My first job after college was at a small Greek restaurant called Pirro's on the north end of my old hometown. I would have preferred to have been doing something a little more exciting than waiting tables, obviously, but the economy was tough that year and I hadn't been able to find any jobs after graduation. So I was forced to move home, and for about six months I lived in my parents' basement and worked at the restaurant.
It was kind of an interesting working situation in that I was the only guy who worked as a server. All of the others were women. And while that might sound good in theory – it did to me. I'd been kind of a shy guy and had never had a girlfriend at that point – working with all women is a little different in practice. At least for me it was. The girls used to tease me all the time, and talk about sex and boys right in front of me. They used to love making me blush and laughing at me. After a few weeks I pretty much resigned myself to not having a shot with any of them. Oh well, I thought. What else could I expect?
There was one girl, though, with whom I was convinced I had a chance. Her name was Lorrie, and even though she would tease me just as much as some of the other girls – in fact, she was probably one of the worst at times – she also really seemed to be interested in talking to me. We began to take a lot of our meals together between shifts. I talked a little bit, about school or my family or the jobs I was applying to. But mostly I just listened. I think she liked having a confidante, and I liked hanging around a beautiful young woman. I learned that she was a little older than me at twenty-five, and that she had an associate's degree in communications, but what she really wanted to do was go back to school and study marketing. Her family had split up when she was young and she didn't talk to her dad much anymore. She was dating an auto-mechanic who sounded more and more like a jerk the more I heard about him. She constantly complained about the things he did, like missed dates and unreturned phone calls. Some days she seemed on the verge of tears about him and on the verge of a breakup, but then the next day she'd be talking about how in love they were. It was confusing to me.
It seems a little foolish in retrospect, but the more time we spent together the more I thought Lorrie and I could be together. She had to break up with her boyfriend eventually, right? The guy seemed like a total asshole. And she seemed to like flirting with me, telling me I had pretty hair or nice blue eyes sometimes. Her long legs and platinum blond hair began to haunt my dreams. She surprised me once by hugging me tightly after one of our meals together. I could feel her large breasts pushing into my chest and her bra strap on her back.
"Thank you for being such a good friend," she said, and then actually kissed me on the cheek! I felt lightheaded and aroused for the whole rest of my shift, and completely forgot to put in a dinner order. The manager gave me hell, but I didn't care. Lorrie liked me! She had actually kissed me! It was one of the first times that had ever happened.
Later that same week Lorrie asked me if I would go shopping with her the following morning. She needed some help picking something out. I said yes so fast she looked a little taken aback.
"Wow," she said, "That's great. I mean most guys— Well, I'm glad you're coming. I think it will be good to have a guy's perspective. Can I pick you up at ten?"
"Definitely!" I said.
The other waitresses learned about our shopping excursion somehow and teased me throughout the night. I think they knew what a crush I had on Lorrie. "Ready for your date, Aidan?" they'd ask and giggle. I ignored them. Honestly I was thrilled that they were calling it a date – maybe that meant Lorrie had, too?
I could hardly sleep after work that night I was so excited, and the next morning I was up early to shower and shave and put on one of my nicest outfits. My parents asked what the occasion was and I told them about the "date." My dad said something about it being a little early for that, but they didn't say anything else. I was out on the curb waiting at 9:55. And I waited. And waited. Thirty minutes later I got a text from Lorrie. 'sry. running late. b there in 15.'
I stayed outside in case she showed up sooner. My mom poked her head out the door and asked if everything was all right.
"Yeah, Lorrie's just running a little late," I said.
Mom gave me a funny look and went back inside. Another thirty minutes passed and Lorrie pulled up in her green Corolla. She looked tired and was dressed in sweats and Ugg boots. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail and her eyes were covered with oversized sunglasses. She made no mention of being late but just said, "Man, I am SO hung over right now!" and laughed.
I felt a little disappointed. She didn't seem particularly dressed-up or "date-like," but she still looked good to me and she seemed willing to talk. I held out hope. "You went out last night?" I asked.
"Yeah, just with some of the girls from work. Ashley says hi. You should have come!"
For some reason I was embarrassed to say that I hadn't been invited. "Oh, I was a little tired last night,' I said.
Lorrie shrugged. "And then Travis and I were up late having a big argument... Anyway, we're going to head over the big mall in Preston, is that all right?"
I nodded, secretly thrilled at the first part of what she had said. There must have been a reason she was telling me she had had a big argument with her boyfriend.
"This is going to be so much fun," she said. "Some of the girls and I were talking and we think you'll be great for this."
We made small talk the rest of the way over to the mall. Once we were at the mall I realized that she had never told me what it was we would be shopping for, so I asked her.
"Didn't I tell you?" she said. She started to laugh a little bit. "Sorry, I guess I didn't. I need to buy some new underwear. I thought it would be good to have you there to help me pick them out. Is that Ok? Aidan?"
I hardly heard the last part of what she said. In one car ride she had said she'd had a fight with her boyfriend and that she was taking me lingerie shopping. This had to be my big shot.
"And plus," Lorrie said, continuing with a playful smile, "if you play your cards right, you just might get to see me try some of it on. How does that sound?"
I felt like the floor had tipped sideways. I think my jaw fell down to about my navel. Lorrie laughed.
"I thought you might like that," she said. "But I'm not making any promises...yet. Like I said, you'll have to play your cards right. Think you're up for it?"
As we walked through the mall I began to get really nervous. What if I messed this up? How was a guy supposed to act when he went underwear shopping with a girl? Cool, right? Or excited and into it? I wished I had more experience with girls. I just kept telling myself to stay calm.
Lorrie led me through the crowds and past the big department stores. Lorrie looked great from behind, even in rumpled sweat pants. We walked towards the big pink-lit sign of the Victoria's Secret in the corner of the mall and I froze up a little bit outside the entrance. Inside I could see a crowd of women milling around scantily-clad mannequin and racks and racks of colorful lingerie. None of them seemed to realize what a momentous occasion it was. This was a store I usually hesitated to even walk by, much less enter, and now I would be shopping in it with the most beautiful girl I knew. Lorrie noticed that I had stopped and laughed. "Come on, Silly," she said, and grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.
It was just one step from outside the store to inside the store, but I felt like I had entered another world. My head filled with the smells of perfumes and body lotions. There was so much pink everywhere – pink banners, pinks signs, pink bras and panties. Artistic photos of nearly naked women adorned the walls. I turned and almost collided with an armless mannequin dressed in a see-through babydoll. It was hard to focus and follow Lorrie amidst all that sexy stimulii, but she held on to my hand and led me like a little child all the way to the back of the store. I was in a complete daze the whole way. There she met a pretty dark-haired salesgirl that she knew.
"Sarah!' Lorrie said, and hugged her. They spent a few moments greeting each other while I hovered a few steps behind. I've never really been sure what to do in those kinds of awkward social situations. Eventually Sarah looked up an noticed me.
"Is that--?" she asked, looking at Lorrie.
