I watched the crowd of people filter in and out of the bar. Most were young, successful types trying to squeeze a few quick drinks in between lunch hours and business meetings. I didn't know what he looked like. Only, his im's implied he was medium stature and dark hair. The way he wrote suggested he was middle class, educated, and of an Anglo Saxon decent. There was a hint of southern charm in his writings.
A single white rose lay on the table before me. A reminder of who I was and what I was doing in the smoke filled bar. He had wanted to meet in person. Bypass the phone conversations and have a sit down dinner and drink. We decided that noon would be best. It would be safe. Both of us could easily walk away and think no more about what we were doing. We were strangers meeting strangers and staying strangers.
I moved the rose over and finished my second drink. Picking up my purse, I turned to leave thinking this was a waste of time. How pathetic could I be to get stood up by a blind date over the internet? At least, I won't know what I would be missing. I kept thinking, he had have been a real jerk to leave me hanging.
As I had begun to fish tip money out of my wallet, the chair beside me was being pulled out from under the table. "Einpets?" The dark figure inquired.
Huffing, I looked over the rim of my glasses, "You must be 'Guy.'" He nodded his head slowly. "You are late."
"I was nervous." He motioned for me to sit back down and ordered a pale ale. "I didn't know what to say. So, I watched. You seemed nice enough. I just didn't know how to begin. So, when you started to leave, I figured this was my last chance to at least see how things go."