My "non-date."

Adapted from an email I just sent out to the girls (with some never-before-revealed information)...

I had a date tonight. I've kept it on the "dl" for a few reasons: 1) I didn't want to jinx it by talking about it too much and 2) he has a dog--which I'm horribly, deathly allergic to--so we've been talking as "just friends," assuming that it would have to stay at that casual, platonic level because it would be really difficult to have anything more serious....it'll be hard for me to spend an extended period of time at HIS house, and--well, I live with my parents...plus, even if I HAD my own place, he wouldn't really spend the night because he has to be home to let the dog out, etc. So from the day we started talking through match.com, we've looked at this as a chance to make a new friend but not much more (in fact, we found out tonight that we've both been referring to this evening in the same way: he's been calling it a "non-date" to his friends and coworkers while I've named it my "not-really-a-date date"). In one email, though, I jokingly asked him, "Of course, since romance is practically forbidden, you KNOW we're going to totally hit it off, right?" And he was like, "Yeah, that's a given."

Well, we met up for drinks tonight and....WOW. Wow. He's amazing. The conversation just FELL out of our mouths and we had a great time. We clicked from the instant he walked through the door; it was like talking to an old friend--but with a "spark," that elusive spark that's been missing from all of my recent dates. We both realized almost right away that our "non-date" had just turned into a REAL date.

He's a DJ (and, I just learned tonight, the program director and general boss) at a classic rock station here in Holland--92.7 (The Van). His name is Tyson and he's 32. He's been in the Peace Corp and was overseas for almost 5 years; he taught high school in Poland and English in Nepal. He's amazing.

So he walked me out to my car and he got in and we talked for a while longer out there. He kissed me goodnight (a few times). He's already talking about getting a super-duty vaccuum cleaner and special dog shampoo that's supposed to decrease the dander or whatever.

So.....I STILL don't want to say too much (LOL, too late) for fear of jinxing it, and I'm not going to make one of my infamous "I've met the man I'm going to marry!" declarations cuz I've said it too much for it to really carry much weight anymore, but...really, talking to him tonight, and just looking at him, there was really something...there. I can't explain it, but it was this sense of...comfort, kind of. At-ease-ness (yes, that's a word). Happiness.

And I don't even have to sit and worry about whether or not he's going to call, because it's just one of those things where I KNOW he will, you know? He was already talking about "next time we hang out" and stuff (although the connection there is definitely more than that of just friends). Of course, now that I said that, I'll probably never hear from him again.

If only he didn't have that damn dog...