Not a good first date location

Snaggletooth and I meet at a party. It was dark and I didn’t notice the tooth people!
We exchanged numbers and talked about going to dinner.
Finally date night came. I was excited. He was not my type really but he was fun and made me laugh. He was going to pick me up, we had spoken that day and he had said he had picked a great place.
As it got closer to pick up time, he called. There had been a changed in plans. One of his friends was celebrating his divorce. He asked if I mind that we go hang out with the newly-divorced friend. I said, “Sure.” What was I going to say.

Snaggletooth was an outgoing guy, who showed affection. As long as I didn’t look at the tooth, I was ok. He told me to come and meet them there.

As I head to the location, I was questioning my decision. I had told him not to worry and that we could reschedule. I told him to go out with his friends and have fun.He said no, that he wanted me to join him. I told myself, “maybe it’s nice that I meet his friends. You learn a lot for a person’s friend. Maybe it’s nice that he wants me to meet his friends…?!”

As I pull in, I saw a big Hooters sign. “I can’t be going there?! There are other restaurants around the Hooters, maybe I am just meeting them there, and then we are going some where else. NOT…

I have nada against Hooters. When I worked for Budweiser, I went to many many Hooters. And Tere and Ernie, we go to the Bayside Hooters after Heat games all the time.
But come on!

“Mari, your cool! Act cool! You’re a fun girl! He will see how laid back you are,” I told myself. And really people, I love to drink beer and eat wings.

As we walked in, I saw him at a table with his friend. Soon another friend came in, and then another. I was introduced to everyone, eeryone seemed nice. Once all 6 guys and me got there, it was shot time!

One shot after another… Everyone cheered, “Yeah divorce!” After the 4th shot I found myself saying…”Yeah divorce!!!! Wooo hooo!”
Wait…“Why are you happy about divorce? You have never been married or divorced. Why am I cheering for this?”

I also realized all the waitresses knew him. Not like they knew him from high school or were old friends They knew him because he went every week and on weekends. He sat at the same table, had the same rituals, they knew him well!

“Mari, your cool! Act cool! You’re a fun girl!”I told myself.

Waitress after waitress was coming by to say hi. “Weird, but ok, I am here.”
I kept busy eating my curly fries, with the yummy cheese! I eat my super hot wings and drank my draft beer. I do like wings people and they make them hot!

Everyone was high-fiving and now started the stories about woman. Divorcing woman, dating woman, woman, woman, woman. Are we woman bashing I thought!?….”hmmmmm, that’s not cool! Wait I am a woman!”

It was getting late. I needed to drive home and realized there was a lot more divorce celebration and woman bashing to come. I looked at Snaggletooth, who I must say, had been very nice to me during our Hooters outing. He had paid attention to me, held my hand, I told him I was going to get going.

He asked me to talk a last shot. I said sure, one for the road! What the hell!
As he walked me to my car, I thought well that’s nice. (Really Mari!?) We said good bye and he said he would not be able to call me later but would call me the next day because… they were going to a strip club and wouldn’t be home till super super late.
I said, “Oh, ok. Have fun!”

I drove home in silence.


Reflection: Reschedule date; don’t celebrate divorce with a guy you just started to date. Bad start!
Lesson: Don’t date someone with no friends.


www.Hooters.com