A Brief Episode of Dating Drama ...
Nov. 22nd, 2008 07:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kybearfuzz... though not my own.
I have lately been lamenting my single status and lack of dating. Luckily, my work has kept me relatively busy so that I haven't had too much time to focus on it. Tonight, though, I was feeling a tad on the lonely side for some reason. I decided to hit an Indian restaurant for dinner. If I wasn't going to have a date tonight, I might as well load my system with definite date deterrents, like garlic breath and pores that will exude the unmistakable scent of curry.
Seated alone at a booth, I ordered my dinner and opened my sketchpad for some doodling while I waited for it to arrive. In the booth behind me, I overheard the following:
Him: "So are you not even going to smile tonight?"
Her: "Smile about what?"
The couple seemed to be having a rather unpleasant evening of their own. With nothing else to do, I put my pencil down and listened to what could be construed as a radio drama, the voices and inflections creating the image of the couple in my mind.
Him: "So why did we come out to dinner if we're not going to talk?"
Her: "You asked me out for dinner. I had food at home."
Him: "Well, aren't we even going to talk?"
Her: "I'd rather not discuss it here."
Him: "Why not?"
Her: "Because I'm not airing our lives here in the restaurant for everyone to hear."
I thought for a moment she was on to me, but how could she be? I imagined what had to be a very uncomfortable meal for the two of them. As their conversation continued, it became very apparent that they were not married, but had been dating for a while.
Him: "Well, haven't I been good to you?"
Her: "Yes."
Him: "So we can't talk about it at all?"
Her: "Not here."
Him: "Well, why did we come out then? We could have talked at your place."
Her: "You asked me to come out."
Him: "You could say something at least."
Her: "Not here and not if you're going to act like a jerk."
My dinner of chicken curry and rice and garlic bread had shown up. I fixed my plate and sat there eating, staring into space while I listened intently on their conversation. The more I overheard, the more the back story had developed in my mind. Either he had done something bad in her mind and/or she was no longer interested in him. With his almost desperate questioning and her brief, non-committal answers, it was very apparent to me what was occurring. Tonight, she was breaking up with him.
As their check came, he was trying to make out the numbers without his glasses while she was bagging up the left overs. So he was paying for dinner and she was taking the extra back. It sounded rather cold to me. If she was going to break up with him, I admire that she wanted to do it face-to-face, but to basically barter one more meal out of the guy beforehand AND take the leftovers home seemed a bit selfish. She could have easily have done this before dinner and saved him the dinner. Granted, I'm reading a lot into this scenario and I shouldn't automatically be on his side.
The couple got up and left, their actual appearances shattering my mental images of an Ashley/Scarlett couple for their true selves as they walked by. She was a spikey-haired blonde 40-something in stonewashed blue jeans and 80's boots, carrying her doggy bag of leftovers and easily walking eight paces ahead of the guy. He was a balding, dark-haired man in his 40's, clean-shaven, in dress pants and a coat and slowly trudged behind her. I believe he knew what was happening and just had not accepted it yet.
Sadly, the Guru Indian Restaurant would likely be a bad memory for him from now on, the last place he took her before she broke his heart. As out-of-sorts as I felt tonight, I didn't envy him the way he was feeling, knowing that his night was only going to get worse. Being single, I suppose, isn't all bad.
I have lately been lamenting my single status and lack of dating. Luckily, my work has kept me relatively busy so that I haven't had too much time to focus on it. Tonight, though, I was feeling a tad on the lonely side for some reason. I decided to hit an Indian restaurant for dinner. If I wasn't going to have a date tonight, I might as well load my system with definite date deterrents, like garlic breath and pores that will exude the unmistakable scent of curry.
Seated alone at a booth, I ordered my dinner and opened my sketchpad for some doodling while I waited for it to arrive. In the booth behind me, I overheard the following:
Him: "So are you not even going to smile tonight?"
Her: "Smile about what?"
The couple seemed to be having a rather unpleasant evening of their own. With nothing else to do, I put my pencil down and listened to what could be construed as a radio drama, the voices and inflections creating the image of the couple in my mind.
Him: "So why did we come out to dinner if we're not going to talk?"
Her: "You asked me out for dinner. I had food at home."
Him: "Well, aren't we even going to talk?"
Her: "I'd rather not discuss it here."
Him: "Why not?"
Her: "Because I'm not airing our lives here in the restaurant for everyone to hear."
I thought for a moment she was on to me, but how could she be? I imagined what had to be a very uncomfortable meal for the two of them. As their conversation continued, it became very apparent that they were not married, but had been dating for a while.
Him: "Well, haven't I been good to you?"
Her: "Yes."
Him: "So we can't talk about it at all?"
Her: "Not here."
Him: "Well, why did we come out then? We could have talked at your place."
Her: "You asked me to come out."
Him: "You could say something at least."
Her: "Not here and not if you're going to act like a jerk."
My dinner of chicken curry and rice and garlic bread had shown up. I fixed my plate and sat there eating, staring into space while I listened intently on their conversation. The more I overheard, the more the back story had developed in my mind. Either he had done something bad in her mind and/or she was no longer interested in him. With his almost desperate questioning and her brief, non-committal answers, it was very apparent to me what was occurring. Tonight, she was breaking up with him.
As their check came, he was trying to make out the numbers without his glasses while she was bagging up the left overs. So he was paying for dinner and she was taking the extra back. It sounded rather cold to me. If she was going to break up with him, I admire that she wanted to do it face-to-face, but to basically barter one more meal out of the guy beforehand AND take the leftovers home seemed a bit selfish. She could have easily have done this before dinner and saved him the dinner. Granted, I'm reading a lot into this scenario and I shouldn't automatically be on his side.
The couple got up and left, their actual appearances shattering my mental images of an Ashley/Scarlett couple for their true selves as they walked by. She was a spikey-haired blonde 40-something in stonewashed blue jeans and 80's boots, carrying her doggy bag of leftovers and easily walking eight paces ahead of the guy. He was a balding, dark-haired man in his 40's, clean-shaven, in dress pants and a coat and slowly trudged behind her. I believe he knew what was happening and just had not accepted it yet.
Sadly, the Guru Indian Restaurant would likely be a bad memory for him from now on, the last place he took her before she broke his heart. As out-of-sorts as I felt tonight, I didn't envy him the way he was feeling, knowing that his night was only going to get worse. Being single, I suppose, isn't all bad.
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no subject
Date: 2008-11-23 03:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-23 05:21 am (UTC)Singledom is okay. :)
no subject
Date: 2008-11-23 03:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-24 08:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-23 05:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-24 08:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-24 02:17 am (UTC)While such episodes may remind us of how miserable a relationship, we quickly forgot how wonderful they can be too. There is risk in finding love and happiness. It's worth it. We both need to put ourselves out there.
That reminds me, I still need to plan a trip your way or you need to get down here. ;)
no subject
Date: 2008-11-24 08:37 pm (UTC)