Sometimes an adventure, in retrospect, can seem like
pure acting out. Summer Therapist would say “Act in, not out,” and that is
absolutely right, but sometimes, I guess, I just need to take a leap, throw a
tantrum, make a questionable choice I’ll probably live through. That’s how Sudden
Hotel Date seems, or maybe it was just curiosity or too much time thinking
about math for work. Maybe I wasn’t ready to face the sweet sincerity of my date
with GWBS the night before. Or maybe it’s just what happened.
Sudden Hotel Date matched on Bumble and Feeld at once,
which seemed like fate at the time but now seems just like: He got into town
and he’s whatever the algorithms see as my type. He was visiting from a
not-too-far away city, and his profile was written so romantically that it
seemed like I really should meet him. Like me, he seemed to be looking for
slutty romance, a partner in crime. More intriguing, he felt in his early
banter like he wanted to be my friend!
Rainbow Pal has a comet these days and they’ve been
having so much fun, why shouldn’t I try it?
It was a loooonnnnnggg workday so I was really just
looking forward to doing the dishes and going right to bed. And oh yeah, it was
trash night.
Sudden Hotel Date was only in town for a few days. I
initially declined to meet up because I really needed time to introvert after
my lovely time with GWBT. But when SHD said “Just come hang out with me in my
upgraded suite,” my seen-too-many-movies brain took him up on it.
Is “upgraded suite” an insufferable phrase? Yes.
It didn’t matter that I was tired or that I would be
showing up in my work clothes, my workaday undies not meant to be seen.
Well, it didn’t matter to me that I was tired.
I pictured making friends among abundant hotel pillows, drifting off, maybe
making out a little. Maybe I would drive home in the morning, dreamy and happy.
I sounds bananas, but he really made it sound like he
wanted to make friends. I thought I was being banter-y and cute about my
tiredness, but it made him change his tune:
“Well if you’re just gonna fall asleep we could
reschedule. I’m in town til Thursday morning.”
But Wednesday night was scheduled to be grocery night
with BFF, and besides, I was already downtown! I’d even found a nice parking space
that didn’t cost a jillion dollars! I paid the meter and went to meet him.