't ever had a conversation, but from what little I know, we have nothing in common and honestly, this really is not a "person of interest" for me.

I manically grab my BlackBerry and start trying to call my mom or Jenny. One or the other. Both. As I am trying to dial them, my home phone rings again. I let the machine get it like I should have the first two times.

"Uh, Audra, this is ******* ******* from ******** again. I meant to give you my number. It's my cell and I have it with me all the time, even when I sleep."

I cannot reach Jenny, but get my mom who is wondering about my altered state from my dentist visit and wants to make sure I am at home and not driving myself anywhere. She gives me, "well, you can just do something once. You don't have to get serious."

Jenny meanwhile has phone issues and does not get calls, messages or texts.

The next day, I tell Christi at work about my phone call. She determinedly tells me I need to give him a chance. I probably stuck my tongue out at her because that is not what I wanted to hear. He sounded shy, and I felt bad, but I still didn't want to go.

So, that evening, I had somewhere I needed to be. I stopped by Jenny's to make sure her dog had not eaten her phone again and that she was alive and told her she had abandoned me in my moment of need. I also told her I didn't have time to talk, but she better call me later. I jumped in the car and left. I get to the place I am going and lo and behold ************* had been looking for me, and I had just missed him. He had talked to my mom while he was waiting for me to show up. He also had tried to stop by my mother's office that day while she was at lunch.

Since I did a very good job of avoiding him, that night when I got home, I sent a text saying, "I got your message last night, but I was out of it. Sorry about that." I figured that was the polite thing to do, all things considered.

That night Jenny told me I should give him a chance. I chastised Jenny for not saying what I wanted to hear.

Next morning, I post on Facebook, "yes, I am a bad person." or something like that. Someone replied back asking why. This person does know the caller and I have a hunch to ask her a few questions. Turns out he had asked this friend out previously, and I found out enough to not feel so bad about not being interested plus some.

I meet Jenny for lunch to catch her up on what I have found out. Basically, he wants to find him a nice girl, but I think I'm just the next on the list, for one thing. I get a text message saying, "is this Audra? You doing anything for lunch because I'm on the way into town."

Hmmmm... just how many people did you leave messages for yesterday? "Yeah, it's Audra. Met a friend for lunch."

The message I get back as I part ways with Jenny to go back to work, "That's alright, I'm going to... anyways good lookin."

OH NO, you just didn't! All of a sudden Mr. Shy is pulling a line? From the information I had acquired, I was not buying. I ignored.

I got another "busy tonight good lookin?" text that I ignored.

I got a phone call from my mother, "you have to do something about this guy because he showed up at my office again today." And he showed her the text message he sent me.

And I get a third asking if he had done anything wrong since I ignored the previous two. I politely replied back after the third saying that he was trying too hard and was making me uncomfortable. I asked him to please not text me back.

I have gotten one text since that I ignored. When it all comes down to it, I am very thankful that I was loopy and had an excuse. I just hope that I've effectively shown no interest so that I do not get another call after Christmas when I have less going on. He's under the impression that I am nice and sweet and anyone who knows me would laugh at that and agree he doesn't know me very well. I'd really rather not have to be blunt and to the point.

Wish me luck!

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